This week in Iowa organizing…

March Madness is about games. Our communities and the future of our state aren't.

That's why I'm tired of this 'us vs. them' language and mentality lately. It's a misguided and dangerous approach to governing and being in community with one another.

Instead of fixating on being 'right' and claiming one side hates an entire segment of our population, how about we take the time to learn about our neighbors and one another and seek understanding rather than proving a point. The behavior and rhetoric of some politicians, on both sides of the aisle, aren't always models to look up to and embody.

We won't always agree with one another. And that's an opportunity to approach conversations with curiosity and empathy. Let's take a step back and search for understanding, not simply winning.

Onward,

Matthew Covington (he/him)
Strategic Operations Director

At the statehouse 

Consolidated power, cutting to the bone, pipeline uncertainty  

Governor Reynolds scored another win last week with passage of her proposal to reduce executive level agencies from 37 to 16.

Whereas some of the proposed changes are benign and could be more efficient than the current structure, most troubling is the power it consolidates in the Governor's hands, as well as the Attorney General's office. The restructure will also likely mean Iowans with disabilities will have less representation and independent advocates in state government.

Senate Republicans are moving forward a proposal to eliminate Iowa's income tax, but may face opposition in the House. And there's still talk of reducing property taxes, though the House and Senate still aren't in agreement about how to do so. What they're not talking about is how their proposals will inevitably reduce the ability to generate revenue in the coming years.

And with 11 days left before a key legislative deadline, some House Republicans are optimistic their bill to curb eminent domain abuse will move forward. But optimism doesn't always reflect reality, which is why we need to keep up the pressure. More on that below!

Take action 

Clock ticking on CO2 pipeline bill, take action  

House File 565 (formerly HF 368) passed out of the House Judiciary committee on Tuesday, February 28 on a 12-7 vote, with two legislators abstaining. Nearly three weeks later and there's been no movement on the bill.

That's why we need to ramp up the pressure to get this bill debated on the House floor before the next legislative deadline on March 31! Join us (online or at the CCI office) this Tuesday from 5:30-7pm to call other members across the state urging them to contact their Representative. Sign up here!

HF 565 doesn't completely ban the use of eminent domain for these greenwashing projects, but it places numerous restrictions and obstacles for the projects to move forward. That's why we need it brought up for debate on the House floor before March 31!

Haven't emailed your Representative yet? Take a minute to do so here.

March 25 - Dubuque housing justice visioning session  

Members in the Dubuque area are fighting for housing justice, but what does that mean?

We're creating a vision for true housing justice and we want you to help us craft it! Who is included in this vision? What's most important to you? What are the barriers?

Join us this Saturday, March 25 from 2-3:30pm at the Carnegie-Stout Library in Dubuque to help build a vision together for a future where every person in the area is guaranteed good, quality, and affordable housing.

Let us know if you can attend by RSVPing here.

March 26 - let's talk about CO2 pipelines Pottawattamie County! 

Join Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County for a No CO2 Pipeline Mtg in Oakland, Iowa this Sunday March 26 from 2-3:30 PM. At this meeting we will:

  • Learn more about the proposed CO2 pipeline projects;

  • Meet other folks who care about this issue; and

  • Find ways to get involved!

Please join us for a 90 minute discussion at the Oakland Community Center - 614 Dr Van Zee Rd, Oakland, Iowa 51560. RSVP to join us here!

What's your story? 

We want to hear from you!

What brought you to Iowa CCI? What issues do you care most about? Is there a particular meeting, event, or action that you remember to this day?

Reply to this email and let us know! We'd love to hear from you on what CCI means to you, why you keep fighting to put people and planet before profits and politics, and what you hold dear.

What We're Reading

These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!

  • 78% of Iowans opppose CO2 Pipelines; Our legislators should listen (by CCI Action member Keith Kuper) [Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier]

  • 'They're Such Cowards': GOP Pushes Bill Targeting Food Aid for the Poor [Common Dreams]

  • What Else Is There To Do But Organize? [James Mumm]

  • CO2 pipelines: The same-old, same-old [Bleeding Heartland]

  • ‘That’s when I was hit by a baton,’ trauma lingers for George Floyd protester [Black Iowa News]

  • Kansas legislators’ war on the poor opens worrisome new front: School vouchers and tax avoidance [News from the States]

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