Iowa lawmaker wants to focus on state government building needs in Des Moines

DES MOINES - Key Iowa lawmakers say there won't be money for 'fancy new buildings” at regents' universities until addressing health and safety problems in state buildings in Des Moines.

'This year alone, $85 million went to the regents between tuition replacement” and buildings at Iowa State University, University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa, Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, said Wednesday. 'We're going to see the exact reversal of that.”

The Legislature can't continue to build 'fancy new buildings at regents' campuses” under the pay-as-you-go system favored by Gov. Terry Branstad, McCoy said.

The Board of Regents didn't request any new capital dollars this year, but 'will continue to make the case for regents' capital projects in future years,” spokesman Josh Lehman said.

In the meantime, McCoy, co-chairman of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Committee that oversees the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) budget, said that given low interest rates, the state is 'leaving money on the table by not borrowing against future gaming revenue.”

That's not the problem, according to his co-chairman Rep. Dan Huseman, R-Aurelia.

'The problem is how much works needs to be done on our state property and how little amount of money there is to spend on them,” he said.

McCoy wants to prioritize remediating a host of problems, including leaks at the State Historical Building, 'sick building syndrome” at the Wallace State Office Building and black mold at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy a priority.

Branstad opposes bonding and proposed a pay-as-you-go approach to renovations for the historical building, his spokesman Ben Hammes said.

McCoy suggested Branstad, the nation's longest-serving governor, could improve his legacy and leave the state in better shape than he found it by borrowing money to address infrastructure issues.

'I don't think he can say that,” McCoy said.

However, Hammes said the biggest problem in the RIIF budget 'has been paying back debt associated with the bonding scheme concocted by Gov. (Chet) Culver and his Senate Democrats.”

That's a reference to I-JOBS, a state bonding program that funded 1,700 projects in all 99 counties, including repairs and replacement of many public buildings, roads and bridges damaged by flooding in 2008. The RIF budget includes about $70 million in bond repayments, Huseman said.

The Senate and House approved the $195 million RIIF budget 27-22 and 85-13, respectively, Wednesday.