The Deyoe Dispatch

By State Representative Dave Deyoe

Important Tax Deadline Next Week!

Don’t forget that the first-half of 2008 property tax payments are due March 31, 2009. 

Property taxes are paid one year behind and the March 31^st payment deadline marks the property tax payment for the first six months of 2008.  Property owners must have their payments postmarked by March 31^st or be subject to a penalty.  Property owners also have the option and convenience of paying their taxes online at www.iowatreasurers.org. 

Furthermore, 2009 taxpayers can expect their property assessments to be mailed no later than April 15, 2009. 

Transparency Bill Clears House

The Iowa House of Representatives moved toward increased transparency in government spending this week with the passage of HF 801.

HF 801 requires that the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to create a searchable budget database that citizens could access online. 

It also requires DAS by January 1, 2010 in consultation with the Department of Revenue to make a searchable database of all tax rates for the state for each taxing jurisdiction.  The website is to also include a geographical tax rate map and individual tax rate calculator.

The following Republican amendments were added to the bill to ensure the public gets the best information possible:

• Requiring additional information be provided regarding the Iowa Power Fund similar to what is required of the Grow Iowa Values Fund.
• Require the searchable database include information related to intradepartmental transfers as well as information related to transfers from one department to another made by the Governor
• Require that schedule 6 documents (line by line detail) be a part of the searchable database website.

The bill will now go to the Senate where more amendments are expected to be added.  Then the House will get another opportunity to provide their input.

My hope is that we end up with a system that will allow private citizens the opportunity to comb through the details of the state budget from their home computer looking for waste.

The Anti-Transparency Bill

On Tuesday the Iowa House took three steps forward and two steps backward.  At 9:30 p.m. the chamber almost unanimously passed a “truth and transparency” bill that gives the public more information about state spending.  Two hours before that the House voted 59-39 to stop sending student achievement information to parents and the community.

The anti-transparency bill is House File 687.The bill strips out of Iowa law the requirement that our school districts tell us the percentage of students who graduate from our local high school but can’t read or do basic math.  Gone too is the “sign and return” letter home to parents when their K- 3 student falls behind.

Proponents of the bill said these things were unnecessary and we were just “removing reporting requirements.”

Iowans spend $3 billion each year on K-12 education and thanks to HF 687 we will know less than we know today.

Bill Increasing Damage Awards Passes House

Also, last Tuesday evening the House passed a bill that will increase damage awards in wrongful death claims by the millions.

Under current law, a plaintiff in a wrongful death claim may seek damages for the lost earning capacity of the deceased. This helps retrieve the monetary support the deceased provided. With the passage of HF 758, the courts will also award damages for the deceased’s “loss of enjoyment of life.”

This change codifies what the courts have long avoided; putting a dollar figure on the value of a life. Not only have Iowa courts avoided this change, but other states have also. In fact, only five other states have this law on their books.

Courts have rationalized limiting damages to lost earning capacity because the value of life is too intangible. It is a grim and unscientific task to require placing a value on that which cannot be valued.

The courts will hear a unique and subjective line of testimony to establish what each individual’s life was worth. You can assume that those with better attorneys and expert witnesses will see the highest dollar amounts placed on their lives.

Consider the situation of two families who have had their ten year old children tragically killed by vehicles. Different attorneys, different testimony, different juries, and ultimately different dollar figures attached to the value of the children’s lives.

Are there really children that are worth more than others? There will be under this law. You can see why courts hadn’t ventured into this territory before.

Stan Smith, an economist and leading proponent of these kinds of damage awards, estimated that the average value of a life should be at least $4,000,000. This amount is much higher than what the average award for the lost earnings of the deceased are currently.

Higher damages will mean higher insurance premiums. Those who don’t raise the liability limits on their coverage will expose themselves to the risk of being bankrupted. HF 758 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Forums

I have two opportunities for constituents to personally discuss issues with me this weekend.

I will be at the regular “Fireside Chat” at City Hall in Webster City Saturday morning at 10:30am.

I also have set up a “Listening Post” in Nevada at City Hall from 1:30-3:00pm.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Home phone:   515-382-2352

E-mail: Dave.Deyoe@legis.state.ia.us