Iowa lawmakers are wrestling with how to fund ways to improve water quality. Governor Branstad is sticking by his plan to use sales tax money earmarked for education infrastructure as a way for long term funding. Some Iowa legislators object and are looking for different funding sources. Iowa Farmers Union President Jana Linderman doesn’t think the Governors’ plan has enough backing to clear the legislature.
Governor Branstad’s funding estimates are that the water fund could grow to $ 788 million from $ 458 million. Linderman doesn’t think those numbers are realistic or would even be enough to meet the challenge of improving Iowa’s water quality.
Linderman says she and her group are opposed to taking money intended for education and shifting it to improve water quality. She says there needs to be a serious solution to that problem.
Linderman says there needs to be a consistent source of funding for water quality projects in the state. She says her group and others back the idea of using the Water land and legacy fund however that’s opposed by the Governor.
