After lawmakers spent all night in the capitol, the Iowa legislature adjourned this morning without passing any property tax relief legislation. What’s next for local residents who continue to suffer under high property taxes?
What happened (or didn’t happen) with property tax reform?
This year’s legislative session did have many significant accomplishments, including the removal of problematic “gender identity” language from Iowa’s civil rights code. However, one priority for voters that was not addressed was property tax relief.
As property owners in Warren County and around the state continue to suffer under staggering tax burdens, many looked to the General Assembly to provide protection against local governments that continue to raise property taxes.
The legislature did put forth several proposals that would have limited the amount local governments could raise property taxes. They would have capped but not eliminated the ability of local governments to increase these taxes. Moreover, these proposals failed to address the high property taxes already in place.
Join the fight to preserve our community by becoming a monthly donor today.
But none of these proposals were enacted before the legislature adjourned this morning.
What’s next with property tax reform?
Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will not be running for re-election, issued a statement saying she wants to prioritize property tax relief next session. She said,
I look forward to continuing this work next session—especially when it comes to reducing Iowans’ property tax burden. And to make sure tax cuts remain sustainable, even as we continue to make smart investments, we’ll keep streamlining government. Our alignment efforts, so far, have already saved taxpayers more than $250 million, and we’re just getting started.
Next year is an election year, allowing voters to put more pressure on their lawmakers.
Many hope that the next session of the General Assembly will result in meaningful, significant property tax relief for Iowans.
Leave a Reply