Corbett’s watershed moment?

Last week, I briefly mentioned how unusual it was to hear an Republican gubernatorial hopeful vow to address Iowa's 'water quality crisis.”

In fact, I'm not sure many candidates in either party would slip 'hypoxia” into their announcement speech. But Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett pulled it off as he launched his candidacy.

'The dead zone, you can see it from space. It's not photoshopped,” said Corbett, describing the vast low-oxgen zone in the Gulf of Mexico created in large part by Midwest farm chemical runoff. Now, a week later, I wonder what effect, if any, that moment might have on our water quality debate.

If Corbett's campaign falls flat, as many politics-watchers expect, it may not mean much. But if he becomes a larger factor in the GOP primary race, Corbett's advocacy might, at least, prompt Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds to come up with her own plan, or co-opt Corbett's approach.

For Corbett, water quality is one of his 'core four” policy objectives. He would raise the state sales tax by a penny, with three-eighths-of-cent going to fill the Iowa Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund created by voters in 2010. Much of the $180 million or more raised annually could be spent on efforts improving water quality.

'In 2010 you led the way, 60 percent of the voters in this state led the way and said we want to take care of our water and our soil for future generations. And they've been ignoring the will of the people down in Des Moines,” said Corbett, who would use the remaining five-eights of cent to pay for income tax reforms.

In contrast to Corbett's speech, Reynolds didn't mention water quality in her post-inauguration address. She basically has outsourced her water quality planning to the Legislature. Lawmakers have been digging through the state's couch cushions looking for bucks from gambling taxes, a tax on metered water and other sources to fund a water quality effort. They failed to pass a package in 2017 and the search isn't going to get any easier in 2018 if state revenues remain weak.

So maybe nothing much happens in the 2018 session. Or maybe something small happens that can be dressed up by Reynolds and GOP allies as major. Or maybe Republicans start to see merit in a plan that fulfills the will of voters in 2010 and provides budgetary room for the tax reforms they promised to deliver. Even if Corbett doesn't win, his plan might emerge victorious.

And Democrats, who will find stuff they don't like in Corbett's or Reynolds' plan, could actually come up with a cohesive water quality strategy. So far, they really haven't had one. Some support the sales tax option. Some want taxes on fertilizer or other farm inputs. There are plans flowing from all directions, and it will be interesting to see which ones the current cast of thousands seeking the Democratic nomination will embrace.

Corbett advocates adopting a Native American ethic for making decisions now that will benefit 'seven generations.” Too often, he says, we make decisions looking toward the next election.

By the next election, we'll know if Corbett's long-term pitch had a short shelf life.

l Comments: (319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com