DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state panel says Iowa’s economy continues to perform well with record tax receipts for the fiscal year that ended in June, but tax policies enacted by lawmakers will slow the revenue growth in the coming years. Iowa closed fiscal year 2022 with revenue growth of more than $1 billion, or 11% more revenue than the previous year. For the current fiscal year, the Revenue Estimating Conference estimated Thursday that state revenue will fall 2.7% to $9.53 billion due to the loss of about $575 million in revenue from tax cuts the legislature enacted.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – According to a report from the Iowa State Auditor’s Office, 7 out of 15 counties overpaid election workers in 2020. The report said the overpayments, which mostly came from Scott and Pottawattamie County, were collectively worth about $37,000. The audit happened after Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz (D) resigned after being accused of changing poll workers’ time sheets to reflect a higher hourly wage and said the practice was similar in other counties. Those county officials could receive a fine from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office for the overpayments under Iowa’s new election law. But, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s Office said in an email it doesn’t plan to issue additional technical infractions at this time. The State Auditor’s report found those overpayments happened for a variety of reasons including paying for mileage incorrectly, paying people who didn’t show up for work, and unauthorized hazard pay during the height of the pandemic. Most counties had under $1,000 in overpayments, including Linn County with $350.
BELLEVUE, Iowa (KCRG) – On October 8th, at approximately 7:49 am, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call in the 31800 block of Highway 52. Upon arrival, law enforcement found 55-year-old Angela Prichard dead from an apparent gunshot wound. At the time of the call, Angela’s estranged husband, Christopher Eugene Prichard was the subject of an active arrest warrant for violation of a No Contact Order with Angela, which she took filed for on September 29th, claiming domestic abuse. Police located and arrested Christopher on October 9th, 2022 for violation of the no-contact order. During the arrest, police found a single 20-gauge shotgun and ammo in his possession. When interviewed by police, Christopher stated he was “angry about the no contact order” and entered residence on Highway 52 for the purposes of confronting her. After further questioning, Christopher reportedly admitted to shooting Angela with the shotgun and leaving the scene. Christopher Eugene Prichard was charged with Murder in the First Degree.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The University of Iowa announced Thursday it is temporarily suspending its search for a new vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Carver College of Medicine. It comes after the university says the candidate it had extended an offer to declined due to family obligations. In a press release, the university said it began a national search in March, and hosted campus visits for four finalists in August and September before the offer was made. “I am sorry that we could not come to an agreement, but we certainly respect the candidate’s decision,” UI Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel said in a post on the university’s website. “We will re-evaluate the search process and launch it again as soon as possible. We are eager to find candidates who share our exciting vision for the growth of the university’s health care system and for the Carver College of Medicine.” Brooks Jackson, who currently holds the roles, agreed to continue serving in the roles until a successor is hired. The university said it expects to resume its search this winter.
