Friday, March 20, 2020
Interestingly, to help people, a large part of government's response has been to rollback regulations and either give back, or at least delay collecting, tax dollars.
The COVID-19 crisis is having a dramatic impact on every part of our lives. We hope you are staying safe and healthy. These are unprecedented times: part 9/11, part financial crisis, (but mostly) part unknown.
Our team has been working remotely and taking what we believe are necessary precautions to stay safe, and importantly, not contribute to the spread of this virus.
Governments at all levels have been taking action too. Through various means they are attempting to keep people safe, keep key services and programs operating, and keep commerce and our financial systems up and running.
In Iowa, that has included suspending the legislature for at least 30 days, though not before several critical actions took place. A supplemental appropriations and emergency measure was passed that:
- Maintains Medicaid and other health program funding
- Increases state hygienic lab funding
- Provides 2020 appropriations levels for the first two months of FY 2021, if needed
- Makes emergency appropriations from the Economic Emergency Fund (EEF) of up to 10% for purposes approved by the governor, through August 31, 2020
Interestingly, to help people, a large part of government's response has been to rollback regulations and either give back, or at least delay collecting, tax dollars.
There will certainly be trying times ahead and an appropriate step taken today may not be what is needed in the future. As we all work through this together, you can read more about what is going on in Iowa and around the country in the links below: