State senate candidate has budget issues high priority

One candidate on the Nov. 8 ballot wants to correct a wrong that was made or prevent the worst from happening because of it.

Tripp Narup is running as a Democrat for State Senate Dist. 9. His opponent is Republican Tom Shipley.

Narup, who is from Villisca, already is concerned about the impact the state will see transitioning to a flat tax. On March 1, Governor Reynolds approved the state’s most significant tax reform bill in history, creating a 3.9% flat income tax rate, eliminating state tax on retirement income, reforming corporate income tax.

“We are going to spend $1.8 billion on the flat tax,” Narup said, mentioning how Iowa has a surplus of about $1.91 billion.

“The entire surplus is to give away to rich people who really benefit from the flat tax. In the old system, the rate was 8.3%. The new rate is 3.9. In simple terms, take a million and 83,000 is taken down to 39,000. Who is really benefiting from the flat tax? Not your average Joe of someone in Montgomery County making $56,000.”

Narup said those additional funds should benefit the state’s public education system.

“The tax cut was poorly thought out. Remember, we are also using federal money to the run the state; the money from COVID. What is paying to run the state when they run out of money? I don’t want to be a red state gone wild,” he said.

Narup serves on Villisca City Council.

Narup said legislation is also putting unwanted and unnecessary pressure and attention on public school teachers.

“Legislation has decided to pick on some of the nicest people on the planet. Iowa seriously underpays teachers being 26th in the nation and 24th when considering the cost of living. Teachers are not being adequately appreciated or funded,” he said.

Schools have been getting 1 to 2% additional funding each year since 2017. Last year the amount was 2.5%.

“But when you talk to superintendents, they will tell you what is needed especially in areas losing population. Three to 4% is really needed,” Narup said. “Those schools are being strangled and they are being even more careful about what they can afford. We have a billion in surplus. Take $380 million. Will that bankrupt the state? No. We don’t have to do 10% every year, but this will help them get caught up.”

The candidate has interests other than education and budgets.

Narup said owa has the worst bridges in the entire country, according to The American Road & Transportation Builders Association. Of the Iowa bridges 19% are ranked “poor or worse” condition by federal inspection reports. Because of the need and financing, bridge improvements are slow to develop.

“We need to figure out how to refinance this stuff,” he said.