Deciding Iowa

Deciding Iowa Deciding Iowa is a video blog tackling the tough political and people-focused issues shaping our state.

Through honest conversations and deep dives into policy, we explore what’s at stake and where Iowa goes from here.

05/09/2026

Property taxes.
School funding.
Local services.
State deficits.
Corporate taxes.
Rent.
Healthcare.

This episode of Deciding Iowa tackles one of the biggest and most personal issues of the 2026 legislative session.

Lawmakers say the new property tax package will provide relief for Iowans. But where does that money come from? And what could the long-term impacts be for schools, cities, counties, infrastructure, renters, and the future state budget?

In Episode 31, we break down:
➡️ What actually passed
➡️ Why both parties supported parts of it
➡️ What concerns remain
➡️ And why this issue is far more complicated than a campaign slogan

Whether you support the bill, oppose it, or are still trying to understand it, this conversation matters because these decisions affect every Iowa community.

🎥 Watch Episode 31 now: Property Tax

As always, we encourage you to stay informed, ask questions, and engage with your elected officials.

05/08/2026

“Property tax relief” sounds simple.

But when you dig deeper…
the questions get harder.

What happens to:
➡️ Public schools?
➡️ Local services?
➡️ Infrastructure?
➡️ Healthcare funding?
➡️ Renters?

In Episode 31 of Deciding Iowa, we unpack one of the most complicated and emotional issues of the session and why this debate literally hits home for Iowans.

🎥 Short clip tonight.
📺 Full episode Saturday.

Because these decisions don’t stay at the Capitol.
They show up in our communities.

05/07/2026

Tonight’s clip from Deciding Iowa tackles one of the most personal issues of the legislative session: property taxes.

This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet.
It’s about:
🏠 Homes
🏫 Schools
🚑 Services
💧 Infrastructure
💵 Rent
…and what happens when the math gets harder.

In Episode 31, we break down what lawmakers passed, what it could mean for Iowa communities, and why this debate became so intense.

🎥 Watch tonight’s short clip.
Full episode drops Saturday.

05/06/2026

We’re back. And Iowa’s legislature left us with a lot to talk about.

🎓 Expanded charter school funding
🏠 Concerns about homeschool oversight
🌽 No movement on eminent domain reform
🎗️ Pediatric cancer research funding approved
☢️ New radon mitigation requirements for homes

In Episode 30 of Deciding Iowa, Shawn and Emily break down the wins, the worries, and the policies shaping Iowa’s future.

No shouting. No spin. Just real conversation about what happened under the Golden Dome.

🎥 Watch “We’re Back: Quick Hits” and decide for yourself.

04/18/2026

A lot just moved at the Iowa Capitol… but what does it actually mean?

In today’s Deciding Iowa, we break down a few key bills that just passed:

➡️ More time for legislative planning (60 days vs. 45)
➡️ Counties restricted from issuing ID cards
➡️ New 5-year rule reviews for state agencies
➡️ Faster infrastructure upgrades for water & utilities

Some aim for efficiency.
Some raise real questions.
All have impact.

This is just a snapshot of what’s happening right now under the golden dome.

🎥 Watch the latest episode and decide for yourself.

Because policy isn’t just process…
it shapes how Iowa works—for all of us.

04/15/2026

When access gets tighter…voices matter more.

In Episode 28 of Deciding Iowa, we take a closer look at House File 2563, a bill that could:
➡️ Restrict telehealth access for early pregnancy care
➡️ Create additional barriers for rural and working Iowans
➡️ Shift how healthcare is accessed across the state

This is a personal healthcare right between a patient and her doctor, and one that deserves attention. Limiting options in our amazing rural areas should not be the Iowa way.

📞 Now is the time to reach out to your legislator and make your voice heard: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find

🎥 Watch Repro Restrictions
👉 Get informed. Stay engaged. Decide for yourself.

04/11/2026

Healthcare in Iowa right now?
Some steps forward…and some real gaps.

In Episode 27 of Deciding Iowa, we break down what’s happening at the Statehouse:

⬆️ The highs:
✔️ A bill allowing pregnant minors to consent to their own labor and delivery care
✔️ Reforms to insurance authorizations to speed up care and reduce unnecessary denials

⬇️ The lows:
❗ A bill allowing providers to refuse care based on conscience
❗ No real progress on water quality
❗ Ongoing healthcare workforce shortages
❗ Little action to improve affordability or keep rural clinics open

Because healthcare isn’t abstract.
It’s access, cost, and care—right here in our communities.

🎥 Watch Episode 27: Healthcare Highs and Lows
👉 Then decide for yourself.

💬 What are you seeing when it comes to healthcare in Iowa right now?

👍 Follow, share, and help more Iowans stay informed
📲 Also available on YouTube and podcast platforms

04/09/2026

We’re not saying it’s Skynet…

…but we are saying AI making calls on local budgets should raise some eyebrows. 🤖

Episode 26 breaks down:
➡️ A $1M+/year AI tool to analyze local spending
➡️ The risk of decisions being reduced to numbers
➡️ And what happens when context gets left out

Also:
👏 A real bipartisan win on child care assistance

So yes...progress and questions… in the same episode.

🎥 Watch “Skynet”
👉 Decide for yourself.

Because not everything that counts…can be counted.

04/05/2026

Happy Easter from Deciding Iowa. 🌷

In this special Easter message, Shawn and Emily share a few favorite memories and traditions, from sunrise services and Easter egg hunts at Grandma and Grandpa’s house to candy-filled eggs hidden all over the house… and the occasional forgotten one discovered months later. 😄

And let’s be honest…we’re big fans of the chocolate part of Easter too. 🍫

We hope your day is filled with joy, reflection, family, and maybe a little extra sweetness along the way.

Wishing you and youra a very happy Easter. 🐣💐

04/04/2026

When the levee breaks… you don’t ignore the cracks.

In Episode 25 of Deciding Iowa, we break down a state budget that:
➡️ Spends ~$9.6 billion
➡️ Brings in closer to ~$8.5 billion
➡️ And keeps us on track for a third straight year of ~$1 billion deficits

🎸 “If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to break…” from When the Levee Breaks

That’s not just a lyric, it’s a warning.

Leaders are calling this budget “responsible” and “sustainable”…
…but it relies on surplus funds that won’t last.

At some point, the math catches up.
At some point, the pressure builds.
At some point… the levee breaks.

🎥 Watch Episode 25: When the Levee Breaks
👉 Then decide for yourself.

Because budgets aren’t just numbers…
they’re choices about the future of Iowa.

04/04/2026

🧟‍♂️ Zombieland at the Capitol?

Some bills may be “dead”…but in Iowa, they don’t always stay that way.

In Episode 24 of Deciding Iowa, we break down how library-related legislation, stopped earlier in the session, has resurfaced through an amendment that has nothing to do with the original bill.

➡️ Requires book-by-book review of materials before minors can access them
➡️ Shifts control away from local library boards
➡️ Removes professional standards and accreditation
➡️ Adds major responsibilities… with no funding

All introduced late in the game, limiting debate and public input.

It’s complicated. It’s fast-moving. And it matters.

We’re here to help make sense of it.
🎥 Watch “Zombieland” and decide for yourself.

📌 Follow along as we track what happens next.

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