State Representative Charles Isenhart - Request to Address Council Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Action Items # 1.
ITEM TITLE: State Representative Charles Isenhart- Request to
Address the City Council
SUMMARY: State Representative Charles Isenhart will address the City
Council regarding his 2017 Legislative Priorities.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Isenhart Correspondence& Legislati e Priorities Supporting Documentation
Charles Isenhart
STATE REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEES
One-Hundredth District Environmental Protection,
Statehouse: (515)281-3221 Ranking Member
e-mail—chules.isenhart@legis.iowa.gov
I tat 11u, Economic Growth
HOME ADDRESS - Ways and Means
P.O.Box 3353 House of Repre Pttt'a'hUPS
Dubuque, Iowa 52004-3353 APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Home:(563)557-1261 State of Iowa Agriculture/Natural Resources
Eighty-Sixth General Assemb ly
STATEHOUSE
Otis +tins,tlnwa 50319
October 4, 2016
To: Dubuque City Council:
Mayor Buol,Mayor Pro Tem Jones, Council Member Resnick, Council Member Connors,
Council Member Lynch, Council Member Del Toro, Council Member Rios
Copy: City Manager Mike Van Milligen
From: State Representative Chuck Isenhart
Topic: City of Dubuque priorities
Dear fellow elected officials and colleagues in public service:
Thank you for the invitation to meet with the City Council and staff regarding the plans and
priorities of the citizens of Dubuque, our mutual constituents. I look forward to a meeting, and I
hope we can do so before November.
As part of the meeting, I want to share some information with you regarding those areas where I
have and will continue to focus some of my time, energy in terms of pro-active initiative as the
senior state representative from Dubuque County. I ask that you keep this information in mind as
you set goals that may create opportunities for partnerships between the City and me, including with
regard to your own legislative priorities.
For several years now I have addressed many of the following issues:
1. Clean water/soil health,
2. Clean energy/climate action;
3. Local food system development to improve public health and diversify our agricultural economy,
4. Economic/workforce development to benefit/empower populations underserved by or
disadvantaged in our community,
5. Access to health care, particularly treatment for mental health and substance abuse.
Examples of initiatives where we might be able to work together on the priorities listed above:
1. With respect to clean water, we can improve our quality-of-life to grow our population and
attract/retain young people:
A. Support raising the state sales tax to fund the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation
Trust Fund, as approved by voter referendum in 2010;
B. Team up with other cities, counties and soil/water conservation districts to enlist the state
as meaningful partners in the work of watershed management authorities, the best model we
have for concerted joint urban-rural action on resource conservation and flood-plain
management, by providing dedicated funding for WMAs through the passage of the Iowa
Clean Water Partnership Plan;
C. Strengthen the role of soil and water conservation districts by updating Chapter 161A to
address the realities of 21st century agriculture, urban development and climate change;
D. Establish the City of Dubuque and Dubuque County as a state showcase and national
attraction for outdoor recreational opportunities;
2. With respect to clean energy, we can scale up investment and job creation through energy
efficiency and renewable energy initiatives and incentives, including:
A) Supporting property-assessed clean energy enabling legislation;
B) Increasing state standards for advanced energy resources such as solar power;
C) Piloting energy disclosure requirements for public buildings and rental properties;
D) Exercise our solid waste management responsibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and expand the recycling of food discards and other organic waste.
3) With respect to local foods, we can increase economic vitality, improve population health,
eliminate food insecurity and food deserts, reduce carbon pollution, preserve the landscape through
water quality/soil health, provide educational opportunities for young people, repopulate and
regenerate rural communities, enhance cultural vibrancy, foster greater ethnic and racial diversity by:
A)Participating in partnerships to support the development of the driftless area local/regional
food system with Dubuque County ISU Extension and Outreach, Northeast Iowa Community
College and other entities;
B) Through the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative,joining in a statewide grant application to the
federal Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program and support state and City funding for
the Double Up Food Bucks program for beneficiaries of the supplemental nutrition assistance
program;
C) Advocating for a state appropriation to the Local Farm and Food Trust Fund;
D) Through the City Health Department and Resiliency Commission, expand efforts to
address diet-related illnesses -- as outlined in various health needs assessments -- and partner
with the Dubuque Community School District and Western Dubuque Community School
District, state Department of Education, local hospitals and the Hunger Partnership of the
National Conference of State Legislatures to explore the viability of universal free school
breakfast to enhance child nutrition and educational attainment.
4. With respect to economic and workforce development, we can address the income and wealth
inequality that undermines our economy and fuels unsustainable growth in taxpayer-supported social
programs by:
A)Working with the County Board of Supervisors to increase the county minimum wage
until the Legislature takes action to raise the state minimum wage;
B) Recruiting, recognizing,patronizing and otherwise supporting businesses/employers that
provide health benefits,paid sick leave,paid vacation and paid parental leave, education,
training and related benefits and equal pay for equal work,which serve to retain and attract
loyal workers in and to our community;
C) Structure workforce education and recruitment programs to target resources to
disadvantaged and underemployed/unemployed populations,including ex-offenders,with
appropriate accountability mechanisms, in conjunction with Inclusive Dubuque.
5) With respect to mental health and substance use disorders, we can promote population health,
advance health care equity, and reduce the stress on our criminal justice and health care systems by
A) Dealing with funding, capacity and treatment gaps and disparities in health plans,health
care systems and state policies, programs and financing of public health programs;
B) In response to the opioid public health epidemic, expanding local collaborative efforts
among policy-makers,health providers, law enforcement officials and others to work with
persons struggling with and recovering from addiction, their families and families of
individuals who have overdosed by providing effective prevention programs, emergency
response capabilities and access to a full spectrum of long-term treatment and recovery
options;
C)Advocating for"Good Samaritan"legal protections for individuals not engaged in the sale
of drugs who summon emergency responders to assist persons suffering from overdose;
D) Supporting permanent and dedicated funding for drug courts and explore the feasibility of
mental health courts.
Colleagues, I hope these comments give you a flavor for how I can and will be an asset that the City
of Dubuque can draw upon to make progress on both short and long-term goals of mutual interest
that will help us bring the common good into clearer focus and closer to reality in our community.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to working together with you and others to
demonstrate once again that the only government worth having is a government that works for
everyone.
Respectfully submitted
01,10"'r
Chuck Isenhart
State Representative, House District 100