Last year, Republicans in the legislature passed a transformational tax bill for Iowa.

One key aspect of the bill went into effect on Jan. 1 this year. It eliminated all taxes on retirement income. With this reform, more Iowans will be able to either stay here year-round and enjoy time with their families, or attract more people to our great state as people look for more affordable living. Eliminating this tax was one more step Senate Republicans are taking as we work to make our state more competitive and keep more people in our state.

Tax reform continues to be on our minds as we head into the 2023 legislative session. Property taxes is an issue we hear about often because they have increased dramatically over the last several years. Property tax reform is a big priority this year and we’ll be looking into how we can best bring some relief to Iowa taxpayers, limit the size and cost of local government, and bring more transparency to a complicated process.

Committees I serve on

Appropriations Chair: passes appropriation bills; regulates expenditures of money.

Education: initiates and implements educational policies.

Government Oversight: ensures efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.

State Government: from election laws and campaign ethics to banks and credit unions, anything touching state government.

Technology Vice-Chair: information technology, telecommunications, cybersecurity.

Workforce: job creation and workforce shortage solutions.

Veterans Day at the Capitol

Every year, veterans from all over Iowa come to the Capitol. On Wednesday, this tradition continued. Many of these men and women gathered in the rotunda and listened to speeches from various officials.

Various veterans foundations were present to talk about their missions and the work they do to help veterans. We took the opportunity to thank them for their service and hear their thoughts on ways the legislature can help improve the lives of our veterans.

Students First Act advances

This week the Senate Education and Appropriations committees passed Senate File 94, commonly known as the Students First Act. Gov. Reynolds spoke at length about this bill in her Condition of the State speech last week. The bill has been the primary topic in the Iowa Senate over the first two weeks. After passing both committees the bill is now eligible to be debated by the full Senate.

This is not a public vs. private school debate. It’s about educating all students in the best possible way.

A vast majority of Iowa students attend public schools, and a vast majority of Iowa students will continue to choose their public school.

School choice offers an alternative for families who may need a new option. We care about making sure that every child gets the best education that fits their unique needs.

Through school choice, we will not de-fund public schools. Public schools will keep their property tax revenue and they will receive an estimated $1,200 for each resident student opting for private education with an ESA. Senate File 94 also creates an opportunity for nearly a hundred million dollars statewide, currently unused in restricted accounts in public schools, to be used to raise teacher pay.

Legitimate polls of Iowa voters have consistently shown strong parental support for school choice. Gov. Reynolds also made school choice a centerpiece of her campaign and she won by one of the largest margins in an Iowa governor’s race in the last 40 years. Iowans have shown their support of school choice and after this week, it is several steps closer to becoming a reality.

Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, is a senator in the Iowa Senate, representing District 5.