School Funding, Medical Funding, And The Bottle Bill Big Parts Of Eggs And Issues

Left To Right: Sen. Ken Rozenboom (R), Rep. Holly Brink (R), and Rep. Dustin Hite (R) at Eggs and Issues on Saturday.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Things in Iowa have been slow the past couple of weeks. People are moving slower through the snow, and cars are starting a little slower in the mornings.

Inside of Smokey Row on Saturday morning, people braved the arctic weather to listen to Mahaska County’s three legislative representatives speak about the young session underway in Des Moines.

Representatives Holly Brink and Dustin Hite are the freshman legislators, while Senator Ken Rozenboom is the veteran legislative representative, now in his seventh year at the state house.

Cheryl Plank, Tenco Executive Director, asked the legislators if they had a plan for managed care this year. “What is the plan, because, at this point, many providers are not being fully paid for what it costs them to do service. I just ask you that at some point, we get to the point where we’re covering our costs.”

Rozenboom responded by saying, “I don’t know that we have a plan. The governor has a plan. I can tell you this, Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats are continually asked about this. We recognize the weaknesses that have been evident to you.”

“We’re going to keep working on it Cheryl,” added Rozenboom. “I will be honest, I’ve always been a little disappointed that the Governor hasn’t been more receptive to some changes on that. We’re going to keep working on it.”

“On the house side, yes it is a discussion we’re having,” said Rep. Holly Brink (R-District 80) who added that discussions are taking place on different ideas. ‘I do know that we’re trying to think of ideas and figure out ways to help you guys.”

Oskaloosa School Superintendent Paula Wright asked the legislators about funding for schools. Beyond the increasing costs, student needs are also a big part of what schools face.

In regards to supplemental state aid or transportation equity for schools this upcoming year. Wright said that Oskaloosa receives $170 less per student than other districts around the state, “and it is definitely an inequity”, added Wright.

Rep. Dustin Hite was the first to address Wright, and said that the Iowa House at this point is taking the Governor’s proposal “which is a 2.3% increase in SSA, and as you know, we’re reaching out to our local school districts and seeing where that puts them for next year. We’re also discussing the transportation aid, and one of the concerns that we have is making sure it doesn’t incentivize schools to inflate their transportation costs.”

“We’re also looking at increasing the equity for the school, for the per-pupil funding, because that is an issue across the state,” added Hite. “Those are a couple of things we’re looking at. Of course with all of that, we’ve got to fit it in with the rest of the budget. I’m taking a hard look at that to make sure we are getting the schools the funding that they do need.”

When it comes to student needs, student mental health has the spotlight on it this year, and Wright asked the legislators what the conversations are about in terms of assistance for school districts for student mental health needs.

“We are in the very beginning stages of that,” Brink said in response. “We’re working through a lot more of the funding side of it to know where we can go with that.”

Brink also acknowledged the proposed increase of 2.3% for education, but is exploring how different aspects of that increase will impact area schools. Last year, 109 schools were impacted by the increase in transportation funding, but Oskaloosa wasn’t one of them that received extra transportation dollars. North Mahaska did receive some extra money to cover student transportation costs.

“That’s a really big thing I’m looking at, of how is this going to affect the schools in my district, because I represent about seven different school districts,” added Brink. “We’re working through the numbers.”

“The Senate’s taken a little bit of a contrary view,” added Rozenboom to the discussion. “In respect to how we spend the new money for education.”

Rozenboom has proposed legislation in the past to equalize transportation and per-pupil spending, which passed the Senate but was never addressed in the House.

“The Governor is proposing about 140 million new dollars for education, 90 million of that goes pre-K to 12,” said Rozenboom.

“Here’s where we’re a little contrary,’ said Rozenboom of the Senate plans versus the House plans. “We are placing more emphasis on the transportation per pupil.”

“We would like to see a lower number in terms of the SSA in 1.5% or 1.7, 1.8, and then spend those other dollars for transportation equality. I know the Governor wants a 2 in front of the number. I’m sure all educators want a 2 in front of the number, but that’s what the process is all about. I’m sure conversations will continue between the House and Senate and Governor. There’s going to be quite a little new money put into education this year,” added Rozenboom.

“And to the mental health part of it, the Governor’s proposed 3 million dollars new money for mental health training for teachers,” said Rozenboom. “I don’t know what to think of that at this point. That’s what she has in her budget as a starting place.”

Another topic with some conversation going on is Iowa’s bottle bill and potentially adding an additional penny per bottle that the retailer would pay on the deposit.

Currently in Iowa, the consumer pays a five cent deposit on cans and bottles, while the retailer of the product pays an additional penny that goes to a business that processes the returned bottles and cans.

New legislation would add an additional penny the retailers would pay on the deposit.

The number of redemption centers in Iowa has dropped dramatically over the years, as those centers found it impossible to cover expenses on just the single penny per can or bottle.

Rozenboom sits on the subcommittee exploring the bottle bill. He explained that the conversation has come up many of the years he’s been in the Senate, but nothing has happened. “Maybe this is the year.”

Rozenboom explained that a simple bill has been submitted. “I was rather lukewarm to this bill at the beginning, after the process this week of studying and talking and so forth, I think it’s actually a pretty good bill.”

The proposed bill would say that grocery stores may not have to accept the cans and bottles back, but they will have to pay 2 cents per can and bottle to the redemption centers. “There’s 46 redemption centers left in the State of Iowa. I think there use to be many more. I think for 2 cents, a lot more [redemption centers] will show up.”

“The bill will be amended to at least give grocery stores, or retailers an opt-in provision. If they want to be taking their cans in, they can,” added Rozenboom. “It’s going to come to my committee here in the next few weeks, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Eggs and Issues will once again feature local legislators on February 23rd, beginning at 8:30 am inside Smokey Row.