What’s The Constitutional Amendment On This Year’s Ballot?

Did you know that Iowans will be voting on an amendment to the Iowa Constitution this November? What is Amendment One and how could it affect your life if passed? 

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Amendment One has been passed by two consecutive Iowa General Assemblies as required to amend the state constitution. Now, the people must vote to approve the proposal.

The Iowans For Tax Relief Foundation summarizes the amendment this way,

1. Amendment One would require a two-thirds vote of both the Iowa House and Senate to raise individual or corporate income tax rates.
2. The amendment is narrowly focused on income tax rates.  It would not change state spending, sales or property taxes, local taxes, or tax credits and deductions.
3. The same two-thirds threshold would apply regardless of income: whether a taxpayer earns $25,000 or $1 million, the legislative requirement for raising the applicable income tax rate would be the same.

Essentially, if passed, this amendment to the Iowa Constitution would make it harder to raise income taxes.

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Voting “yes” for the amendment would add the two-thirds requirement to the state constitution. Voting “no” would keep the current system in place.

Iowans For Tax Relief also provides this clarification,

Amendment One would not automatically reduce or eliminate Iowa’s income tax. It would not prevent lawmakers from raising an income tax rate, but it would increase the number of votes required to do so.

The amendment also would not:

• Change state spending;
• Require spending reductions;
• Increase the sales tax;
• Increase property taxes;
• Apply to local-option taxes; or
• Create or protect a tax credit, deduction, exemption, or incentive.

Amendment One only applies to state individual and corporate income tax rates. It does not govern how Iowa funds education or health care.  It does not apply to property taxes or local government budgets.  Any future changes in those areas would still require separate decisions by the appropriate state or local officials.

Make sure you have a plan to vote on November 3rd and are informed about all the issues on the ballot.

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