The first Carroll Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum on Saturday was filled with questions revolving around funding. Funding for healthcare, in particular tele-health services, funding for mental health care and what funding, from reserves or otherwise, will be made available to businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa District 6 Senator, Craig Williams, says there has been talk of tax relief for businesses and another round of federal funding, but he has heard nothing beyond that.
Iowa House Representative for District 12, Brian Best, has been vocal in his hopes that the Rainy Day Fund could help Iowa businesses in this way. However, he too says little information on proposed plans has been provided to legislators.
When it comes to the estimated $396 million 2021 state surplus, Williams says there are no shortages of plans on how to spend that money. Gov. Kim Reynolds would like to see some reduction in income and corporate taxes to make Iowa more competitive for business ventures with surrounding states. Williams, however, says he has some concerns with the estimates.
He says as this pandemic continues, that income estimate could drop. Best believes we still need to take a conservative approach.
When it comes to healthcare, temporary tele-health funding has been allocated and constituents were asking if it would be made permanent. Both legislators believe that growth in this method of healthcare interaction is going to be more broadly utilized in the future and will become a staple of care. Both Williams and Best agree that funding for mental health and behavioral health needs to remain a high priority, and both were surprised that one proposed funding stream, a portion of a one-cent sales tax, was pulled for consideration this session by Gov. Reynolds. Williams points to the pandemic as a trigger for increased care needs.
Best says this has been an issue since he was first elected and continues to be one today.
Carroll Broadcasting will bring you more from this first Legislative Forum in upcoming newscasts. A link to the video of Saturday’s event can be found below.
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The forum will replay on CAAT 6:
- Jan 18th at Noon
- Jan 19th at 7:00 PM
- Jan 20th at Noon
- Jan 20th at 5:00 PM
- Jan 21st at 7:00 PM
- Jan 23rd at 9:00 AM
CAAT 6 is seen on Mediacom cable channel 6 (also on channel 97-2 on Digital-Ready TV’s) in Carroll and Glidden as well as Western Iowa Networks cable channel 46 in Carroll, Westside, Breda and Lidderdale
Video of Carroll Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum 01-16-2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TekbJwyTn98
