Let's cut the tax cuts and Iowa address priorities

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ 2022 agenda includes tax cuts. Certainly, people prefer that the government’s hand not go quite so deeply into our pockets, but this agenda needs some rethinking.

The state should use surplus funds where they’re needed. Education is a good place to start. Start by restoring the $8 million slashed from Iowa’s public universities, then increase the Iowa Tuition Grant, which serves the interests of Iowa students and small colleges alike. As K-12 schools continue to grapple with the pandemic, they could certainly use a funding shot in the arm.

Now consider public health. Where are state investments in COVID testing? How is the state responding to COVID-related mental health issues?

Another area sorely in need of state funding lies the intersection of agriculture and the environment. The state can incentivize farmers to embrace practices that guarantee fewer chemicals wash off farmland into our lakes and rivers.

A final area I’ll highlight is infrastructure. The 2019 Iowa Infrastructure Report Card gave Iowa a “C.” It points to structural deficiencies in 20 percent of our bridges, the need for investments in drinking water systems, deferred maintenance of our public parks, the poor condition of many roads and over $2 billion in wastewater needs. Infrastructure is a public good. It requires public financing.

We might give the governor an “F” for failing to see, first, how this budget surplus could be used to the benefit of all Iowans and, second, that this surplus is probably temporary.

Lynda Barrow

Cedar Rapids