New approach urged to fund “quality-of-life” attractions

DES MOINES - A Senate panel is looking at plans to revamp the state's recreational and cultural enhancement programs into an 'Iowa Next” concept originally proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad to better coordinate and accelerate state efforts to improve Iowa's quality of life with $25 million yearly investments over the next decade.

Branstad unveiled the concept during his 2014 re-election campaign and included it in his 2015 legislative program of consolidating existing state programs that enhance recreational, cultural, entertainment and other attractions into a holistic, collaborative approach to fund improvements to parks, 'cultural hubs” and historic sites around Iowa.

However, legislators did not like elements of the governor's plan that dealt with structure and funding the new approach and proposals floated in both legislative chambers failed to clear a procedural hurdle that would have kept the idea moving through the process this session.

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, has taken the lead in attempting to resurrect the idea with a new funding stream and structure that he hopes will steer Senate Study Bill 1287 through the legislative process before the split-control Legislature adjourns its overtime session.

'I was asked to try to revive the bill and put a hybrid plan together that would work for everybody and I think that we've got the basic structure for that,” Dotzler said following a meeting of interested stakeholders who got their first look Tuesday at the revamped proposal.

'I think we've got something that people could get excited about,” he added, saying it would help finance the 'hip and happening things that millennial workers can really go for.”

The program would be funded with $25 million from the state's surplus if the general fund balance exceeded $100 million at the end of the fiscal year - with $14 million be allocated to projects submitted to a newly formed Iowa Next Commission and $11 million divided among five existing state programs. Local and state government entities and other eligible applicants could seek financial help for a project via the new state board.

The Iowa NEXT initiative would be managed by a board consisting of directors from state departments in charge of transportation, cultural affairs, natural resources and economic development, two legislators each from the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate, as well as 11 public members appointed by the governor. The board would be part of the state Department of Cultural Affairs but programs would be administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The $11 million allotment not funneled through the new Iowa Next Commission would be divided up with $2 million each to a natural resource account, a watershed protection account and a trails account. The remaining $5 million would be divided evenly between the Community Attraction & Tourism (CAT) program and the RECAT program that is directed to riverfront enhancements.

Under the bill, the current Vision Iowa and the Great Places boards would be eliminated, but the 10 sports tourism regions would remain in tact and continue to receive $500,000 a year divided equally for marketing and other purposes. However, convention and visitor centers in Iowa communities would be able to seek additional funding from the Iowa Next Commission for specialized events beyond their region's $50,000 allotment.

'There are a lot of reasons why we think this is worthwhile,” said John Stineman of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, one of several people who spoke in favor of the proposal at Tuesday's subcommittee discussion.