June 4 primary election: Get info for Dubuque County

Included will be a reading of a state resolution adopted by the House of Representatives marking June 7 as Upper Mississippi River Refuge Day in Iowa, the day of its establishment by Congress in 1924.

The “Echoes of the Mississippi” art exhibit will open with an artist reception as part of the fest. The exhibit will reflect on the “majestic beauty of the Mississippi River refuge and its rich biodiversity,” according to Ivonne Fals of Dubuque Area Arts Collective.

“The art will play a vital role in commemorating the refuge centennial and the anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, inspiring others to appreciate and protect these invaluable treasures for generations to come,” Ivonne says.

To start the event, personal stories of encounters with the river and its inhabitants will be highlighted in a story slam coordinated by Dale Easley. People with short stories to tell in a Moth Radio Hour-like format can contact Easley at Easley.dale@gmail.com. Hannah Hedley will offer some musical interludes, including an original song titled “River.”

All monies raised will support the Land, Water and Wildlife Habitat Fund set up at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque by Dubuque Area Land and Water Legacy.

According to Chad Cox, the Legacy’s registered agent, the fund will be used to support land and water projects of public entities and non-profit organizations that enhance wildlife habitat in the Dubuque area. Cox formerly served on the Catfish Creek Watershed Management Authority, representing Dubuque County.

“We see this effort as a keystone component of future public-private partnerships to invest in our natural resources for the next 100 years,” Cox says. “The wealth we have inherited in the Driftless region and from the river that runs through it are jewels and riches that we want to preserve and bequeath to future generations.”

Contributions to the fund of $20 or more will include first floor admission to the art, music and story fest. Remaining tickets will be available at the door for $25. None of these donations will be used to pay costs of the event. All will go to the habitat fund.

Dubuque Audubon Society has co-sponsored the event, along with Smokestack, which is contributing the venue and sound system. Dubuque Area Arts Collective is curating the art exhibit.

Financial and promotional co-sponsors will have tables at the event to share information on their activities and how people can learn about and interact with the wildlife and fish refuge.

In 2021, nearly 60 percent of Dubuque County voters said they were willing to pay an average of $36 a year to take care of our natural resources and create new opportunities for the public to appreciate all that we have. The measure narrowly failed.

This anniversary, this event and the creation of this private fund to invest in projects give us a chance to make that small commitment again. I hope this can become an annual celebration and a regular occasion for us to put money down on nature.

The more that communities invest in themselves and their natural environments, the easier job I will have encouraging the State of Iowa to become a better partner.

Side note: Because of the importance of the river to Dubuque and the Driftless region, I have accepted an invitation to become part of the Mississippi River Basin Legislative Initiative of the National Conference of State Legislatures. I go to the first meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota, in early June. Watch this space for an update.

City of Dubuque moves to help mobile home owners

On May 29, the Dubuque City Council voted unanimously to apply for a federal grant to buy and upgrade two mobile home parks and give residents a measure of housing security by turning the parks into community land trusts. One of the parks is Terrace Heights in Mouse District 72. A land trust is a not-for-profit private entity that would own the land and manage the property for the benefit of all of the residents, taking out the profit motive and making the housing more affordable for the long-term. Land trusts have successful records elsewhere in the country. I sent a letter of support for the grant application, addressed to the mayor and City Council members:

"I write to support the City’s proposal to apply for a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PRICE grant. I understand that the HUD program provides funding to acquire mobile home parks, improve infrastructure within the mobile home park, rehab or replace dilapidated or outdated mobile homes, for community land trusts, and to provide housing services to mobile homeowners/renters within the parks.

While I was a appointed to the Dubuque Housing Commission from 1990 to 1993, the Commission forwarded a robust proposal to the Council to include community land trusts in the City’s portfolio as a viable approach to ensuring that affordable housing is available to all. Land trusts can insulate homeowners from the burdens of inflation induced by rising or speculative land values.

Unfortunately, the proposal did not receive serious consideration at that time. I am pleased to hear that the City Council is warming up to the idea now. We have some very strong community-based organizations that I believe are ready, willing and able to serve lower-income homeowners in forming and directing their own associations to regulate their common affairs. State and local laws and regulations can be tailored to address the unique requirements of homeowners in residential developments regardless of the income status of the households.

Not all housing is an investment. For many, maintaining value is just as much of an achievement as increasing value. Rising rents and fees, as well as neglected maintenance, often associated with mobile home assets held for profit by remote investors erode the ability of mobile home owners to maintain value in their homes, much less increase it.

Since the beginning of my tenure as a state representative, I have had mobile/manufactured home park residents in my legislative district. including Alpine Park and Terrace Heights, which is designated for possible assistance in your grant proposal.

For decades, householders in these parks have been “canaries in the coal mine” when it comes to housing security – first to feel the effects of economic stress in troubled times and usually among the last to receive the attention of public policy makers or private sector support to maintain housing affordability and stability in the wake of economic recovery. That needs to change.

In 2023, I introduced House File 106, a bill directing the Iowa Finance Authority to provide technical and financial assistance to cities, counties, and nonprofit entities to acquire and improve mobile home parks. The bill was referred to the House Economic Growth Committee on which I serve, but was never assigned to a sub-committee and did not receive a hearing.

As part of your deliberations, I encourage the City of Dubuque to make this legislation a priority..

I believe both the state and its local jurisdictions need to diversify their approaches to ensuring that affordable housing is available to people across the income spectrum. Manufactured housing is workforce housing, too.

New legislation introduced

Every year, state legislators submit bills that reflect their priorities and those of their constituents. Linked below are several I introduced since my last newsletter. Each has their own story. E-mail me at goodcampaign@aol.com if you would like to know more about any of them.

At this point, the purpose of introducing such legislation is to offer discussion tools people can use to discuss what matters most as we approach the 2024 election and the 2025 legislative session.

HF 2692 - Creating and appropriating a surface water protection user fee imposed on the sale of nitrogen-based fertilizer

HF 2699 - Relating to ratemaking and energy efficiency plans and demand response plans of public utilities.

HF 2711 - providing for a specialty food beginning farmer tax credit.

HJR 2003 - Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to employee rights.

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