Support for Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund on Hold

By Hailey Brown

(Oskaloosa, Iowa) – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors again talked about the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which has been a hot topic not only in Mahaska County but across the State of Iowa since the proposal overwhelmingly passed on a ballot in 2010.

According to the proposal, the next time the Iowa Legislature approved a sales tax increase, the measure would allow three-eighths of one cent to be used in support of the amendment. In theory, the fund would establish permanent revenue for natural resources and outdoor recreational programs, including water quality initiatives. According to the DNR website, it was reported that this would generate about $150-180 million a year. However, the trust fund has yet to receive any money in the state of Iowa because Iowa Constitution does not allow a tax increase by referendum. Only the Legislature and governor can enact the tax increase to fund the trust.

The topic was back on the agenda at the request of Supervisor Henry ‘Willie’ Van Weelden, although Supervisors Mark Doland and Mark Groenendyk were highly skeptical of the resolution, which is ultimately in the hands of the Iowa Legislature to implement.

“They voted on this several years ago to do this and it doesn’t get done and I think it’s coming,” said Van Weelden. “I don’t know where they’re at in the Senate and House right now but they’ve been getting letters of support from different counties and different organizations.”

Late last month the fund dominated discussion during Eggs and Issues, a local forum designed to put citizens in contact with their local and state politicians. After a local resident kicked off discussion about water quality in the area, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey explained the importance of the fund and how it came about.

“We started a water quality initiative within the Department of Ag, DNR, Iowa State University… actually before the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit, and before some of the other things were going on,” explained Sec. Northey during the last Eggs and Issues forum. “And that whole effort is to engage producers to a greater degree, urban areas as well, but certainly our focus in the Department of Ag is engaging farmers at doing the kinds of things to keep more of those nutrients on our farmlands.”

The “nutrients” in this case that Sec. Northey was referring to are both nitrogen and phosphorus. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website, nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread, costly, and challenging environmental problems. It is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water. When too much nitrogen and phosphorus enter the environment, the air and water become polluted. Agricultural nutrient pollution has impacted many streams, rivers, and lakes in Iowa for the past several decades, resulting in serious environmental and human health issues. Ultimately, Sec. Northey said the trust was out of his hands and would be up to the Iowa Legislature to attend, pointing out that Sen. Ken Rozenboom would be at the front of the issue. However, whether or not Iowa politicians will take up the cause is still to be determined.

During the meeting on Tuesday, Supervisor Groenendyk said he had spoken with a senator and was told the fund will not get any money until the state raises sales tax and that nothing would be done during this session. He did not elaborate which senator he spoke with. “And so I’ll say that again, I’m not for raising the state sales tax so I’m not going to encourage it,” Groenendyk stated.

During the discussion, Supervisor Doland informed the Board that he had drafted different language for the resolution, which he said is “basically the same” with a “little bit” added, that he could support.

“The Farm Bureau, from what I hear, is talking about this, coupling this and making the Iowa mental health system a state-wide funded program as well and this would also help with the water and soil and they would couple it all together and rather than having mental health dollars coming out of property tax, they would raise the sales tax so it would be an offset but it would be funded at a state level instead of a local level for the mental health,” he explained.

Since all three Supervisors could not agree, the topic was tabled and will likely appear again at a later date on the agenda.

During the meeting on Tuesday, March 7, the Board of Supervisors also:

• Held a public hearing on the fiscal year 2017-2018 budget, to which no citizens spoke for or against. There were no written comments;
• Approved Resolution #2017-06 to adopt the fiscal year 2018 budget;
• Approved Resolution #2017-07 for the fiscal year 2018 Capital Improvement Plan;
• Approved minutes and bills from February;
• Approved a Class C Native Wine Liquor License for Tassel Ridge Winery;
• Rejected bids for courthouse roof repairs and accepted a bid for courthouse foundation repairs;
• Approved to continue an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for salt storage at the DOT shed.