The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that provides $20 million for flood relief requested by Gov. Kim Reynolds to help shore up levees in southwest Iowa in anticipation of flooding along the Missouri River this spring.
All 48 senators present voted in favor of the bill but some Democrats expressed disappointment that Republican leaders weren’t allocating more to help Missouri and Mississippi river communities.
Democratic Sen. Rob Hogg said there’s $1 billion in Iowa’s ending balance and rainy-day fund, so the state can afford to allocate more.
“Flooding hurts people and people need help,” he said.
Local governments are seeking about $200 million for flood recovery and protection projects and Reynolds said much of that money will be provided by federal agencies. The $20 million she sought in the bill is a match enabling Iowa to draw federal funds. The bill goes to the House for consideration.
“There’s no reason to just allocate a bunch of money and have it sit there,” Reynolds said. “Let’s be purposeful how we do it and make sure we’re not supplanting federal dollars and were doing it in a manner that doesn’t hurt us in the long run.”
Iowa suffered nearly $2 billion in weather-related damage last year.
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