Happy Valentine's Day! #TaxValentines

Happy Valentine’s Day to the #IAlegis

Clarifying things for Iowa senators: Trusting voters means one election is not meant to dictate choices in others. The proposed 2/3 supermajority proposal is antidemocratic, and a cynical power grab that will prevent future voters and legislators from correcting tax-cut mistakes.

Confronting Senate hyperbole I: Why are tax-cutters so insecure in their beliefs that they feel a need to stack the deck to keep them in law after they're gone?

Confronting Senate hyperbole II: Paying taxes is necessary to meet our responsibilities. Taking future voting power away from the people and the legislators they elect could be properly called "theft." Get it right.

Confronting Senate hyperbole III: One has to wonder why some legislators are so afraid of the people making the decisions they need to make without an ultraminority veto by 17 senators or 34 representatives.

Confronting Senate hyperbole IV: However one defines "rich," official state analysis shows high incomes mean big breaks with income-tax cuts, while those at the bottom get little if anything. Half goes to the top 5% from the 2022 cuts. The Gov's plan gives 1/3 to the top 5%.

Notable that the 2/3 supermajority proposal passed the Iowa Senate with 31 votes -- 3 short of 2/3. Using simple majority to demand a supermajority. It's a shameless attack on democracy in Iowa.

Understand the point Todd is making, but current legislative salaries do discourage many people from running for office. If you want more lawmakers who are not independently wealthy, retired, or farmers, it's important to make it feasible for working-age people with kids.

I’m feeling more indignant than rational after watching this Republican-controlled Statehouse regime operate, too often with contempt, callousness and cruelty toward its fellow Iowans. thegazette.com/staff-columnis…

The Governor rejected it for '24 and the #IAlegis failed to ensure Iowa participates in '25. But #SummerEBT is still a smart choice, and we need to keep pushing for it. Here's a quick summary of the differences between Summer EBT and the Gov's far less helpful proposal.

65% of the more than 1.6 million uninsured adults in the coverage gap are people of color, reflecting ethnic and racial disparities in health coverage — Congress should prioritize closing the coverage gap. cbpp.org/research/healt…

👀 "The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa HHS are currently evaluating the federal 2025 Summer EBT program. A decision has not been made at this time." kcci.com/article/iowa-h…

Interesting and welcome development noted by State Rep. Chuck Isenhart. Iowans should be raising questions about the state's lucrative research tax credit, which subsidizes huge companies that don't need taxpayer help -- as Common Good Iowa shows here: commongoodiowa.org/blog/2024/02/2…

SUN Bucks — FKA as Summer EBT — would help 245,000 Iowa children avoid hunger during the summer when school meals aren't available. Iowa didn't participate in Summer EBT in '24, but a spokesperson told KCCI-TV the state hasn’t decided about 2025. iowahungercoalition.org/summer-ebt/

Less than 200 signatures to go! Help us meet and exceed the goal for Iowa's Summer EBT petition!

Let’s exceed! We know feeding kids is popular — let’s show it!