Iowa
Kim Reynolds offers remedies, but her diagnosis of Iowa has holes | Opinion
But so long as state government denies forms of health care and casts suspicions on members of certain demographics, efforts to sell Iowa will have a ceiling.
Iowa doesn’t have enough people. Job openings are too hard to fill, particularly ones for medical professionals. Child care options are scarce enough that some people who would like to work or work more choose not to.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and her Republican colleagues in the Legislature note those problems accurately. On Tuesday, the governor proposed a few innovative investments and policies to attack them. But the state’s GOP leaders aren’t articulating the entire picture of why there’s a shortage of people who want to live and work here. Specifically, they aren’t looking in the mirror.
It was no surprise that the governor’s sales pitch for the state focused on tax reductions and national rankings while omitting mention of laws that make people feel unwelcome or even endangered in Iowa — people who fear whether they can find adequate care during pregnancy in light of a strict ban on abortions. People who could face scrutiny based on their appearance under harsh immigration laws. People who see the state formally labeling information about their or their family members’ sexual orientations and gender identities inappropriate for schoolchildren.
It is indisputable that the state’s aggressive income tax reductions make living here more attractive. Pumping money into rural recruitment problems and chipping away at preschool and child care burdens would make a positive difference, too.
But so long as state government denies forms of health care, casts suspicions on members of certain demographics, and refuses to take meaningful action to protect the state’s soil and water, those efforts to sell Iowa will have a ceiling.
Policy ideas range from terrible to adequate
Many of Reynolds’ policy proposals during her annual address to lawmakers were less sweeping than the “flat tax” or “school choice” unveilings of previous years, but their potential impact on the state is still great. A few highlights, and lowlights, deserve notice:
- MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS: Reynolds insists that now is the time to try again on a bad and tired idea: requiring some prospective Medicaid recipients to work in order to receive health care coverage. Or, to put it another way, putting obstacles between health insurance and a small, small slice of low-income Medicaid recipients (those who are not children or retired or disabled or already working). Or, to put it another way, creating a costly new apparatus of bureaucratic red tape using money that could instead pay for needed care for Iowans. This popular Republican idea has progressed furthest in Arkansas and Georgia, and neither state’s experience is in the least encouraging. Georgia’s rules have not led to increased employment, which is, you know, the point.
- NUCLEAR ENERGY: Reynolds said she’d set up a task force to explore bringing nuclear power generation back to Iowa. A robust debate on this topic over a decade ago ended with MidAmerican Energy declining to pursue the idea beyond a study. Reynolds is correct that the massive electrical demands of data centers, especially for artificial intelligence, counsels an open-minded look at the state’s energy mix.
- CANCER RESEARCH: Iowa’s cancer statistics are among the nation’s worst, and Reynolds says she wants to spend $1 million to launch a new research team to better understand what’s happening. That’s a start, to be sure. Almost no investment would be too much, and the task force should have freedom to investigate and deliver, if necessary, unpleasant answers or hypotheses about what contributes to cancer in Iowa.
- GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: Nobody is against government efficiency. Reynolds’ remarks about copying the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency weren’t particularly amusing to people like Democratic state Sen. Zach Wahls, who sarcastically and correctly wrote on X about Reynolds “inventing” … the office of state auditor, the real-life version of which the Legislature keeps kneecapping.
- ATTRACTING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IMPROVING CHILD CARE: Reynolds’ overall state budget proposal would increase spending 5.4% over the current year, with tax revenue continuing to fall. Large chunks of new money will go to educating savings accounts for private school students and to cover a projected $174 Medicaid shortfall. Reynolds also says Iowa should put millions of dollars into projects to bring more physicians and nurses to rural Iowa and to fill gaps parents face in managing preschool and child care. Those are solid proposals, though a bigger and better swing would be expanding state-paid universal preschool to full days for 4-year-olds and at least some subsidy for 3-year-olds.
Iowa has reasons to be proud and to stay, and reasons to run away
Reynolds opened her address by taking a deserved victory lap for state and local government success in 2024: responding meaningfully to natural disasters and providing for recovery and implementing her far-reaching state government reorganization. Iowa does have plenty to be proud of, plenty of reasons to stay, plenty of reasons to come. The governor and the Legislature need to realize that they have also given people reasons to flee. Until that changes, they aren’t doing all they can to solve Iowa’s worker shortages.
Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Register’s editorial board
This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register’s editorial board: Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members.
Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/letters.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa City’s deer population is growing – with the latest data showing nearly 560 deer in just under five square miles.
On May 14, the city asked the state’s Natural Resources Commission for professional sharpshooting, but that request was denied.
The police department received 35 calls for deer collisions last year. According to the city’s 2026 drone survey, the population has risen 16% to about 116 deer per square mile.
Concern for driver safety is one of the reasons the city wants to bring the number down to a safer level of 25 deer per square mile.
City management’s perspective
Assistant city manager Kirk Lehmann said although an urban bow hunt is the long-term strategy for population management, the city is working towards a hard reset with the sharpshooting.
“We do believe the data suggests that some sort of targeted sharpshoot is going to be necessary and ultimately that will depend on approval by the Natural Resources Commission,” said Lehmann. “We look forward to continuing working with them and the DNR.”
He said the NRC wants to see more results from the city’s urban bow hunt program before signing off on it.
Participation in the urban bow hunt is growing, with only 3 deer harvested in 2020 and 62 deer by 22 hunters in 2025. Lehmann said that was a 40% increase from the past year.
“When it comes to urban bow hunts, that does allow hunters to get additional buck tags and so that’s a popular incentive,” he said.
Lehmann said the city is also working to increase outreach and the amount of land available for the hunt.
A professional sharpshoot would be paid for locally – and Lehmann said it was included in the fiscal year budget.
A resident’s perspective
Seeing deer is a near daily occurrence at George Rickey’s house on the east side of town – in sunshine, rain or snow.
“It’s a nice city, nice community, and I didn’t realize I was moving into a wildlife preserve!“ he said. ”Recently, it has really exploded.”
Although he enjoys seeing the deer, he points out the possibility of disease and the danger to drivers as concerns – as his friend has hit two deer in the past two years.
“I’d rather see them in my backyard and peacefully wandering around than in my windshield,” he said. “Because I’m a former EMT and I can tell you that those kind of accidents don’t end up really well.“
Rickey said he wouldn’t be a fan of a sharpshoot as he wants the management to be extra cautious and said a bow hunt would have more “control.”
In the meantime, Rickey said the deer are pretty friendly when he encounters them – recounting a recent time a neighbor was selling their house and five deer wandered through his backyard.
“I said, there’s a great selling point if you’re selling to a family that’s got kids… ‘Hey look, we’re going to move in right next door to a game preserve!’” he said, laughing.
Although he said he drives carefully on roads that deer frequent, he will continue to enjoy seeing them in the neighborhood.
“Well, they’re here, live with them. Just try to work it out where everybody can coexist,” he said.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
The Iowa State Cyclones have been making up for lost time recently, securing commitments from several high school football players to bolster their Class of 2027.
After some recent commitments, there are now 14 players committed to play for head coach Jimmy Rogers in the future. Two of them happen to be quarterbacks, Cash Hollingshead and Blake Moser.
Both players took part in camps recently in Ames and performed well enough to receive scholarship offers. They didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity, accepting the offers shortly after receiving them.
However, they won’t be competing against each other on the quarterback depth chart in the future. Instead, Hollingshead is going to be targeting Moser in the passing game, with the talented athlete officially accepting a challenge from the Cyclones.
Iowa State secures commitment from Blake Moser
Moser took part in the drills at camp at wide receiver and has committed to Iowa State, looking to give the skill position a chance instead of accepting an offer from the Portland State Vikings, Idaho Vandals, Montana Grizzlies or Northern Arizona Lumberjacks to play quarterback.
“I want to play receiver, and I really like what’s going on here,” Moser said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).
Listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds, Moser was as dynamic with his legs as his arm during his junior year. He completed 155-of-233 pass attempts for 2,612 yards with 39 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
On the ground, he racked up 850 yards and 16 touchdowns, showing incredible athleticism that Rogers and Iowa State are going to look to take full advantage of, initiating his transition to wide receiver.
Blake Moser has athleticism to successfully transition to wide receiver
Moser impressed during his opportunity at camp, showing incredible speed in his 40-yard dash and a skill set the coaching staff thinks will translate to wide receiver after playing quarterback and running back in high school.
“I ran a 4.37 for my 40, so I think initially they liked my speed and then my playmaking ability.
“When I was running one-on-ones, like even in high school I’ve been playing quarterback and running back, but was able to go out and get some really good reps. (Coach Jimmy Rogers) just told me I’m just good at football and one of those players that they really want to develop,” the Lake Stevens product said.
It will certainly be interesting to see how his senior year goes. Knowing that a positional change is coming once he begins his career with the Cyclones, it is fair to wonder if he will start the transition during his senior year with Lake Stevens.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
Noah Gratias is an Iowa State alum from Waukee.
Whether in political debates, Bleeding Heartland essays, or everyday conversations, the idea that Iowa is in decline is frequently invoked. Many Iowans worry about brain drain, water quality, health care access, and the job market.
Still, Iowa is better off than much of this rhetoric suggests. By many measures that count, including affordability, education, and health care, Iowa remains one of the country’s best places to live.
-
Movie Reviews7 minutes agoFilm Review: ‘Scary Movie’ Has Some Occasional Laughs But Mostly is a Lazy Misfire – Awards Radar
-
World17 minutes agoChina Box Office: ‘Dear You’ Leads Again as ‘Masters of the Universe’ Debuts
-
Lifestyle59 minutes agoTony Award winners list: ‘Schmigadoon!’ wins best musical, ‘Death of a Salesman’ lives on
-
Technology1 hour agoNASA will wear high-tech Prada long johns to the Moon
-
World1 hour agoHezbollah’s secret ‘kill, wound and maim’ bomb network exposed as Israel strikes Beirut
-
Politics1 hour agoRaman overtakes Spencer Pratt in razor-thin race, AP count shows, but race remains uncalled
-
Health1 hour agoScientists reveal surprising brain benefit of laughter: ‘It’s a mental workout’
-
Sports2 hours agoKetel Marte frustrating Diamondbacks by opting to take days off with trade deadline looming: report
