Branstad’s Iowa water quality advances on party line vote

DES MOINES - The Iowa House Agriculture Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to keep alive Gov. Terry Branstad's plan to fund water quality improvements by extending a school infrastructure tax.

Democrats united in opposition, saying House Study Bill 601 pits education interests against water quality goals.

'I think it is unfortunate that the quality of our water depends on taking down education,” said Rep. Helen Miller, D-Fort Dodge, the ranking Democrat on the committee.

However, members of Branstad's party said they want to keep the bill - and the conversation - alive.

'It's been very difficult,” Chairman Lee Hein, R-Monticello, said. 'And it will continue to be a difficult decision as we move forward.”

However, he said the bill will be improved as it moves through the Ways and Means Committee.

'If someone has a better way to fund this … I'd be very open to that,” Hein said.

Committee members' sentiments mirrored those of farmers and interest groups following the proposal to scoop revenue from the statewide one-cent sales tax earmarked for school infrastructure to fund water quality improvements.

'We all know there needs to be a long-term source for funding for water quality,” Woodbury County farmer Eric Nelson said while visiting the Capitol. 'But we don't want to get crosswise with education.”

However, if the school infrastructure sales tax raises more than schools need, 'then what's the harm?” Nelson said.

Darrick Hall of rural Anamosa was at the Capitol to tell lawmakers what he and other farmers have been spending their money on to address water quality issues.

'As a farmer, I'd like a sustainable source of money, but I'm not sure if this is the right way,” he said while waiting for the Ag Committee to take up HSB 601.

The Iowa Environmental Council is undecided on the bill, but encouraged that for the first time Branstad has recognized the size of the challenge facing the state by laying out a plan that would make more than $4 billion available for water quality.

However, the council's director, Ralph Rosenberg, believes water quality needs its own funding source. The council is pushing for the Legislature to fund water quality initiatives, as well as other outdoor recreation projects - parks, trails, wildlife and hunting habitat - by approving an increase in the state sales tax. In 2010, Iowa voters approved a plan to dedicate three-eighths of one cent of sales tax revenue to conservation the next time the Legislature raised the sales tax.

Funding water quality through the Iowa Water and Land Legacy would provide a sustainable stream of revenue - as much as $150 million a year - that was supported by 63 percent of Iowa voters.

'If you're going to invest long-term, you need this funding,” Rosenberg said. 'If farmers invest, they want to know their partner's money is going to be there, too.”

Branstad was encouraged the bill moved forward, according to his spokesman, Ben Hammes, but was concerned about the party-line vote.

'Water quality should not be a partisan issue,” Hammes said. 'It wasn't for Secretary (Tom) Vilsack when he stood beside Gov. Branstad announcing this framework and we hope the Senate Democrats can follow the lead of the United State Secretary of Agriculture in supporting a plan that helps schools, farmers and our environment.”

Vilsack, was a two-term Democratic governor before becoming USDA secretary.

The bill now goes to Ways and Means where a variety of funding schemes may be considered.

Along with that, Rosenberg hopes lawmakers add some monitoring and accountability requirements to the bill 'so taxpayers an see how their money is being spent and whether this is working.”