Jan. 11—Editor’s note: The following story is the final part in a three-part series going over the priorities of lawmakers who represent Jasper County communities. The issues covered do not represent all of what legislators want to accomplish but merely a small handful of what they consider top priorities.
Iowa State Rep. Barb Kniff McCulla of District 37 wants to see the legislature prioritize property taxes and issues affecting education, but as a small business owner herself she very much has her eyes set on improving businesses, cultivating a strong workforce and bolstering economic development in the state.
Specifically, she wants to provide additional value to other post-grad options besides going to a four-year college. Kniff McCulla said Iowa needs more apprenticeships, more workforce options that do not need a four-year education. Small businesses, she said, may be able to take those people on with incentives.
“We’ll teach you and then you work for me for X-amount of years and so forth,” Kniff McCulla said. “…I’d like to work on that with Labor and Workforce.”
As chair of the House Labor and Workforce Committee, she will certainly get a chance to do so. Kniff McCulla said small businesses are the “backbone of America,” and Iowa lawmakers need to make sure those small businesses stay in their small communities and continue benefiting them.
“They thrive, the small business thrives, the people of that area thrive — so it’s very important we keep those small businesses,” Kniff McCulla said. “It’s opportunities for people to own something like that, and that gives people encouragement and opportunities. Those are all really good things.”
But many small businesses, Kniff McCulla said, struggle with property taxes and maintaining a workforce. She said one solution could be to incentivize 65 and older individuals to work part-time jobs in these industries. Another way to increase workforce is by attracting more people to the state.
“The governor is doing a great job with everything we have going with our taxes that we can get people moving into our state,” Kniff McCulla said, adding that one such couple moved to Pella from Minnesota after seeing the “Freedom to Flourish” slogan on Interstate 35.
Property taxes, property taxes, property taxes. It’s what every Iowan is talking about, according to state legislators. Sen. Ken Rozenboom and Rep. Jon Dunwell have also stated property taxes are for sure going to be a priority for the Iowa Legislature and the governor this year. Kniff McCulla echoes those feelings.
“When I knocked doors not only for myself but for (Mariannette) Miller-Meeks and even at the federal level, people were talking about that,” Kniff McCulla said, noting she even knocked doors for Republicans outside her district, and the most frequent topic of conversation was property taxes.
Kniff McCulla said Iowans were telling her their taxes were so high they were not sure they would be able to stay in their own homes anymore.
“When you hear an older, elderly person say that, that really affects not only us as legislators but the family of that person,” she said. “We need to find out if there is a better way. Is there something we can do to help that so people don’t have to leave their homes because they can’t afford the taxes on them?”
From what Kniff McCulla has gathered from constituents, there are concerns about whether counties have enough money to do what needs to be taken care of. There are counties, she said, that are doing a really excellent job as far as trying to use tax dollars responsibly, but others may be abusing the tax system.
“We need to make sure there is funding there for the priorities,” she said. “…Where can we clean up some things? Just like what we’ve done at the state government level where we combined commissions and boards.”
There isn’t one clear answer to the property tax issue, she added.
“But I look forward to tackling it and helping the people of Iowa,” she said.
Following suit in the governor’s past comments, Kniff McCulla also wants to see lawmakers address cellphones in schools. As a member of the House Education Committee this session, she will very much get a chance to tackle that issue head on. She wants to look at how other states are handling cellphones, too.
“I have not spoken with those schools who tried it during this last session, and I know the governor has,” Kniff McCulla said. “Those who are the heads of the education department have spoken with them too. So I’m not quite sure what that looks like, but I think we need to start somewhere.”