Opinion: Legislature must act to lower costs

By Jennifer Konfrst

Iowa House Democratic Leader

With just under a month left in session, I’ve been hearing a lot of frustration from Iowans about the lack of progress in the Iowa Legislature this year. I couldn’t agree more.

At a time when Iowans are craving relief from rising costs, all we see is uncertainty and trouble ahead. In the Iowa legislature, helping Iowans address their budget concerns should be job one. Iowans are telling me they need security and confidence that things will get better.

What we’re hearing is also confirmed by the data. According to new information from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Iowa’s economy actually shrunk in 2024, making it the second worst-performing state in the country and our state is now 49th in the nation in personal income growth, according to State Policy Reports.

Also sadly, in the last three days alone, 900 Iowa workers learned they are losing their jobs through mass layoffs in Amana, Dubuque, and Decorah.

As a state lawmaker, I know we can’t fix everything that ails our economy right now. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything to help. There are several things we can do right now to lower costs for Iowans and help them stay above water.

Here are some things we should pass before we adjourn:

Lower the Cost of Housing

• Create more affordable housing units & make it easier to buy a first home (HF 659)

• Neighborhood grants to help current homeowner improve and stay in their home (HF 659)

• Cap rent increases (HF 266)

• Expand property tax credits to all seniors (HF 916)

• $1,000 property tax rebate for homeowners/$500 rebate for renters (HF 691)

Raise Wages & Support Iowa Workers

• End state taxes on tips & overtime pay

• Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour (HF 283)

• Restore unemployment for laid-off workers (HF 455)

Lower the Cost of Childcare

• Expand the Childcare Tax Credit and Childcare Assistance program to provide immediate relief to families (HF 611)

• Raise wages & expand benefits for childcare workers (HF 661)

• Tax credits for small businesses that provide childcare employee benefits (HF 661)

Lower health care costs by capping the price of insulin to $25 per month (HF 658)

Nearly every one of these ideas has bi-partisan support. Some of these ideas have even been introduced by Republican lawmakers as well.

So far, Reynolds and GOP leaders have been more focused on politics than getting any of these common sense ideas that will put more money in the pockets of Iowans. The endless controversies this session have been driven by culture wars and the special interests instead of putting politics aside and getting things done for Iowans.

With time running short, the only way to get some of these bills done is to put people over politics.

State Representative Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights serves the 32nd District in the Iowa House and is the Iowa House Democratic Leader