Iowa lawmakers deal another blow to local control

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature is once again taking aim at the ability of local governments to exercise their powers at the local level. This time, the issue is fireworks sales.

In 2017, when lawmakers scrapped Iowa’s 80-year-old ban on the sale and use of most fireworks, the legislation passed in no small part that local governments could still ban the use of fireworks and control where fireworks could be sold.

Since then, many Iowa communities such as Cedar Rapids and Iowa City have banned the use of fireworks within city limits. Cedar Rapids relegated the location of fireworks stand to areas zoned for industrial use. Citizen outrage over a barrage of fireworks use that followed the 2017 legalization and safety concerns prompted local leaders to take action.

Now, a bill on Gov. Kim Reynold’s desk would prohibit cities and counties from putting in place any regulation or restriction on where permanent and temporary fireworks businesses can locate in commercial districts. Local officials can still ban the use of fireworks, but removing limits on where they can be sold surely will undermine those bans.

Reynolds should veto the bill and keep fireworks decisions in local hands.

Local control has taken a beating during five years of total GOP control of the Statehouse. Lawmakers prohibited cities and counties from raising local minimum wages and barring housing discrimination against tenants receiving federal housing help. They’ve aimed criminal penalties at so-called “rogue” county auditors who run elections. They micromanaged local school districts’ ability to respond to the pandemic based on local conditions. Legislators are still considering a bill that would ban the use of traffic enforcement cameras by local law enforcement agencies.

The list goes on and on as Republican lawmakers have shredded local control in an effort to make sure no counties or municipalities deviate from the statewide GOP agenda, even if local actions are supported by local voters. Republicans who once celebrated local control in the face of overreaches by state government have abandoned the concept now that they hold complete control.

It’s something voters should remember in November. Or maybe on July 4, when explosions will mark our nation’s celebration of freedom while local voters have less freedom to urge their leaders to turn down the volume.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com