Debate on sales tax increase on again today

Debate resumes at the statehouse today on a bill that would raise sales taxes a penny. Fifteen Iowa counties have local option sales taxes for local school improvements. The bill would raise the tax in the other 84. The money’d be used to reduce property tax rates or build new schools.Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows doesn’t necessarily like the bill. He says it will be difficult for the Senate to pass the increase.Senate Democrat Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs says the bill has a dim future. He says there will be a “host of tensions” surrounding the bill over how the money should be used.House Speaker Brent Siegrist, a republican from Council Bluffs, says the bill faces “tough sledding”. He calls it an interesting idea, but tough politically to get passed.The bill will be debated in the House Local Government Committee today. The plan under consideration would establish a statewide, one-cent sales tax for school improvements, but it wouldn’t mess with the school construction plans in the 15 counties. The following counties have passed a local option sales tax for schools: Woodbury, Shelby, Des Moines, Emmet, Scott, Webster, Black Hawk, Monona, Lee, Montgomery, Muscatine, Polk, Dickinson, Fremont, and Page.