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Senate
Democrats
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Investment
in renewable energy pays off
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Revitalizing Iowa’s
communities & neighborhoods
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E-File for quick returns
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Disaster relief for Iowans
and communities
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The future of flood
prevention
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Making government leaner
Ensuring that Iowa
remains a leader in renewable energy is a centerpiece of our bipartisan
efforts in the Legislature.
Despite the national recession, we’re already seeing
results from our investments in alternative, Iowa-grown energy. The results
strengthen our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign
oil. We’re also creating high-skill,
high-wage jobs that allow more of our young people to stay in Iowa to live, work and
raise a family.
Iowa
is now the #2 state in the country for wind energy production. We recently passed
California and now only Texas tops us. Part of that success is due to the Iowa
Power Fund – a four-year, $100 million initiative that helps Iowa businesses expand
renewable energy, alternative fuel and clean technology industries.
So far, six new companies have moved to Iowa to manufacture wind turbine
equipment, much of it used right here in our state. Both the manufacturing
and installation of wind turbines brings good jobs to our state. Using this home-grown
energy also keeps more of our energy dollars in our local economy.
Iowa
has a great future in wind energy and other forms of renewable energy. I will keep looking for ways to take
advantage of these opportunities to help Iowa grow.
For more information about the Iowa Power Fund, including
the funding application process and a list of approved projects, go to www.energy.iowa.gov.
Revitalizing Iowa’s communities & neighborhoods
Vibrant communities are key to
making Iowa
a great place to live, work and raise a family. Preservation and
revitalization projects help create local jobs and enhance property values.
One way we can protect the character of our older
buildings while helping revitalize surrounding neighborhoods is through Historic
Preservation and Cultural & Entertainment District tax credits. Iowans
who restore historic buildings may be eligible for a 25 percent state income
tax credit.
In 2007, the Legislature increased the amount available
for historic tax credits from $6.4 million to $20 million over three years.
Of that $20 million, 10 percent will benefit smaller projects, those that
cost $500,000 or less.
Federal income tax credits are also available. You can
learn more about the state and federal programs that may help your community
at www.iowahistory.org/preservation/financial_assistance.
The National
Consumer Law
Center is warning
Iowans during this tax season to stay away from tax refund loans, also called
"instant refund loans" or "refund anticipation loans.” The
annual interest rates can be as high as 700 percent.
Every year, millions of Americans borrow against their tax
refund so that they can get their money in a day or two. The loan is repaid
when the refund arrives, usually in 8 to 14 days.
These loans might have made sense when refunds were
mailed, and could take months to process, but electronic filing has changed that. For many Iowans, e-filing is free, and
it’s a fast way to get your refund. Learn more at www.state.ia.us/tax or at your local
library.
On February 2, Governor Chet Culver signed a bill recently
approved by the Legislature to provide $56 million for disaster relief. The
money will come from the state’s Economic Emergency Fund.
Housing needs were the top priority in this
legislation. The JumpStart
Housing Program will receive $24 million. These dollars can be used for
forgivable loans for down payments, repairs and mortgage assistance. Plus more Iowans will qualify for help
because we’ve expanded eligibility.
An additional $22 million goes to cities and counties for
such purposes as small business and nonprofit assistance, housing replacement
and rehabilitation, and public infrastructure needs.
Individuals and families will benefit from $10 million
that will go to the Unmet Needs Disaster Grant program. Iowans may qualify
for grants of up to $2,500 per household, which can be used for personal
property, home repair, food assistance, mental health assistance, child care
and temporary housing.
For more information, go to www.rio.iowa.gov.
As communities recover and rebuild after last summer’s
disasters, we are looking to reduce Iowa’s
risk of catastrophic flooding in the future.
For example, we must carefully develop our
watersheds. Many factors influence how
well a watershed can handle flood waters. When properly managed, our watersheds
can prevent water from reaching rivers too quickly, thus avoiding dramatic
rises in river levels.
By doing things right, we can reduce costs for Iowans,
businesses and the state.
Making state government leaner is a topic the Senate State
Government Committee is focused on this year. By improving efficiency at the
state level, we can reduce backlogs, lead times and complexity, while
improving quality and consistency.
“Lean” is a collection of principles, methods and tools
that improve the speed and efficiency of any process by eliminating waste.
The concept originated in Toyota’s
manufacturing operations and is now benefiting both private and public
organizations.
Iowa
state government has already successfully used Lean in 18 different
departments during the last three years. You can see some of the results at http://lean.iowa.gov/.
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