Bone chilling temperatures and blizzard conditions could roll into Iowa as early as tomorrow.
The National Weather Service previously issued a winter storm watch to begin Wednesday and cover most of the state covering through Friday. The state is now under a wind chill advisory advisory through Saturday.
As forecasters issued their warnings, the state's largest energy companies were assuring the Iowa Utilities Board staff that they have enough resources to keep homes warm this winter.
South Sioux City has declared a snow emergency set to start on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
According to a press release, the snow emergency goes from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23. During which, parking is prohibited on the designated snow emergency routes. These routes are marked with signage and are primarily secondary streets used for heavier traffic. The city says the vehicles may be towed if parked, stalled, or stuck on the routes.
Also, during a snow emergency, all non-emergency route streets will use the alternate parking requirement. Parking will be allowed only on the even sides of the streets on even calendar days, and then on the odd sides of the streets on odd calendar days.
Officials also want to remind people to not blow, push or shovel snow from sidewalks or driveways out into the city streets.
The top Republican in the Iowa Senate says “everything’s on the table” when it comes to reducing property taxes in the upcoming legislative session.
Republican Statehouse leaders say property tax relief is a top priority in 2023.
IPR asked Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver if he’d support a two-year freeze on property taxes. A group that lobbies for tax cuts is asking lawmakers to take that step in the next legislative session.
“We’re kind of looking at property taxes holistically. And so everything’s on the table when it comes to property taxes. But I wouldn’t say we’re definitely going to do that. I’m not going to rule it out.”
Property taxes pay for most services offered by cities and counties. Whitver says it’ll probably take a while to get to a bill on property taxes that the House and Senate Republicans and the governor can all agree on.
He says he’s also open to more income tax cuts, even as major tax cuts passed in the last session are going to start taking effect in January.
Whitver also addressed school vouchers today, saying that creating state-funded private school scholarships is a top priority in the upcoming legislative session. Senate Republicans and Governor Kim Reynolds have tried to achieve that in the past two years, but House Republicans weren’t on board.
Whitver says he hopes lawmakers can get the bill to the governor’s desk in the next few months.
“I really want to work with the House, with the governor, with the Senate, all coming together, trying to come up with one piece of legislation so we don’t have two or three different bills floating around trying to work off of. Hopefully those talks can continue so we do have just one bill.”
House Speaker Pat Grassley says he’s “pretty confident” House Republicans will pass a private school scholarships bill in 2023. Democrats have opposed the policy, saying it’ll be a threat to rural public schools.
The price of Iowa farmland has hit a new high.
The average value of an acre of Iowa farmland increased 17 percent to $11,411 in 2022, according to the Iowa State University Land Value Survey. That is the highest value for Iowa farmland in the history of the survey, which began in 1941.
This year’s 17 percent increase in farmland value comes on the heels of a 29 percent jump in 2021.
This year’s increase was driven by high crop prices, limited land supply and low interest rates, an Iowa State University expert said.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green sent an e-mail to students and faculty today to announce his retirement at the end of June 2023, or when his successor is in place for a seamless leadership transition.
Green said it was a family decision they’ve been discussing since earlier this year.
