Legislators Tackle Questions On Education And Mental Health

Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R) addresses those on hand at Eggs & Issues January 24, 2014. (photo by Candace Allsup/Oskaloosa News)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The tradition of waking up early on a Saturday morning during the legislative season continued on Saturday. The smell of coffee and the sound of conversation filled Smokey Row Coffee. The Legislative forum, sponsored by the Oskaloosa Chamber, is a way to bring legislators and their constituents together in a comfortable setting.

On Saturday, Iowa House members Guy Vander Linden (R) and Larry Sheets (R) gave their opening remarks about where the session is at this point. The session is 2 weeks in, and one major piece of legislation Sheets is sponsoring is a bill to convert the gas tax structure from a fixed number of pennies per gallon to a percentage tax that is applied to the wholesale price of fuel to the dealer.

“Roughly, I think it was 25 years ago when the last time that the gas tax was addressed. At that time, if there had been a percentage tax, instead of so many pennies-per-gallon, based upon the wholesale price of the fuel, we wouldn’t have a problem today because of the inflation that occurred. The tax would have increased right along with the price of the fuel. Our roads and our bridges would be safe.”

Sheets said, if enacted, the tax would be the same amount that it currently is on the day the bill is enacted. The tax would then fluctuate according to the wholesale price.

Sheets also drafted a bill that would require the display of ‘The Golden Rule’ “as a principle of respect espoused by all major religions, philosophies, and cultures.”

Vander Linden said the first week of the session is spent “patting ourselves on the back and telling everybody what a great job we’re doing”. Vander Linden explained that the second week, which was just completed, is used to get the gears in motion.

Tom Richardson, a member of the Oskaloosa School Board, asked the representatives about school funding. Richardson focused in on State Aid, formerly known as Allowable Growth.

In the past 3 years, the schools have received a 2 percent increase two years in a row and last year a 4 percent increase in aid from the state for the local school budgets. The Iowa Association of School Boards has presented a request to the Iowa Legislature for a 6 percent increase “to help catch up on expenses that has increased more than the funding has,” says Richardson.

Richardson said that the Oskaloosa School District has “seen very large cost increases”. Richardson pointed out increases in property and health insurance, salary steps that are built into teacher contracts “is larger than the 1.25 percent that is proposed”.

“How do you plan to work with the House and Senate to keep our schools in Iowa sustainable?” Asked Richardson of the legislators.

Rep. Sheets addressed Richardson’s question by saying that education spending over the past 4 years has increased by over half-a-billion dollars. “Forty-two percent of the state budget is associated with education of K through 12. When you add up all the other sources of income used for education, it amounts to 5 billion dollars. Our total budget is 7.3 billion, I believe,” said Sheets.

Sheets stated that the school funding is near half of the state budget, and the schools are asking for 6 percent. “What your saying, really, is you want everything new that comes into the state to go to education.”

Sheets said that that sort of increase to education wouldn’t guarantee funding needs for such things as human services, law enforcement, “we have to look at the whole picture”.

“We’ve been keeping our promises, but we can’t give you money that doesn’t exist,” said Sheets. “We can’t ask more from the taxpayer than we’ve already asked.”

Vander Linden added that this year’s budget is 200 million larger than last years. “Of that, the governors budget would take about half of it and put it into schools. The other half has to cover the 200 million dollar deficit we have in medicaid and all other things. So, I think it’s about as good as we can do.”

Vander Linden said that he believes the Governor’s numbers for the budget won’t be the final number. “I wouldn’t get too overly excited about percentage.”

Another question raised by the audience centered around the school start date and the controversy generated when Governor Branstad instructed the Iowa Department of Education to limit waivers for early start. This effectively put to rest a yearly process most schools have done in order to start before the state mandated date.

Rep. Sheets said that there is favorable opinion in the House to put control over the school start date in the hands of local control. “We think the school boards better determine when to start than the state and the governor.”

Vander Linden described the process to settle the controversy as a “food fight” because of the split amongst similar groups of interests as to the best course of action to take.

“I agree with Larry,” said Vander Linden. “I think this is something the school board ought to decide.”

Mahaska Health Partnership CEO Jay Christensen addressed the legislators over Governor Branstad’s plan to close two of the states four mental institutions. The proposed closures would be the institutions in Mount Pleasant and Clarinda.

Legislators are calling the proposed closures illegal, citing Iowa code that Iowa “shall” have institutions in 4 locations. Those current locations are; Clarinda, Mount Pleasant, Independence, and Cherokee.

Christensen said he was concerned that there would be no real savings to the state, but would instead, “transfer where those costs are”. Christensen said that, at this point, his staff can spend 6 to 8 hours of time to find placement for long-term mental health patients.

Christensen said that the responsibility then comes down to the county level and the sheriffs departments, who then transfer patients around the state.

“I might even challenge the Governor to work in an emergency room for a day and make some of those calls,” said Christensen.

“We hear about this more from sheriffs and police than we do from hospitals,” said Vander Linden, in his response to Christensen. “On the positive side, I think it was Governor Culver who tried to close those same facilities some years ago, and the legislature rose up and said no.”

Vander Linden said there are some strong advocates in place to keep facilities like Mount Pleasant and Clarinda open.

The next Eggs & Issues will be Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 8:30 am, at Smokey Row.