Page 4 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 4-27-2016

Opinion
Page 4 • April 27, 2016
Under The
Golden Dome, Too
Representative Linda Upmeyer
515-281-3221
linda.upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us
Late nights at the Capitol filled
our week as we continued to put the
final pieces of the budget together.
We completed a significant amount of
work on a path towards adjournment.
This week, the day that the ma-
jority of Iowans (and Americans)
dread the most came and went - Tax
Day. We normally think of Tax Day
as April 15 but this year it fell on April taxpayers including small businesses,
18 because of a federal holiday. How-
ever, there is another day related to
taxes that Iowans should be aware of
as well.
On April 14, Iowa celebrated its
Tax Freedom Day which represents
how many days Iowans will work just
to pay their federal, state, and local
taxes. Tax Freedom Day varies from
state to state with Mississippi hav-
ing the earliest on April 5, and Con-
necticut having the latest on May 21.
Overall, the national Tax Freedom
Day falls on April 24.
Currently, Iowa has some of the
least competitive taxes in the country.
According to the Tax Foundation,
Iowa’s tax climate ranking is 40th out
of all 50 states and Washington D.C.
The ranking combines each state’s
corporate, individual income, sales,
unemployment insurance, and prop-
erty tax rates and systems and scores
states against each other. In 2015,
Iowa’s tax climate was ranked 41st, so
while we’ve improved since last year,
more can be done to make Iowa more
competitive with other states.
Iowa’s tax rates are:
•Income – 8.98% (top bracket),
ranked as fifth highest in the country
•Corporate – 12% (top bracket),
ranked as the highest in the country
House Republicans have con-
sistently worked to give taxpayers a
seat at the table and make sure they
are getting a fair shake. Just this ses-
sion, House Republicans champi-
25 Years Ago
April 1991
Cellular telephones have been do-
nated to the Clear Lake and Ventura
police departments by the Clear Lake
and Ventura telephone companies.
The departments will have use of the
telephones free of charge for one year.
Robert Halford, manager of the Clear
Lake Independent Telephone Compa-
ny and the Ventura Telephone Com-
pany, said that cellular telephones can
provide an important communica-
tions tool for law enforcement.
Bonnie Hall was welcomed as
a new member of the Rotary Club.
Hall is the first woman member in the
club’s history. Hall is a realtor in Clear Jacobson, 8-5; and Sara Leonard, 8-2.
Lake.
Some rural segments of the Av-
enue of the Saints that will link St.
Louis and St. Paul may be built as
only two lanes of traffic near Mason
City and Charles City with the pos-
sibility of later expansion.
The Clear Lake Arts Council has
announced it will continue to stage
a summer theater production. “Bus
Stop,” a romantic comedy movie
made popular by its star, Marilyn
Monroe, will be presented this sum-
mer. Gary Ewing, director of Mason
City’s Stebens Children’s Theater, will
direct the play.
Newland Foods, Inc. is a distrib-
utor of seasoned soybean oil spreads
called Chef Saute Gourmet Cooking
Seasonings, located in Clear Lake.
The company employees four people
and is sold in eight states.
12 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA. 50428 • Ph. • 641-357-2131 • Fax • 641-357-2133
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oned and insisted on legislation that
left $95 million in the pockets of the
hardworking taxpayers by coupling
with the federal tax code and enact-
ing Section 179 depreciation. After
much delay by the Senate, they finally
agreed to do right by Iowa’s taxpayers
and pass coupling. This decreased the
tax bills of more than 177,000 Iowa
farmers, teachers, homeowners, and
students.
Over the last several sessions,
House Republicans have also sup-
ported numerous efforts to reduce the
tax burden on Iowa taxpayers. Under
Republicans leadership in the Iowa
House, the state’s property tax cred-
its have been fully funded, something
that hadn’t been done for nearly a de-
cade. In 2013, the legislature enacted
tax reform that overhauled the state’s
property tax system and created the
Taxpayer Trust Fund to return un-
used tax dollars back to the taxpayers.
House Republicans have also explored
bold, innovative plans to make the
state’s income tax system fairer, flatter,
and simpler.
The budget is tight this year,
which makes opportunities for tax re-
form more difficult. However, House
Republicans believe that a tough bud-
get situation shouldn’t hamper a con-
versation on this important topic. We
should always be exploring and dis-
cussing ideas for how we can shrink
Iowan’s tax bills. Taxpayers know how
to invest their own money, and the
legislature should let them do so.
House Republicans will continue
the discussion and work to find ways
to take less money from Iowa taxpay-
ers and return more to their pockets
all while following through on the
budget promises we have already
made.
Xi Mu’s Annual Mother’s Day
Brunch will feature a fashion show.
Styles from Mohr For Her in Clear
Lake and children’s clothing from
Bundle of Joy will be featured in the
style show. The show will be held at
the Mason City Country Club.
The Clear Lake boys tennis team
fell to Charles City, 7-2. Winning for
Clear Lake was Stacy Dunn, 3-6, 6-1,
6-1 and Ryan Taylor, 5-7, 7-5 and
6-4.
The Clear Lake girls tennis team
had two successful outings, beating
Charles City and Iowa Falls. Win-
ning against Charles City was Heather
Datema, 8-6; Sheila Barlow, 8-4; Julie
Kendra Berge was included in
this week’s Iowa Girls High School
Athletic Union’s Weekly Track and
Field Leader. Berge, a member of the
Clear Lake girls track team, finished
the 200 meter dash in 27:04.
On sale at Ben Franklin are: door
mirrors, $7.77; flying kites, $1.99;
beach towels, $4.99; Timex watches
25% off; Pop Rocks, 45¢; Aqua Net
Hair Spray, $1; and silk floral bushes,
99¢.
50 Years Ago
April 1966
A safe was taken from the Honda
Sport Shop, 608 S. 8th St. The safe
contained valuable papers, including
titles to motorcycles, about $100 in
cash and about $550 in checks. No
merchandise was stolen.
The Clear Lake City Council
Serving Clear Lake & Ventura
communities since 1869
Chris Barragy
• Photography
• Graphic Design
• Production
Amanda Ragan
State Senator
515-281-3371 or 641-424-0874
amanda.ragan@legis.state.ia.us
As we wrap up the 2016 ses-
sion, we are working on a responsi-
bly balanced state budget based on
details of an agreement between the
House and Senate. For now, Iowans
have chosen a divided state govern-
ment—with a Republican Governor,
Republican-controlled House and
Democrat-controlled Senate—so
we’re doing our best to find common
ground rather than gridlock. In the
days ahead, we’ll continue working
to make smart investments in jobs,
education and health care.
This week, the Senate voted for
several key items to be included in
the state budget. Among them are:
•Increasing our investment in
higher education with more money
for our state universities, community
colleges, and grants that help stu-
dents attend Iowa’s private colleges.
•Worker training that gives Io-
REMEMBER WHEN
adopted an ordinance calling for a
year-around confinement of dogs.
The council had a lengthy discussion
with a delegation of persons opposing
the confinement. The delegation was
successful in the selection of a section
dealing with the killing of dogs.
Four new teachers have been add-
ed to the faculty and will begin their
duties next school term. Those joining
the staff are Craig Rule, Gary Ander-
son, Kenwood Prunty and Barbara
Parker.
Mr. and Mrs. John Klaudt are
the proud parents of a son, Jeffrey Ed-
ward, born April 1.
75 Years Ago
April 1941
A good sized dog was rescued
from a boat which lost its anchorage
when the ice went out of the lake.
Don Cartcart and Joe Patton saw the
dog from shore and rowed out to res-
cue it.
Cab Calloway and his celebrat-
ed band will play at the Surf. He
will present his famous “Minnie the
Moocher” number of the hi-de-ho
type of music.
George and Charles Kittleson,
South Fourth Street, who were over-
come by carbon monoxide gas fumes
are in Park Hospital and are respond-
ing to treatment. They were found in
the house overcome by fumes of a ker-
osene stove and rushed by ambulance
to Mason City. They did not regain
consciousness for 24 hours.
Ed Nelson is taking over the man-
Owner/Publisher...... Mike Finnegan
mike@clreporter.com
Editor.................. Marianne Morf
marianne@clreporter.com
Michelle Watson Amy Palmer
michelle@clreporter.com amy@clreporter.com
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Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Living paycheck
to paycheck are striving to save a portion of each
paycheck for retirement. Why? What
To the Editor, is the purpose for accumulating retire-
It would seem that many Ameri- ment assets? Perhaps the purpose is to
can’s design their life around their replace their paycheck. Why then is so
families income. Their paychecks that much focus placed on accumulating a
wans the in-demand skills needed to they receive on the first and the 15th pile of money with very little regard
attract more good businesses to our of each month influences where they for how to replace their paychecks
state. live, what they drive, where they go on with a guaranteed lifetime of tax-ad-
•Help for working families by vacation, where they send their kids vantaged inflation-adjusted income?
maintaining funding for wage theft to school, and so on. Some may live
investigators, worker misclassification, paycheck to paycheck, however many Bob Burns,
and OSHA inspectors at Iowa Work- Mason City, Iowa
force Development.
•Innovative programs at our SENIOR CONNECTION
state universities that spur economic
growth by working with communities Meals on Wheels program
and businesses on technology com- in need of volunteers
mercialization, marketing, and entre-
preneurship. The Meals on Wheels program in at the Clear Lake Senior Citizens Cen-
•Cleaning up our soil and water our community is in special need of ter. The program is overseen by El-
to enhance wildlife habitat, outdoor volunteer delivery personnel for emer- derbridge Agency on Aging in Mason
recreation, and quality of life, while gency fill-ins or in the fall months of City.
also supporting Iowa agriculture and the year. Every meal is prepared at the The meals are very important
other industries. Meals on Wheels headquarters located because they are often the primary
•Technology that improves pub- source of nutrition received by the
lic safety by ensuring law enforcement clients, but without local delivery
and first responders can communicate volunteers this program cannot exist.
with each other in an emergency. Volunteering for Meals on Wheels is
a great way to make a huge impact in
a short amount of time. By deliver-
ing meals you bring nutritious food, a
friendly visit, and also an opportunity
to do a brief wellness check to seniors
or people with disabilities in the com-
munity.
Anyone can deliver meals and it
is a volunteer opportunity for families
or teams of employees to give back to
their community for approximately
one hour per day. Sign up now at the
local Senior Citizens Center and you
will find out how easy and rewarding
it is to bring nutrition and indepen-
dence to your neighbors.
If you are able to help your com-
munity in this way, please call Meals
on Wheels at 357-5443.
agement of the Ventura Telephone Ex- in considerable damage to the in- is planning on starting a gallery and
change. He has purchased a 100 drop terior of the doctor’s lab. It entirely stand over at Bayside in the near fu-
board and is building on an entire demolished the vulcanizer, for it was ture.
new office. blown up through the ceiling and into Mayor R.S. Young has stated that
the rafters. One of the strange things all old wooden and iron boats, ice
about the affair is that a $50 bridge in boats, scaffolding, rubble and junk of
100 Years Ago the vessel at the time was found on the all kinds must positively be removed
April 1916 floor of the room, not somewhere in from the lake shore at once. The may-
the next county or hanging from the or also said that autos are being driven
The explosion of a vulcanizing rafters. at dangerous speeds in the town and
outfit in the dental office of Dr. W.R. Charles Ritz has opened a shoot- he has ordered police to arrest every-
Clack, 5th floor of the Commercial ing gallery and stand on Midway. He one going over the limit of 10 mph.
Bank building, Mason City, resulted
Story time in 1966
Mrs. Robert (Virginia) Ingersoll read to a pre-school group twice a week in 1966 as part of her duties at the Clear Lake
Public Library.
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