High on the list of serious problems the Iowa state legislature is addressing is the tax on toilet paper. House File 1019 seeks to eliminate the sales tax on this household essential, estimated to cost the state “an estimated $6 million in general fund receipts.” More importantly, it would also reduce the one-cent sales tax designated for schools, eliminating another $1 million from the already underfunded institutions.
Will the average consumer squeal in delight because their overall grocery bill is now a few cents less? No. Likely, they will never even notice. But a $7 million reduction in revenues should be nothing to flush away without some visible impact. This bill has none.
Legislators claim there is not enough money to appropriately fund schools or other services, yet they make cuts with no significant gain. Something else having to do with toilets comes to mind.
Don’t play politics. If you are going to make a change, expend your energy on something that will truly make a difference beyond the initial press conference announcing it.
