Wait ‘Till Next Year
That’s the popular refrain fans of a losing sports team use…just wait ’till next year, we’ll take care of business then.
Unfortunately, that’s becoming a popular refrain among lawmakers, both at the state and federal levels.
I spoke recently with someone whose office follows legislation in Des Moines. They had a particular issue they were advocating. A committee chair said the prospects were good, but if it didn’t happen this session, then they’d get to it in 2026.
That shows a disconnect between the folks we elect, who see each general assembly as a two-year term, and we, the people. In their world, if they don’t get to it in the first year of a two-year session, there’s always next year. But to those of us who send them there, there’s no time like the present.
This is not to say lawmakers should hurry and be sloppy. But they should check off as much as possible in the first year, because there is always new stuff that comes up for the second year. And the second year is an election year, so logic suggests that doing the heavy lifting, the hard stuff, in the first year is best to remove any conflict tied to an upcoming election.
I’m thinking of the conversation I had, and wonder how many other pieces of legislation that really aren’t controversial are sitting in the “wait ’till next year” stack…with no promise that next year will ever come.
I’m also thinking of one of the top two issues voters had last November—property tax reform—and how that got punted to the second year as well. Yes, I know it’s complicated.
But when “next year” doesn’t come, the sports team often changes its players. Something for voters to consider, as well.
