The 2007 legislative session is in its final hours as I write. While we have done some good things for Iowans, we have also done some things that I think we will find very troubling for Iowa’s future.

The session started with a lot of promise for property tax relief, increasing student achievement, job creation and providing for the safety of our citizens. There was lofty talk of working in a bipartisan fashion to craft legislation which would address all of these issues which are important to our state. The promised property tax legislation unfortunately has evolved into what will become a property tax increase for residential owners and a shortfall to local governments of tens of millions within a few years that will have to be made up by increasing local taxes. I’m very disappointed that we could not provide for long lasting, meaningful property tax reform.

We did increase education spending substantially but failed to address the issue of student achievement which is becoming increasingly important in the new global economy. I am hopeful that next session we will concentrate on students and their needs to prepare them to be productive citizens with the skills necessary for good paying jobs.

Economic development and jobs suffered a blow when the majority proposed numerous job-killing pieces of legislation. The gutting of Iowa’s Right to Work Law passed in the Senate, but thankfully stalled in the House. Several changes to workers comp were proposed, most of which would have resulted in poorer care for injured workers, and while most did not pass this session, I will be watchful in the next session.

Overall I’m afraid that this session will go down as the highest spending session in Iowa’s history. We will have added over a billion dollars in new spending between this year and next year, and this is simply unsuitable for the state’s economy. In order to maintain this level of spending, taxes will need to be increased sometime in the future. In addition to increased spending and the requirement for new taxes, the Legislature has raised virtually every fee that they could identify including restaurant/hotel inspection fees, habitat stamps and numerous others.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve you during the 2007 legislative session. I plan to be out and about in the district over the summer and fall. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at (641) 774-5785 or email at paul.mckinley@legis.state.ia.us.