Greetings to you all!
Hopefully, everything is going great. November is moving fast and Thanksgiving is coming soon. Looks like the weather is changing and it’s going to get colder. I’m looking forward to the legislative session starting in January. I will continue to work for the people of Iowa.
In the newsletter, you will find topics that are important to Iowans. Please share your comments.
–Legislative session starts in January 2025
–Lowering costs for Iowans
–Investing in our public schools
-Recognizing our Veterans for their service
Going forward, I will be listening and working closely with local leaders and community members to ensure the state is partnering with those in our community who need help and assistance. I’m available by email, phone, and social media, to answer questions and listen to your concerns. You can always reach me by email or call me at home at 319-266-9021. We can also stay connected through social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I appreciate hearing from you and I thank you for your continued support.
Thank you for taking the time to read the Statehouse News. Please keep in touch!
Upcoming Community Events:
November 19-24 Festival of Trees
Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, mercyone.org
November 21 Octopus Comedy Showcase: Ken Hamlett
Octopus College Hill, 8:00pm, octopuscollegehill.com
November 22-23 The Nutcracker
Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Fri 7pm; Sat & Sun 2pm, gbpac.com
November 23 Chris Duarte
Octopus College Hill, 8:00pm, octopuscollegehill.com
November 23 UNI Football vs Indiana State
UNI-Dome, 1pm, unipanthers.com
November 23-26 UNI Volleyball | MVC Conference Tournament
McLeod Center, unipanthers.com
November 29 Holiday Hoopla Kickoff!
Cedar Falls Downtown District, 6pm-8pm, communitymainstreet.org
November 30 Shop Small Saturday
Cedar Falls Downtown District, 10am, communitymainstreet.org
small. But we’ve lost ground and our public school kids are losing out and teachers are leaving the classroom. We must fully fund public schools to keep up with rising costs and make sure every kid in every zip code gets a great education. We also need to raise pay for all educators to give them a seat at the table, end vouchers and keep public money in public schools, empower local schools and AEAs to do what’s best for students, and end book bans passed for the special interests.
Legalizing marijuana: A majority of adult Iowans support legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Legalizing marijuana for adult use will keep Iowans safe, stop our tax dollars from going to neighboring states, improve the quality of life for Iowans suffering from chronic illnesses, and stop wasting state resources to unfairly punish Iowans.
When the session begins next year, we encourage Iowans to stay engaged and contact their state lawmakers with questions and ideas.
Reflecting on the Service of Our Veterans
This Veterans Day Iowans across the state gathered to honor those who have fought for our freedom.
In Iowa, veterans account for 5.8% of the population and help to bring in $1.2 billion to Iowa’s economy. Democrats helped pass various bills to help Iowa’s veterans and their families including:
- An appropriation of $5,000 was made for the Veterans Home Ownership Program, which will provide veterans with $5,000 for house down payments and closing costs.
- An additional property tax exemption was created for veterans. Starting with taxes paid in spring 2024, the first $4,000 of the value of a veteran’s residential property will be exempt from local property taxes. The exemption will be available to any honorably separated, retired, furloughed to a reserve, inactive status, or discharged veteran. This new property tax exemption is in addition to any other available property tax exemptions.
Democrats will continue to push for legislation that provides the necessary support to a group of Iowans who sacrificed so much for us. Learn more about veteran benefits in the state of Iowa.
UNION REPRESENTATION: Teachers, nurses, law enforcement officials, and snowplow drivers were among the Iowa public employee unions who voted to recertify their local union last month.
ELECTION LAW CHANGES DRIVES DOWN VOTER TURNOUT FROM 2020: Initial reports show that the 2024 turnout is down from the 2020 presidential election. Just over 74% of registered Iowa voters voted in 2024, down from the nearly 77% of registered voters in 2020. Far fewer Iowans voted by mail in 2024, down by over 323,000 voters compared to 2020.
EPA PARTIALLY DISAPPROVES IOWA’S POLLUTED WATERS LIST: Every two years, each state is required to submit an impaired waters list to the federal government that classifies surface water quality in the state under the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency has partially disapproved Iowa’s 2024 impaired waters list and added additional water segments to the list that do not meet current water quality standards.
35 IOWA SCHOOLS NEED COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT AND IMPROVEMENTS: Iowa School performance profiles have been released by the Iowa Department of Education, which shows that 35 schools need comprehensive support and improvements. Additionally, 377 schools were placed on the targeted list based on achievement gaps for students on free and reduced-price meals, English learners, minority students, and students with disabilities.
NEW EDUCATION LICENSE PLATE CONTEST: Students in K-12 art classes will help determine the next state’s specialized education license plate in a new statewide contest through the Iowa Department of Education. The contest is open now through Dec. 1.
BE PREPARED FOR WINTER DRIVING: Make sure your car is prepared for winter driving by following these safety tips.