Some ways to save

By Rep. Steve Olson
Special to the Herald

February 20, 2009 11:50 pm

— Last week, I mentioned some of the problems with wasteful internal spending by the Rebuild Iowa Office. On Monday, Gov. Culver addressed this same issue and criticized the excessive salaries at the office and stated corrections will be made.
Iowans have responded positively to making suggestions on how to make cuts in the state budget. Following are just a few of the ideas that I think have the potential to be considered by leadership:
* Charge sale taxes for all online purchases,
* Issue only one license plate per vehicle,
* Offer early retirement to state workers who are three years or less from retirement, and
* Reduce the number of state-issued vehicles.
The legislature is trying to figure out how to increase the sale of hunting licenses in the state of Iowa. The total number of hunting licenses sold has reduced substantially since 2002. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies estimates that hunting brings in $300 million to the state of Iowa through direct sales and supports 6,200 jobs in the state.
Sales of hunting licenses have decreased by 1.7 percent in Clinton county and 9 percent in Scott county from 2002-2007. Some believe this decline is natural because now two-thirds of Iowans live in urban areas. Also, the loss of grassland coupled with the severe weather in Iowa has resulted in a decrease in the pheasant population.
Iowa’s deer population remains plentiful and licenses to shoot deer sell rapidly. In fact, the legislature has resisted increasing out-of-state deer licenses, as recommended by DNR, for fear that it will offend state hunters.
To help support wildlife development the House on Tuesday passed HJR 1. This resolution proposes a state constitutional amendment that would allow a sales tax that would be directed for the benefit of the state’s natural resources. For this amendment to be adopted, it must be approved by Iowa voters in the November 2010 election.

Republican Steve Olson of DeWitt serves in the Iowa House of Representatives. He represents House District 83, which covers portions of Clinton and Scott counties.