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The Longest-Serving Governor's State of the State

In his 22nd Condition of the State speech Tuesday to lawmakers, Gov. Terry Branstad urged them to be bold and courageous in forging a new path to school funding, homegrown energy and "a more fair and equitable society for all Iowans."

By James Q. Lynch

In his 22nd Condition of the State speech Tuesday to lawmakers, Gov. Terry Branstad urged them to be bold and courageous in forging a new path to school funding, homegrown energy and "a more fair and equitable society for all Iowans."

Reaction to the election-year address was predictably partisan, with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, calling the governor's proposed 2.45 percent increase in K-12 education funding "as bad or worse as last year."

"I heard the term 'bold,'" House Minority Leader Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown, said. "But we're still at the place we were last year, disagreeing about what the number is of available revenue and what the priorities are for that revenue."

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, found the speech "lackluster," as if the six-term governor has "run out of gas in terms of ideas and moving the state forward."

"It felt kind of flat to me, in terms of perceptions and his energy and boldness and willingness to really go out there and push this agenda," Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said.

But House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, called the governor's 3,033-word speech "a starting point."

"I'm very pleased with a number of aspects of the governor's speech," she said, and credited Branstad with "reaching out, wanting to work with a lot of people."

Legislative Republicans liked Branstad's call for a clean energy initiative and criminal justice reform.

However, few were willing to sign on to what seemed to be the centerpiece of the governor's 2016 legislative agenda -- extending the state sales tax dedicated to school construction but redirecting a share of future proceeds to improving water quality.

"It would be a monumental investment in both education funding and water quality and does it without raising taxes," Branstad said.

By extending the tax law set to expire 2029 for another 20 years and dedicating proceeds in excess of the first $10 million annually for school building to the environmental, Branstad said, schools still will be getting $20.7 billion otherwise funded by property taxes, while $4.7 billion will be channeled to improving waterways.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Lee Hein, R-Monticello, agreed with the governor there is a need to address water quality. But it's a "tough sale" to tie school and water quality needs together, the former school board member said.

Sen. Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, also a former school board member, called the Branstad proposal "an opportunity of discussion."

"As legislators, we tend to manipulate around what the governor offers," Zumbach said. "Now we have a discussion piece. Maybe something will develop from it."

Gronstal saw a "host of problems" with the proposal. including that it's "disingenuous to say it's not a tax increase." Extending the tax would be a multibillion dollar increase "because if we take no action, that doesn't happen." And, Gronstal said, Branstad's plan would take $406 million from schools between now and 2029 when the current tax expires.

Support was broader for formation of a public-private partnership to develop an energy plan taking advantage of Iowa's potential for ethanol, biodiesel and wind energy.

"Iowa could be the first state in the nation to meet 40 percent of our energy needs from wind power by 2020 -- far ahead of any other state," Branstad said.

Lawmakers from both parties were generally supportive, but Democrats said it sounded a lot like initiatives from Democratic Govs. Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver.

Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, was critical of the make up of the governor's 48-member advisory group because it included a representative of Clean Line Energy Partners, which is seeking state approval to build an electric transmission line across Iowa.

"It's a disgrace that a private company with a pending state decision is included on a taxpayer-funded board that makes energy decisions," said Kaufmann, an advocate for property rights.

It may take time to build support for other Branstad proposals, such as his call for criminal justice reform. Although there were few details, House Justice Systems Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, said his plan could yield savings.

"The crux is going to be that we have so many mandatory minimum sentences now," he said. "Getting people to the point where we're not being soft on crime, that we're taking a smarter approach, will take time, will take an attitude adjustment."

The House and Senate will have another joint session at 10 a.m. Wednesday to hear Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady deliver the Condition of the Judiciary.

Following Cady's speech, the governor and lieutenant governor will be on the road selling their proposals to voters. Branstad will visit Sioux City and Council Bluffs and Reynolds will be in Davenport Wednesday, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque Thursday and Waterloo Friday.

The full text of the governor's speech can be found at https://governor.iowa.gov/2016/01/gov-branstad-delivers-the-2016-condition-of-the-state-address-to-the-iowa-general-assembly.

(c)2016 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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