House Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque) just confirmed for a group of statehouse reporters that the income tax bill that's been pending in the House for a couple of weeks only has 50 "yes" votes at this point. That's why it hasn't been debated. According to Murphy, the bill in its original form had 52 "yes" votes but two legislators reversed course after changes were made, at the governor's insistence, to ensure more Iowans got a tax cut. It meant a roughly $50 million tax cut for Iowans over two years — but statehouse folks interpret that to mean it "costs" the state that money which would have been collected in taxes.
"We do still think we can get to 51 votes and pass the bill, so it's still a live round," Murphy said. "…It's because of the change the governor's made…We did have, before the governor rewrote it, we did have 52."
Murphy indicated it's on Culver to round up that 51st vote.
"We'll probably make an appeal to him…to see if he can pick up that extra vote," Murphy said. "…I'm still very optimistic that we'll get it passed…I guess I'm an optimistic guy."
UPDATE: Here's the Radio Iowa story. It includes reaction from Iowans for Tax Relief president Ed Failor, Junior.
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
Perhaps “Republican” Linn County Supervisor Brent Oleson can find that 51st vote for them considering he worked the phones so hard to find a 51st vote on prevailing wage.