Area Legislators Answer Questions From Their Constituents At Year’s First ‘Eggs and Issues’

January 22nd, 2022

Oskaloosa, Iowa – A trio of Iowa legislators made the trip back into the confines of Smokey Row Coffee for the annual ‘Eggs and Issues’ forum that helps constituents connect with those who help make policy.

Last year was disrupted by the COVID-19 virus and was held online, with questions being accepted via the live stream.

Former state representative and Oskaloosa attorney Eric Palmer started the day by commenting and asking about funding for public education in Iowa, saying that support for public schools has “been under 2%” and that support for state universities this past year was zero. “You’re really neglecting our public schools,” Palmer challenged the legislators on funding for education.

Sen. Rozenboom (R) referencing when he was first elected and when Palmer was a state representative in 2009 when the state budget was cut 10% across the board.

In 2009, then Iowa Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley stated the 10% across the board reduction: “Iowans know that you simply cannot irresponsibly spend more money than you take in and yet Governor Culver and legislative Democrats continually plugged their ears to the Republican warnings about passing unsustainable budgets.”

Rozenboom referenced that time-period saying that Democrats had broken promises for funding. “You didn’t have the money to fund what they promised.”

“We [Republicans] have delivered every penny we have promised,” said Rozenboom in response to Palmer’s comments.

Local businessperson Kyle Brown then questioned the legislators about Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds corporate tax rates and how they would impact his business versus some larger businesses.

Rep. Dustin Hite (R) said that some discussion in the Iowa House of Representatives is to look at tax credits and the tax rate as a whole, and if ending some credits would then help to level the effective tax rates for all corporate taxpayers.

Rep. Holly Brink (R) added that the proposal set forward by Reynolds doesn’t mean that the legislators wouldn’t look at it further and try to do what is best for all Iowans.

A protest from Direct Action Everywhere then disrupted the typically cordial gathering when individuals from the group began to shout, “Ag-gag laws are Iowa’s shame. Rozenboom is to blame.”

Rep. Holly Brink’s scared daughter rushed to her mother, and several other individuals in attendance were shocked at the outburst.

Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt, who was moderating the session, attempted to gain control of the outburst. Eventually, the protestors departed Smokey Row Coffee and continued to chant in front of the establishment.

The Oskaloosa Police Department arrived shortly afterward and maintained a presence for the remainder of the event.

Sen. Rozenboom and the group have a history, and their past press release exchange is documented by following this LINK.

After the audience settled back in around their coffee, Diane-Crookham Johnson then commented about Rozenboom’s decade of service and his willingness to listen and at times break with his party because that was what was best for Mahaska County. “What happened this morning is not anything that he deserves. It’s not how you deal with the politician you don’t agree with or their politics.”

An additional question from a Mahaska County landowner was if the Iowa Legislature would be involved in deciding if a proposed carbon pipeline would be allowed to build through the state and Mahaska County.

Rep. Hite said that approximately 500 landowners have already signed up to allow the pipeline. But the question for them is how to look long-term at pipelines and if their projects are built on sustainable funding over time. But he said that he didn’t see anything happening in the legislature this year.

The conversation over teacher pay, teacher retention, and more were also reoccurring discussion points.

Eventually, the topic returned to political decorum, and Rep. Brink spoke about her daughter and why the morning protestors had so freighted her.

“The reason she got so nervous is because last summer, two summers ago, she was attacked in the Capitol with them getting in her face screaming and making her cry. People like that have attacked a little girl, said Brink, who was attending a signing with her daughter and the governor.

“She [her daughter] was so excited,” Brink remembers of that day. “A very large group got in her face screaming, and the State Patrol had to grab us and take us behind locked doors.”

“This is normal anymore,” Brink explained. “I get letters all the time saying I should be kidnapped and caged.”

Another protestor who had come back in asked to comment, and Rozenboom said, “No, you’re not gonna get the microphone because people like you are the problem.”

Rozenboom went on to explain that his interaction with his colleagues is “virtually always cordial. We disagree. We disagree strongly sometimes, but there’s a dignity to the Senate that is maintained within those walls.”

“Outside, we have a radical few, and we saw some of those this morning. And typically, they are totally untethered from the truth. Truth means nothing to them.”

Moderator Dave Krutzfeldt made some closing comments, and the first Eggs and Issues with local representatives came to a close.

The next Eggs and Issues with state legislators will be on February 26th, 2022. On February 12th, the guests will be representatives from Indian Hills Community College and William Penn University.