School board encourages ‘no’ vote against Amendment 1
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The Marshalltown School Board is asking voters within the district to consider the impact of Amendment 1, which will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
At the regular meeting on Monday, Superintendent Theron Schutte said the board has been asked to pass a resolution to oppose the amendment. The resolution was passed unanimously.
"If that amendment passes, then lawmakers are going to have to consider other ways to balance Iowa's budget problems, including possibly raising other taxes like sales tax or property taxes," he said. "Or, the inverse, cutting further services to schools, healthcare or other priorities that are important to Iowa."
Amendment 1 would amend the Iowa Constitution to require a two-thirds majority of the Iowa House and Senate to approve state income tax increases.
Schutte read the resolution for the board, which states that the flat income tax has resulted in significantly reduced general fund revenues, which in turn has resulted in low state funding for public school districts.
"Amendment 1 would make it harder for the Iowa Legislature to overcome a small minority of senators -- 17 out of 50 -- or representatives -- 34 out of 100 -- (from being) able to block income taxes on corporations or the wealthiest Iowans to solve a future state budget problem," he read.
The constitutional amendment would leave the state with only sales and property taxes, higher fees or cuts to solve budget problems.
"The alternatives of sales taxes and property taxes are significantly disadvantageous to lower and middle income families and Iowans on fixed incomes in our urban school districts," Schutte read.
Iowa's gap in per pupil spending has grown since 2013, when it was lower than the national average by almost two percent – or $202. In 2025, the gap increased to 22 percent less – or $4,197 – than the national average.
"Iowa schools have been funded at levels below inflation and labor costs for nearly every year in that comparison," Schutte read.
State and local funding help pay for district staff, which makes up 80 percent of the general fund budget. He said legislative efforts to raise teacher salaries were not successful as Iowa ranks 32nd in average teacher pay.
Schutte said additional years of chronic underfunding will make it more difficult to attract and retain quality staff and provide engaging programs and activities for students. Without adequate state general fund revenue, it becomes less likely there will be sufficient funding for full-day preschool, resources for English learners and students with disabilities, programs for at-risk and low-income students or college credit courses for high school students.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been dedicated to ESAs (Education Savings Accounts) so families can send children to private schools. Schutte said the ESA program primarily benefits higher income families and Iowa's cities and adds stress to neighboring public schools.
"The board of directors encourages parents, staff and citizens in our school district to carefully consider the impact of this undemocratic constitutional amendment, which is particularly hurtful to urban school districts’ abilities to provide a great education for our students," he read. "Stakeholders are further encouraged to support our school district by turning the ballot over during the Nov. 3 general election and voting 'no' on Amendment 1."
Board President Sean Heitmann said there was nothing in the resolution he disagreed with.
"I think it is undemocratic to make it so that only a two-thirds majority can take action," he said. "It flies in the face of majority rule and it turns it into a minority rule. I think it does potentially, and probably likely, will put you in a position where it becomes impossible to increase income taxes to solve budget problems."
Heitmann said he was in favor of adopting the resolution and having the district make its position clear that the amendment is a bad idea.
Schutte said the purpose of the resolution is to educate the community about MCSD concerns with the amendment. Upon approval, he said he would forward the resolution to the legislators,
Student School Board Representative Serenity Holtsclaw asked how the district would help drive a 'no' vote.
Schutte told her MCSD is a huge part of the success of Marshalltown and future economic development.
"The more we are strained for resources, the less we're going to be able to provide (for) students, staff and others," he said. "We're already feeling that for years and years of what I would consider to be underfunding."
Holtsclaw clarified her question, asking what additional actions the board would take beyond passing the resolution. Heitmann told her there is no coordinated plan to encourage residents to vote against the amendment.
Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.