(Radio Iowa) – A law professor who’s a leader in the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council is urging Republicans in the Iowa Senate to table a bill targeting big tech companies. The legislation would withdraw state and local tax incentives from Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google if a court rules the companies illegally removed online content from conservatives.

Attorney Carl Szabo says the bill upends the conservative principals of limited government and free enterprise. “Look, I agree. I’m worried about the silencing of conservative voice as well,” Szabo said. “I mean, heck, I’m a conservative, but unfortunately this is not the right approach.” Szabo says these are private companies enforcing contracts with users who are not abiding by community standards.

“I understand that there’s a feeling that there are a lot efforts to stile conservative speech, but forcing these platforms to host content that they don’t think is best for their users and their advertisers is not the right approach,” he says. “It violates every notion we have when we support the rights of private businesses to decide what’s best for them.” Szabo made his comments today (Wednesday) during a senate subcommittee hearing on the bill. Tyler Diers of TechNet, a bipartisan group representing technology company executives, says if the bill becomes law, business leaders will have to weigh whether it’s worth expanding in Iowa.

“We believe policymakers should be encouraging incentive programs and tax policies that attract and grow jobs in the state of Iowa,” he said. “It would be bad public policy for the legislature to weaponize economic development programs in order to forward a political agenda at expense of the state’s economic interest.” Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says he can agree with some of the arguments against the bill — up to a point.

“These platforms have become weaponized by professive ideology,” Schultz says. “…They will leave anything inappropriate up on the progressive side…but seem to jump immediately, like a guard dog, against anything that moves toward the conservative side.” Senate President Jake Chapman, a Republican from Adel, is the bill’s lead sponsor and he says it’s not being tabled.

“It’s shameful,” Chapman says. “These liberal executives out of Silicon Valley are not going to control what Iowans hear, what they see and they’re not going to censor them.” Education groups warn the bill endangers contracts Iowa schools have with the big tech companies. A lobbyist for the three state universities says utility plants, the University of Iowa hospital, the campus computer, email and phone systems AND the scoreboard at Kinnick Stadium could be shut down if the bill, as written, becomes law.

Officials with the City of Atlantic today (Wednesday), said Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Company, CPA’s have released an audit report on the City. The auditors said the City’s receipts for its governmental funds total more than $11.8-million ($11,881,149) for the year that ended June 30, 2020. The receipts included:

• Over $3.7-million ($3,718,868) in property tax
• $111,895 in other city taxes
• $917,068 in local option sales tax (LOST)
• $182,411 in tax increment financing (TIF) collections
• $1,870,432 from intergovernmental sources
• $210,223 from use of money and property
• $98,837 from licenses and permits
• $430,002 from charges for services
• $55,835 from sale of assets
• $3,775,000 from debt proceeds
• and $510,578 in miscellaneous revenues.

The City’s receipts for its proprietary funds total over $1.87-million ($1,878,569), of which $1,809,937 was from charges for service. Disbursements for its governmental funds totaled more than $12.2-million ($12,293,176), and included:

• $2,179,566 for public safety
• $1,450,931 for public works
• $12,985 for health and social services
• $997,761 for culture and recreation
• $233,538 in community and economic development
• $594,493 in general government
• $1,497,296 for capital projects
• and $5,326,606 for debt service.

The auditors noted disbursements of the City’s proprietary funds totaled $1,686,323, of which $996,300 was attributable to its business-type activities, and $690,023 was for debt service. The report contains recommendations to the City Council and other City officials. The City has responded that corrective action is being taken for each item.

A copy of the Auditor’s report is available for review in the office of the Auditor of State and the Office of Atlantic City Administrator John Lund.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the legislature are considering changes they say will ensure the taxes businesses pay into the state’s unemployment trust fund don’t go up. The bill would impose a one-week waiting. “Do we really want to go after these workers? Do we want to take a week’s worth of pay because they were laid off through no fault of their own during a time when unemployment funds are not depleted?” she asked.

Carrie Duncan, a union member at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, says if the bill were law today, about 90 workers at the plant just laid off for a week would be ineligible for unemployment. “These are my coworkers, some that have family at home to financially support that are counting on that 40-hour paycheck, as the bills will continue to come regardless,” she says.

Republican lawmakers are also considering changes for workers laid off by companies that go out of business, limiting unemployment benefits to a maximum of 26 rather than 39 weeks. Scott Punteney, of Council Bluffs, president of the Western Iowa Labor Federation, was among 300 workers laid off due to a plant closure in 2014. “I was very lucky. I was the fortunate one. I was able to transition into a new line of work…Many of my coworkers were not,” he says. “…These benefits, these extra 13 weeks to some of my friends and co-workers were life saving. They needed that money to survive, to put food on the table, to put a roof over their head.”

The bill calls for ending jobless benefits for someone who fails to accept a job that pays less than the one they lost. Business groups say Governor Reynolds used federal CARES Act money to cover skyrocketing unemployment claims during the pandemic, but that’s a lifeline that may not be available in the next economic downturn and the bill will help shield Iowa businesses from significant tax increases to cover unemployment benefits. Republicans on the House Labor Committee approved the bill after a nearly six hour meeting this week and Democrats vow to an even longer debate if the bill comes up for a vote on the House floor.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Democratic attorney general has installed the Republican governor’s lawyer into a high-level job in which he is defending his former boss’ policy agenda and management decisions in court. Weeks after joining Attorney General Tom Miller’s staff, Sam Langholz has participated in cases defending Gov. Kim Reynolds’ coronavirus restrictions, her law requiring a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, her denial of overtime pay to some nurses, and her administration’s ouster of a longtime public health spokeswoman.

Miller and Reynolds announced Langholz’s appointment as an assistant attorney general for civil and appellate litigation in November.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests over the past week. Today (Wednesday), at around 12:35-a.m., 25-year old Alexandria Gabrielle Miller, of St. Joseph, MO., was arrested at 195th and Highway 34, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $5,000. Late Tuesday night, 35-year old Zachary Joseph Heywood, of Omaha, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, for Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

Saturday afternoon, 43-year old Heith Leroy Schmitt, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Schmitt was being held on a $5,000 bond. And, on the 17th, 36-year old Jessica Dawn Whetsel, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $2,000.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 62-year old Kevin Harmon, of Glenwood, was arrested today (Wedneday), for OWI/1st offense. Harmon’s cash/surety bond was set at $1,000.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), approved a bid of $465, 074 from Schildberg Construction, for Spring-Summer applied road rock (gravel). County Engineer Nick Kauffmann said the bid came in about $35,000 under the estimate. Kauffman said the County has received good news with regard to COVID Relief funding:

He said the another piece of good news was that the Farm-To-Market account will receive an additional $73,506. He said he’s not sure exactly when the County will receive the funds. The funds come in as State money into the Road Use account for the County to spend as it sees fit, as long as it’s on road infrastructure projects. Kauffman reported also that the shared Engineer’s Service Agreement with Union County expires in March. Kauffman has been serving the Adair-Union County Engineer since mid-September, following the resignation of Union County Engineer Zack Gunsolley at the end of August, 2020. He was told Union County has apparently lined-up their own engineer, now, and will have no further need for Kauffman’s services when the agreement concludes. The Board thanked Kauffman for be willing to work with the neighboring county in interim.

Kauffman concluded his report to the Board with an update on various bridge and other projects. And, he’s hiring for two openings in the Adair County Secondary Roads Department. In other business, the Adair County Board of Supervisors approved the renewal of an Amended 28-E agreement for the County Land Record Information System with Iowa Land Records, which was originally signed in 2005.

Recorder Janelle Schneider said the agreement is being amended due to some technical corrections discovered as a result of a State Audit. One of the corrections is to remove direct references to the Iowa County Recorders Association. The Board Wednesday, also held a Public Hearing on an FY21 Budget Amendment, during which there were no comments. The Board subsequently voted to pass a Resolution to that effect. And, a hearing was held with regard to the FY 22 Maximum Property Tax Dollars. Adair County resident Greg Cooper questioned what was being done and why. County Auditor Mandy Berg…

Cooper said he was under the impression wind turbines in the County would lower property taxes. Supervisor John Twombly explained it will be a few years before the levy goes down.

The last order of business, was setting March 17 at 9:15-a.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the FY22 Adair County Budget.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet both in-person and electronically on Friday (Feb. 26), beginning at 9-a.m.  On their agenda is a Public Hearing on the FY 2022 Maximum Property Tax Dollars, followed later, by action on passing a Resolution setting the FY 22 Maximum Tax Dollars, and the setting of a date for a Public Hearing on the FY22 Cass County Budget.

In other business, the Board will act on approving the appointment of a Sheriff’s Deputy, an additional member to the Cass County Local Foods Policy Council, and members to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Zoning Commission. The appointees must be rural residents.

The Supervisors will act on approving Property Tax Exemptions (for Impoundment structures, Open Prairies, etc.) in accordance with the Code of Iowa (Chapter 427), and for Jan. 1, 2021 assessments, and, they are scheduled to receive regular reports from the County Engineer, as well as the Cass County Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator.

During their meeting last week, the Board approved a Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Sales and Sunday Sales privilege of Griswold Golf and Country Club. They also discusses how to handle leave, as it relates to COVID-19. Board Chair Steve Baier stated he had directed the payroll administration staff that starting with the pay period beginning Feb. 16th, all leave taken by an employee due to the coronavirus is to be tracked and charged to accumulated paid time off (beginning with sick leave).

Other related items, including working remotely if essential duties could be performed away from the courthouse, were discussed, but no official action was taken.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Ames say an autopsy shows the death last month of a 21-year-old woman outside an Iowa State University sorority house was caused by acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia. Emergency responders found the body of Olivia Chutich on the ground in the parking lot of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority the morning of Jan. 22. Chutich was the daughter of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich and Allina Health CEO Penny Wheeler.

Investigators have said Chutich was last seen late the night before she was found and believe she had been lying in the parking lot for several hours before she was found. No foul play is suspected.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Wednesday, at 10-a.m., reported an additional 796 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Tuesday, for a pandemic total of 361,074. There were 15 additional deaths reported, for a total of 5,415. The coronavirus dashboard shows one additional death in Madison County, where the pandemic total is now 18.

Health officials say Underlying Causes deaths amount to 4,862. The IDPH says 553 deaths listed COVID as a contributing factor, while Long-Term Care (LTC) facility deaths accounted for 2,149  of the total number of deaths. Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are unchanged from at 20. Positive cases at LTC’s account for 523 of the total number of positive results, while 355 patients/staff at those facilities have recovered from COVID.

Hospitalizations are up once again. The IDPH said as of Wednesday, there were 233 persons hospitalized with COVID, compared to 227 on Tuesday. COVID patients in an ICU are down slightly, to 57. There have been 52 COVID patients admitted to hospitals across the State (compared to 30, Tuesday), and there are 23 patients on a ventilator. Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 14 people are hospitalized; six COVID patients are in an ICU, two people were admitted, and there was no one on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate as of Wednesday is 4.1%, while the 7-day average is 4.0%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,321 cases; {+6}; 48 deaths
• Adair, 911; {+0}; 26
• Adams, 325 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 482 {+0}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,160 {+3}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,787; {+2}; 69
• Madison County, 1,531; {+11}; 18
• Mills County, 1,619; {+4}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,036; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,678; {+12}; 140
• Shelby County, 1,197; {+5}; 33
• Union County,  1,259; {+3}; 31