Rep. Jeff Shipley
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Rep. Jeff Shipley Shipley Was The Only Legislator To Oppose Increasing The Largest Funding Source For Iowa’s Public School Districts And One Of Three To Oppose A One Cent Sales Tax To Renovate More Than A Dozen Elementary Schools And Eventually Generate Over A Half Billion For Schools Annually Shipley Voted Against A One Cent Sales Tax To Renovate More Than A Dozen Elementary Schools And Eventually Generate Over A Half Billion Annually For Schools To Fund Safety Improvements, Technology, And Air Conditioning To Lose Less Days To Extreme Temperatures The Iowa House Passed A Bill To Support School Projects And Property Tax Relief By Extending A One Cent Sales Tax By A Margin Of 96-3. “A 20-year extension of a 1-cent sales tax to support school projects and property tax relief is halfway to the finish line following passage Wednesday by the Iowa House. Originally passed in 2008, SAVE — short for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — will expire in 2029 if legislators don’t act to extend it. However, House File 546 to continue the sales tax until 2051 was approved 96-3 and now goes to the Senate.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] In Fiscal 2018, The Tax Raised $471 Million For Iowa Schools Or About $972 Per Student. “In fiscal 2018, SAVE raised $471 million for Iowa schools or about $972 per student. SAVE raised about $600 million this fiscal year and is projected to net about $800 million in 2049, according to the Iowa Association of School Boards.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] Legislative Services Agency: The Tax Would Generate $520 Million For Schools In 2051. “At same time, SAVE generated $10 million for property tax relief and, according to the Legislative Services Agency projections, will generate $520 million for schools in 2051 and $71.5 million for property tax relief.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] The “Secure An Advanced Vision For Education” Tax Funded School Safety Improvements, Technology, Art And Science Labs, Fine Arts Facilities And Air Conditioning To Lessen Days Lost To Extreme Temperatures. “Originally passed in 2008, SAVE — short for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — will expire in 2029 if legislators don’t act to extend it. […] The 20-year time frame of the original law coincided with the typical 20-year property tax-backed school bond. Since then, SAVE funds have been used for school safety improvements, technology, art and science labs, fine arts facilities, air conditioning to lessen days lost to extreme temperatures and to reduce property taxes, according to its advocates.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] The Cedar Rapids Community School District Was Relying On A SAVE Extension To Build Or Renovate 13 Elementary Schools. “The Cedar Rapids Community School District, where enrollment has dropped, also is relying on a SAVE extension to pay for a sweeping 20-year facilities plan that would close eight elementary schools and build or renovate 13 larger elementaries.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] School Boards Said They Were Feeling The Impact Of A Shortened Bonding Stream And Extending SAVE Would Allow Districts To Take Advantage Of Low Interest Rates. “Because SAVE will expire in 2029 without action, school boards say they already are feeling the impact of a shortened bonding stream. Extending SAVE would allow districts to take advantage of low interest rates.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] Shipley Was One Of Three Legislators To Oppose The Extension. “Republican Reps. Skyler Wheeler of Orange City, Jeff Shipley of Fairfield and Phil Thompson of Jefferson opposed the extension.” [The Gazette, 3/13/19] By A Vote Of 99-1, Shipley Was The Only Legislator To Oppose A 2.5% Increase In State Supplemental Aid For Education To Save School Districts From Having To Cut Millions From Its Budget And Lay Off Staff State Supplemental Aid For Education Was The Largest Funding Source For Iowa’s Public School Districts, Which Were Nearing A Breaking Point After A String Of Only Small Education Funding Increases From The State Senate File 2142 Provided An Increase Of Over $85 Million In State Supplemental Aid For Education, Which Was The Largest Funding Source For Iowa’s 327 Public School Districts. “Both chambers of the Iowa Legislature on Wednesday approved a 2.3 percent increase — about $85.6 million — to state supplemental aid for education, the largest funding source for Iowa’s 327 public school districts. […] Legislators’ approval sent Senate File 2142 to the desk of Gov. Kim Reynolds, who proposed a slightly larger 2.5 percent increase in her Condition of the State address in January. She is expected to sign the legislation.” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] The Head Of The State’s Second-Largest District, Cedar Rapids Community School District Superintendent Noreen Bush, Expressed Concern That A String Of Small Education Funding Increases From The State Would Push The District’s Budget To A Breaking Point As Soon As 2021. “In the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the funding level will sustain the district for now, said Superintendent Noreen Bush, who heads the state’s second-largest district. But she worried a string of small education funding increases from the state will push the district’s budget to a breaking point as soon as 2021. ‘Over the long term, we won’t be able to continue to sustain with that kind of state supplemental aid,’ said Bush, who advocated with the Urban Education Network of Iowa for a 3.75 percent increase. ‘... This is the general fund — we’re talking about people. This is about our people and how we best serve kids through staffing.[’]” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] The Legislature’s 2019 Increase Of Only 2.1 Percent Forced The Iowa City District Cut Millions From Its Budget, Primarily By Reducing Staff At Its Schools. “Last year, the Iowa City district cut millions from its budget — primarily by reducing staff at its schools — when the Legislature increased school funding by only 2.1 percent.” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] ● Iowa City Community School District Asked Legislators For A 4.5 Percent Increase To Meet Growing Costs. “Stephen Murley, superintendent of Iowa City Community School District, was pragmatic — if cynical — about the funding level. ‘We’ll make do with what they give us,’ Murley said, whose district asked legislators for a 4.5 percent increase to meet growing costs. ‘That’s what we’ve had to do for the last decade.’” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] Republicans Passed A Bill With Only A 2.3% Funding Increase, Which Democrats Opposed Because Senate Republicans Cut The House’s Amended Increase By Half Shipley Was The Only Republican To Oppose A 2.3% Increase Democrats Voted Against The Bill, Which Ultimately Advanced A 2.3% Increase. “In the Senate, legislators voted 31-17 along party lines — with Republicans in favor — to approve the 2.3 percent increase, which would boost the amount spent on each student from the current $6,880 each to $7,048 for the 2020-21 school year. The measure passed in the House as well, though not along party lines.” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] ● A Republican Senate Amendment To Senate File 2142 Lowered The Bill’s Allotted State Percent Of Growth For The Budget Year From 2.5% To 2.3%. “S-5005[:] Amend the House amendment, S-5005, to Senate File 2142, as passed by the Senate, as follows: Page 1, line 3, by striking <one-half> and inserting <three-tenths>[.] Page1, line5, by striking <one-half> and inserting <three-tenths>[.]” [Amendment S-5005 to Senate File 2142, 2020 Session, 3/4/20] o Shipley Was The Only Republican To Oppose A 2.3% Increase. “The measure passed in the House as well, though not along party lines. Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, voted against the legislation, which passed in a 51-46 vote.” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] Democrats Wanted At Least A 3% Increase To Keep Up With Inflation And Called the GOP Compromise An Inadequate Funding Level That Shortchanged Students. “However, minority Democrats — who wanted at least a 3 percent increase to keep up with inflation — called the GOP compromise an inadequate funding level that shortchanges students and a failure to meet the Feb. 13 deadline for setting the state level.” [The Gazette, 3/4/20] Every House Legislator Except Shipley Had Voted To Increase The State Funding To 2.5%, Up From 2.1% A Republican House Amendment To Senate File 2142 Raised The Bill’s Allotted State Percent Of Growth For The Budget Year From 2.1% To 2.5%. “H-8011[:] Amend Senate File 2142, as passed by the Senate, as follows: 1. Page 1, line 10, by striking <one-tenth> and inserting <one-half>[.] 2. Page 1, line 24, by striking <one-tenth> and inserting <one-half>[.]” Page 1 Line 10 read “The state percent of growth for the budget year beginning July 1, 2020, is two and one-tenth percent;” Page 1 Line 24 read “The categorical state percent of growth for the budget year beginning July 1, 2020, is two and one- tenth percent.” [Amendment H-8011 to Senate File 2142, 2020 Session, 2/11/20] Shipley Was The Only Legislator To Vote Against It. “On the question ‘Shall amendment H–8011 be adopted?’ (S.F. 2142)[:] The ayes were, 99 […] The nays were, 1: Shipley” [Amendment H-8011 to Senate File 2142, 2020 Session, 2/11/20] After Iowa Republicans Passed ALEC Model Legislation To Implement Red Tape Requirements Making It Harder For Those Sick Due To Asbestos Exposure To Hold Companies Accountable, Shipley Voted To Install More Obstacles In 2020 2017: Iowa Republicans Passed Legislation To Limit Asbestos-Related Liability Lawsuits Using Model Legislation Recycled From Several Other States, Crafted By The Industry- Sponsored, Koch-Supported, Influence-Peddling American Legislative Exchange Council The Bill Imposed A 90 Day Window After The Filing Of An Asbestos Claim In Which Plaintiffs Had To Provide Certain Information Or Their Case Could Be Dismissed For Noncompliance Iowa Senate File 376, Introduced In 2017, Was One Of At Least A Dozen Enacted Laws Since 2011 Based On Model Legislation Called The “Asbestos Claims Transparency Act” From The American Legislative Exchange Council.