2018 Legislative Session Issue Preview: SAVE

As the 2018 Legislature prepares to convene on Jan. 8, there are several issues ABI members can expect to be discussed. You’ve read and heard about the obvious ones—workforce and tax reform—in past newsletters and from ABI public policy staff. However, we thought it might be helpful to provide some background on other issues and discussions you’ll read about during the legislative session. Each week between now and January, we’ll focus on one topic. Week one, we’re focusing on SAVE or Secure an Advanced Vision for Education.

SAVE, also known as the statewide penny, is a funding stream schools districts can use for infrastructure improvements or property tax relief within that school district. One-sixth of the six-percent sales tax in Iowa is transferred to SAVE on a per-pupil basis. School districts that are growing and interested in expanding their facilities want to expand the current statewide penny for another 20 years, as the current law will expire on Jan. 1, 2030.

Several bills were introduced last session and in 2016 to allow for the extension of SAVE for the next 20 years beyond the current repeal date, but none gained traction. You may also recall former Gov. Branstad’s proposal to extend SAVE and use some of the growth to fund water quality. ABI expects this issue to be thoroughly discussed in 2018. Here is a link to more information on SAVE. You can also read how SAVE has been used in your school district. For more information contact Jessica Hyland or Brad Hartkopf.