Gov. Terry Branstad’s plan to use a sales tax originally intended for schools to pay for water quality improvements cleared a legislative subcommittee Monday, The Des Moines Register reported. The governor’s staff said the bill will be amended to address Iowans’ concerns. Some want accountability in how the money is spent. Others object to pitting education against the environment. A three-person House subcommittee voted to 2-1 to advance the bill to a full committee. It was the first time lawmakers had a chance to publicly consider the bill. The governor’s proposal  would extend for another 20 years a 1 percent sales tax currently earmarked for education infrastructure spending. That tax currently is set to expire in 2029. The governor’s approach would boost spending on schools, then use some of the growth in the tax receipts to pay for conservation projects and other work to reduce pollution in Iowa’s waterways. The legislation is an attempt to support the voluntary Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and comes after Des Moines Water Works filed a federal lawsuit contending that drainage districts run by three northwest Iowa counties should be subject to permit requirements in the U.S. Clean Water Act.