Meeting Public Comments

CARRIE BECKER [New Hampton Public Library]

This bill does not go far enough. My library stands to lose 20% of its income due to HF 718. That means we have to cut everything. People, services, books, hours, etc. To truly rectify the damage caused by HF718, legislation must reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters' control over levy elimination. Anything less is an insufficient response to an unnecessary problem.

Mary Markwalter [Mason City Public Library]

The impact of the 2023 property tax reform, HF718, on Mason City is distressing. Despite Mason City voters approving the Library levy in 1990, the library now faces a $175000 annual loss due to decisions made solely by a few, not by the community, library board, or Mason City Council. State imposed limitations on levying further constrain our ability to address this loss without making significant cuts to vital services.We seek your support for HF2442 with specific amendments. Reinstate all previously voted levies, removing the bureaucratic hurdle of a mandatory revote. Eliminate the unnecessary Sunset Clause, acknowledging citizens' existing authority. Lastly, remove the City Council's power to eliminate levies, preserving the democratic process. If a public vote is needed for levy approval, ensure the same for removal.

Devin Redmond [property owner]

Please allow for legislation to reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters' control over levy elimination. We need all the funding possible for public libraries.

Becky Burke [Jesup Public Library]

The Jesup Public Library will lose over $25,000 due to decisions made solely by a few, not by the community, library board, or Jesup City Council. State imposed limitations on levying further constrain our ability to address this loss without making significant cuts to vital services. We seek your support for HF2442 with specific amendments. Reinstate all previously voted levies, removing the bureaucratic hurdle of a mandatory revote. Eliminate the unnecessary Sunset Clause, acknowledging citizens existing authority. Lastly, remove the City Councils power to eliminate levies, preserving the democratic process. If a public vote is needed for levy approval, ensure the same for removal.

Jeff Collins

Thank you for considering HF 2442, which provides Iowans with an opportunity to vote to fund their local public library through public referendum. As you know, HF 718 (property tax reform act) eliminated the special library levy, which significantly and negatively impacted local communities throughout the state. I appreciate the intention of HF 2442 to reinstate the levy. However, there are serious concerns with the bill as currently written. In particular, HF 2442 does not actually reinstate the voterapproved levy in the 97 communities that previously approved this levy. HF 2442 forces those communities to bureaucratically ask their residents to vote again on something theyve already approved and introduces an unnecessary and redundant 10year sunset clause as residents already had the power to end a levy if they wanted. HF 2442 also does not allow other communities to decide through referendum whether they want this levy or not. Finally, HF 2442 gives city councils the authority to eliminate levies, which completely undermines the democratic process by taking away the voters right to decide. HF 718 was one of the most undemocratic bills Ive ever seen It stripped away local decision making and seriously hampered the ability of all cities in Iowa to provide their residents with quality government service. Please amend and pass HF 2442 to reinstate all voted levies, allow for other communities to decide for themselves if they want a library levy, and give the people back their right to vote!

Honey Bedell

Thank you for considering ways to remedy the fiscal damage that was done to public libraries in Iowa by HF718. The recently introduced HF2442, while well intentioned, does not adequately address those negative impacts. Requiring 97 communities that had already approved a library levy to vote again on this issue wastes time and resources, as well as creating a twoyear funding gap as that process plays out. The sunset clause of 10 years is unnecessary, as voters already have the ability to end a levy. Allowing the city council to take this action unilaterally removes citizens' decisionmaking power. Please amend this bill to respect voters' right to make these decisions for their own communities.

Jolene Kronschnabel [Hawkins Memorial Library]

While HF 2442 seems like a positive step, it fails to adequately address key issues, leaving 97 library levies lost in Iowa, along with numerous other levysupported services statewide.The passage of HF718 dealt a severe blow to local communities by abolishing local levies, depriving communities of their resource allocation autonomy.HF2442 imposes a revote requirement for previously passed library levies, squandering time, energy, and resources. The inclusion of a sunset clause in HF2442 is redundant, as citizens already had the power to end a levy if necessary. Selectively restoring only library levies is discriminatory and overlooks other communitysupported entities. Please rectify the damage caused by HF718 legislation needs tio reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters control over levy elimination.

Sarah Uthoff

We're glad to see the Legislature doing something, but it's not enough. We need this funding to be restored.Sarah S. Uthoff

Rachael Carlson

Please reinstate all levies that were voted on and passed by the people in their communities. Our votes should count.

John Kenyon

While this is a start toward giving Iowa's libraries the resources they need to operate what is usually the most important facility in the community, a handful of amendments or changes would make it much better piece of legislation.This imposes a revote requirement for previously passed library levies, squandering time, energy, and resources. This bureaucratic hurdle creates a funding gap of at least two years, exacerbating financial strain.The inclusion of a sunset clause is redundant, as citizens already had the power to end a levy if necessary. Granting city councils authority to eliminate levies undermines the democratic process, usurping the voters right to decide.Selectively restoring only library levies is discriminatory and overlooks other communitysupported entities. This approach fails to address the broader issue of local control and fairness.To truly rectify the damage caused by HF718, legislation must reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters control over levy elimination.

Renate Bernstein

Public Libraries are a most valued asset to a community. Any legislation concerning library funding must reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voter control over levy elimination. Any less is an insufficient response to an unnecessary problem.

Sarah Clendineng

Thank you for considering this bill but I also ask that you take it further. My library is facing a 12% budget cut this year due to HF718. We have had to find a way to reduce a $426,000 budget to $376,000. This legislation begins to offer libraries help with the damage created by 718 but it does not go far enough. Legislation must reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters' control over levy elimination. This legislation does not add new state mandated taxes to any community but it gives Iowa residents the right to determine how they want to support their local libraries.

Eric Jennings

Please reinstate all levies for communities like mine that previously passed them. Though this is a step in the right direction asking these communities to vote again squanders time, energy, and resources.

Janet Evans [Knoxville Public Library Board of Trustees]

The constancy and accessibility of our public libraries should not be taken for granted. The elimination of levies discourages our local voters of their rights to decide. I urge reinstatement of all voted levies and permission for future levy pursuits. Eliminate the need for sunset clauses and the hurdles of a mandatory revote. Thank you.

Sam Helmick

The passage of HF718 dealt a severe blow to local communities by abolishing local levies, depriving communities of their resource allocation autonomy.While HF 2442 seems like a positive step, it fails to adequately address key issues, leaving 97 library levies lost in Iowa, along with numerous other levysupported services statewide.HF2442 imposes a revote requirement for previously passed library levies, squandering time, energy, and resources. This bureaucratic hurdle creates a funding gap of at least two years, exacerbating financial strain. As a conservative, I believe that this measure incurs additional costs to the taxpayers and communities with minimal retention of their levies or local control Additionally, the inclusion of a sunset clause in HF2442 is redundant, as citizens already had the power to end a levy if necessary. Granting city councils authority to eliminate levies undermines the democratic process, usurping the voters right to decide.Furthermore, selectively restoring only library levies is discriminatory and overlooks other communitysupported entities. This approach fails to address the broader issue of local control and fairness.To truly rectify the damage caused by HF718, legislation must reinstate all voted levies, permit future levy pursuits, and retain voters control over levy elimination. Anything less is an insufficient response to an unnecessary problem. HF718 recognized the need to retrain transportation levies at the regional level but then interfered at the municipal levels by reappropriating (and eventually sunsetting) with voter sought, voter approved levies. If Iowa voters no longer wish to resource their local values, please trust their ability to selfgovern and set in motion referendums and codified processes to proceed at a local level.