Update From the House for District 80 – February 24th, 2022

by Holly Brink

Week 7 Update
Hello Friends,

This week at the Iowa House of Representatives, floor debate was in full swing. We debated numerous bills to help Iowans and further the progress of the great state of Iowa as a whole.

The Iowa House of Representatives passed a bill to cut taxes for every Iowan. Our plan reduces the individual income tax for all Iowans to a flat tax of 4%, exempts retirement income from income taxes, and includes a new income exemption for retired farmers. Thanks to the Governor’s leadership and House Republicans’ conservative budgeting practices, Iowa’s economy remains strong. The ending balance remains healthy, we continue to fulfill our commitments to the taxpayers, and the Taxpayer Relief Fund has reached over $1 billion. The state’s finances are so strong that we are able to deliver historic tax relief while continuing to fund Iowans’ priorities. The state of Iowa is taking in more money than it needs. And we believe we need to return this overcollection to the taxpayers.

As many of you know, I chair the Government Oversight Committee. We had our first hearing of the second half of the 89th General Assembly, where we questioned the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). House Republicans have been made aware of many cases of teachers or administrators with very serious complaints filed against them not being reprimanded appropriately by the BOEE. Teachers with these allegations leveled against them often have no record of a complaint attached to their license. And even in cases where the allegations are found to be true, teachers have had their licenses reinstated after a short period of time when those teachers do not belong in the classroom ever again. We know the vast majority of teachers are great people who are doing great work for our students. But there must be a system in place to remove the ones that are harming our children. The system for protecting our kids and ensuring their safety in school is clearly broken. We are working on a number of reforms to fix it.

For additional updates, please visit my legislative Facebook Page to watch my videos regarding legislation in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. There is never an off week, and it is your support that keeps me excited every day to come to work. I always enjoy hearing from you! My contact information is below:

Holly Brink
State Representative, Iowa District 80