Week in Iowa: Recap of news from across the state

Deidre DeJear releases education plan: Democratic nominee for Iowa governor Deidre DeJear released her plan for Iowa’s public education Wednesday, proposing a $300 million infusion of cash into Iowa’s schools and an annual 4 percent increase in state aid, along with a swath of other measures meant to support schools.

DeJear has made public education a central focus of her campaign, accusing Gov. Kim Reynolds of underfunding the state’s public school system. Since Republicans took control of at least one chamber of the Iowa Legislature in 2013, state general aid for public schools has increased by an average of 1.9 percent.

Reynolds and Iowa Republicans have defended the state’s education plan, pointing to Reynolds’ efforts to bring students back to in-person learning during the pandemic.

Some student loan debt forgiven: Thousands of Iowans will see their student loan burden go down or be erased entirely after President Joe Biden announced this week the federal government would forgive up to $10,000 in loans per borrower. Iowa has 465,500 borrowers with student loan debt, for an average of nearly $30,000 per person.

In addition to reducing debt by $10,000 for most borrowers, those who received a federal Pell Grant to attend college will see their debt cut by $20,000. Payments for student loan borrowers also will be capped at 5 percent of the person’s discretionary income, half of the current cap of 10 percent.

The announcement drew support and criticism from across the political spectrum, with state Republicans calling the move a “slap in the face” to working Iowans. Mike Franken, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Iowa, said the move was a “welcome first step,” but he said legislation addressing college fees still is needed.

Employers’ unemployment insurance rate falls: Iowa employers will pay the lowest rate for unemployment insurance in years, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced this past week. Employers will draw their contribution rates from “table 8,” the lowest rates currently allowed by law. Which rate employers will pay is determined by a formula based primarily on the balance in Iowa’s unemployment insurance trust fund, unemployment benefit history and covered wage growth.

They said …

“We know that our systems are grossly being underfunded. We’re not even meeting the level of inflation.” — Deidre DeJear, Iowa Democratic candidate for governor, on Iowa’s education funding

"Student loan debt cannot be 'forgiven,' it can only be transferred to the hardworking men and women of Iowa. Shifting the burden of this debt from Ivy League elites to factory workers, farmers, and single parents is a slap in the face." — Jeff Kaufmann, Iowa GOP chairman, on student loan forgiveness plan

Odds and ends

State may regulate political texts: A political marketing firm sent misleading texts that encouraged Kansas voters to vote “yes” to protect abortion rights in a recent primary election — but a yes vote was in fact a vote to remove abortion protections from the state constitution. Now, Iowa’s campaign and ethics disclosure board is looking to require attribution for some political texts in the same way political emails are regulated by the board.

New ads blanket Iowa markets: A rush of new ads has hit the airwaves in three of Iowa’s four congressional districts, and candidates in the districts are pitching themselves as bipartisan problem-solvers. Candidates in the ads said they were willing to work across the aisle on a variety of issues, from cattle processing regulation to health care and cost reduction.

Water cooler

New museum opens: Local media was invited for a sneak peek Tuesday inside the $50 million, state-of-the-art University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art ahead of its grand opening Saturday in Iowa City. The museum’s star attraction is displayed on the second floor: Jackson Pollock’s 1943 landmark “Mural,” which sparked the abstract expressionism movement.

Last-minute cancellation: The first of three Linn County Board of Supervisors meetings that was supposed to provide a public forum on a proposed solar project was canceled before it could start Monday. County officials said an oversight on the legal notice publication about the meeting necessitated the cancellation.

More in the news

COVID-19 cases down, hospitalizations up: COVID-19 cases in Iowa were down this week compared to the previous week. The state reported 4,802 new cases in the week ending Wednesday, down from 4,921 new COVID-19 cases in the previous week. Hospitalizations in the state increased by 8 percent, up to 264 from 244 the previous week.

Board approves Sioux City casino purchase: Sioux City’s Hard Rock Casino is one step closer to being sold to Churchill Downs, the company that owns the Kentucky Derby racetrack. Iowa’s Racing and Gaming Commission approved the purchase Thursday, part of a $2.75 billion agreement to purchase the casino’s parent company, which also owns racing and gambling properties in Virginia and New York.