Sen. Larry McKibben, R-Marshalltown, will manage the bill in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. He supports the legislation's intent, but word is he will not back a bill that can't pass or that will be vetoed by Gov. Terry Branstad. Branstad doesn't like the current bill, but won't come right out and say he plans to strike it dead. He would rather see municipalities and schools share the existing sales tax, fearing the House plan would lead to a 7 cent sales tax in places such as Sioux City. Senate Republicans also have mixed feelings, Redwine said.
Fiscal conservatives see it as a new, unneeded tax.
Rural lawmakers in both parties say the bill will do their school districts little good. Now, the scenarios, as of this minute. The bill passes the Senate as-is and is signed into law by Branstad. Although this is the dream sequence for supporters, it has only about a 33 percent chance of happening. Because, for now, the existing bill seems to have more enemies than friends in the 50-member Senate.