IA Tax Update
Fellow Club Members:
Iowa needs your help!? There are several bills now before the Democratic-controlled legislature.? One is to raise the cigarette tax by a $1.? The others are a statewide ban and the one below (SSB 1162, HSB 89), which would repeal the state preemption code to allow local communities and counties to enact bans.? My sources tell me that the Antis don’t think they have the votes for a statewide ban, so they’re pushing for local control, which will create havoc so they can go back next year for the state ban.
How can you help?? PLEASE just take a few minutes to e-mail any or all of these key state legislators.? If you are an owner or on staff – or have information about the damage either state or local bans have had on individual businesses -?please write them about that.? Typically, our legislators have only listened? to the Antis’ side on how “It’s time”, “Good for business”, “Protect the workers”, or “everyone else is doing it”.
Please write TODAY.?We here in Iowa will be eternally grateful.?I actually think we have a fighting chance to win.
House and Senate leadership
House Speaker:???????????? Pat Murphy????????? Pat.Murphy@legis.state.ia.us
House Majority Leader:? Kevin McCarthy????? Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us
House Minority Leader:? Christopher Rants?? Christopher.Rants@legis.state.ia.us
Senate President:???????? John Kibbie??????????? john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us
Senate Majority Leader: Mike Gronstal???????? michael.gronstal@legisstate.ia.us
Senate Minority Leader:? Mary Lundby???????? mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us
House Majority Leader:? Kevin McCarthy????? Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us
House Minority Leader:? Christopher Rants?? Christopher.Rants@legis.state.ia.us
Senate President:???????? John Kibbie??????????? john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us
Senate Majority Leader: Mike Gronstal???????? michael.gronstal@legisstate.ia.us
Senate Minority Leader:? Mary Lundby???????? mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us
These are the committees that oversee pre-emption, which prohibits communities from enacting their own bans.
House Local Government Committee Members
- Mary Gaskill (D, District 93), Chair Mary.Gaskill@legis.state.ia.us
Bob Kressig (D, District 19), Vice Chair??Bob.Kressig@legis.state.ia.us
Jeff Kaufmann (R, District 79), Ranking Member Jeff.Kaufmann@legis.stateia.us
Senate Local Government Committee Members
- Herman C. Quirmbach (D, District 23), Chair Herman.Quirmbach@legisstate.ia.us
- Daryl Beall (D, District 25), Vice Chair daryl.beall@legis.state.ia.us
Brad Zaun (R, District 32), Ranking Member brad.zaun@legis.state.ia.us
Sincerely,
Richard L. Maynard
Iowa? State Coordinator
The Smoker’s Club, Inc.
—– Original Message —–
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 4:47 PM
Subject: Urgent – Legislators Must Be Contacted Today on Repeal of State Smoking Code Preemption (Local Control)
Iowa Restaurant Association Legislative Alert -?Contact?Legislators Today!
Issue: Repeal of State Smoking Code Preemption (Local Control) (SSB 1162, HSB 89)
Today, committees in both the Iowa House and Senate are discussing bills that will give local control of smoking ordinances to over 900 Iowa cities or counties. 20 cities stand ready to immediately adopt smoking bans if this?happens, and many more will follow suit. Your right to offer smoking in your restaurant is at maximum risk.
If maintaining your right to determine if and where you allow smoking in your business is important to you, you must contact your legislator today.?Share this message:
??????Current state pre-emption law related to smoking is working well – leave it alone!
??????Dealing with 900 different smoking ordinances in the state will create chaos for business owners.
????? 80 percent of Iowans are non smokers and 80 percent of Iowa restaurants are?already non-smoking. As a business owner you want to retain the right to accommodate the customer market you choose.
??????This move will?jeopardize the viability of you business.
Please make your contacts?today. The committees are expected to pass the legislation this week. Specifically, they are considering repeal of State Smoking Code Preemption (Local Control) (SSB 1162, HSB 89).
To view text of the bills, go to Iowa General Assembly – Home Page and enter SSB 1162 or HSB 89 in the Quick Find Section in the upper right corner, or go to www.restaurantiowa.com, click on Government Affairs, click on State of Iowa Legislative Information, and enter SSB 1162 or HSB 89 in the Quick Find Section in the upper right corner.
The House and Senate Local Government Committee rosters are listed below.
To find out who your legislators are, go to Iowa General Assembly – Find Your Legislator, or go to www.restaurantiowa.com, click on Government Affairs, click on Find Your Legislators.
House Local Government Committee Members
- Mary Gaskill (D, District 93), Chair
- Bob Kressig (D, District 19), Vice Chair
- Jeff Kaufmann (R, District 79), Ranking Member
- Rich Arnold (R, District 72)
- Polly Bukta (D, District 26)
- Dan Clute (R, District 59)
- Dennis Cohoon (D, District 88)
- Dave Deyoe (R, District 10)
- Clarence Hoffman (R, District 55)
- Geri Huser (D, District 42)
- Doris Kelley (D, District 20)
- Jim Lykam (D, District 85)
- Donovan Olson (D, District 48)
- Dan Rasmussen (R, District 23)
- Tom Schueller (D, District 25)
- Dick Taylor (D, District 33)
- Roger Thomas (D, District 24)
- Dave Tjepkes (R, District 50)
- Jim Van Engelenhoven (R, District 71)
- Jamie Van Fossen (R, District 81)
- Wes Whitead (D, District 1)
Senate Local Government Committee Members
- Herman C. Quirmbach (D, District 23), Chair
- Daryl Beall (D, District 25), Vice Chair
- Brad Zaun (R, District 32), Ranking Member
- Jeff Angelo (R, District 48)
- David Hartsuch (R, District 41)
- Bill Heckroth (D, District 9)
- Hubert Houser (R, District 49)
- Keith A. Kreiman (D, District 47)
- Paul McKinley (R, District 36)
- Rich Olive (D, District 5)
- Tom Rielly (D, District 38)
- Brian Schoenjahn (D, District 12)
- Roger Stewart (D, District 13)
The Iowa Restaurant Association position on this issue is:
State Preemption OF Smoking ORDINANCES: The IRA supports state law that allows hospitality business owners to accommodate their clientele as they choose. Iowa law prohibits local communities from establishing separate policy on smoking laws. Government intervention at the local level (900 cities) would cause confusion among business owners and their customers across the state. It is the individual business operator who knows his/her clientele best and can make sound smoking policy decisions, not governments. Current state law is working, no change is necessary.
Read last years:?
IA Tax? No new tax increase!
