The Sinclair Report - The Need for Property Tax Reform

Week twelve of the Iowa legislature was laser-focused on a number of high priority bills. A bill must be passed in one chamber and then passed out of committee in the other chamber by the end of this week, or it will no longer be eligible for debate this legislative session. This rule does not apply to Ways and Means bills or Appropriations bills. I look forward to our committees completing their work this week and beginning the last few weeks of the legislative session in floor debate on the bills remaining.

The Need for Property Tax Reform

Property taxes have again been at the forefront as Iowans start receiving their property assessment letters in the mail. Calls for reform have gotten even stronger as Iowans are worried about being able to afford to live in their homes. Assessments continue to significantly increase, and Iowans are concerned. It is one of the biggest issues we have heard about, even since major reform in 2023, and it is easy to see why. When the legislature passed House File 718 in 2023, it was to help Iowans amid rapidly rising assessments. Since then, local entities have been pushing back, with one official even saying, “All they care about is the emails they get that say property taxes are too high.” I suppose you could say that’s accurate.

Story after story, in papers across Iowa, are about the spending in cities and counties of taxpayer money. For example: “Washington County’s supervisors received harsh criticism after voting to raise the pay of all elected officials -themselves included — by 20% in December of 2021. Another increase was more conservative for the current fiscal year, at 4% for such officeholders, while nonelected staff saw their hourly wages go up by $1.75 across the board,” writes the Southeast Iowa Union.

One story discussed a city having to cut $5,000 in annual expenses to replace old Christmas decorations. One county hired a new sustainability director with an annual salary of over $75k, another city hired a diversity and inclusion coordinator, and Des Moines decided to end a “sustainability program overseeing [its] climate action plan,” due to budget concerns. Another county, which has had near-stagnant population growth over the last decade and a half, has paid over $270,000 for 12 public libraries. One city was looking at financing a $150,000 study on the condition of their aquatic facilities as part of their more “targeted spending.” A Des Moines Register headline just last year read, “Polk County supervisors, who make more than Iowa’s governor, give themselves another raise.” Continuing on, the paper writes, “Despite dissenting votes, the Polk County Board of Supervisors has decided to give itself another pay raise — just like it has every year for at least the past 16 years.”

There are a lot of cities and counties across the state and in Senate District 12 who are trying to do their best for taxpayers and have collaborated with me and the legislature as we work toward improvements to the system to make it better for everyone. However, these kinds of examples are why we are again looking at tackling property tax reform, with the biggest overhaul in recent memory. The proposal we have put forward completely reforms the property tax system in our state, and provides a better, fairer, and more transparent system not just for Iowans, but for local governments and businesses as well.

Some local officials are quick to spread fear and are still resistant. Some even going so far as to say, “Politicians pushing this bill are gambling with the safety and well-being of our communities while sidestepping the consequences of their actions.” The legislature has had to step in because many Iowans feel their local officials aren’t listening. While some seem resistant to reform, and some even failing to see the urgency in passing reform, we are hearing messages from Iowans all across the state. We know we are on the right path, and we are eager to accomplish major reforms so Iowans can feel safe and comfortable in their homes.

VISITORS TO THE CAPITOL

Issues important to the groups advocating at the Capitol this week included cosmetology, animal trapping, home schooling, election integrity, county fairs, credit unions, and mental health. It means a lot to me when I have visitors from home who stop by to share their stories and issues important to them.

STAYING IN TOUCHI rely on your input because everything we do as a General Assembly affects you personally. You can email me at amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov or call me at 515-725-4122 to voice your support or concerns on upcoming legislation. Visit the legislative website for information about bills important to you or to follow the work of the legislature: www.Legis.Iowa.Gov. If you, or someone you know, would like to receive these weekly updates electronically, please visit https://iowasenaterepublicans.com/senators/amy-sinclair/ to sign up for my weekly newsletter.

Also, meet with me in your area to talk about issues important to you:

• Pizza Ranch, Winterset, at 10:00am on Friday, April 18 for a coffee and conversation (NOTE: This event is a meet and greet with constituents, not a formal legislative forum)