TIF and Abatement Reform
The Problem: The state is on the hook for the $5.40 levy for school districts….
The Problem: The state is on the hook for the $5.40 levy for school districts….
November-only bond issues and spending question elections was included in the property tax reform bill…
We think it would be a good idea to implement a two-year property tax freeze in Iowa, so that we can press pause and take a look at some ideas to reform the system. We don’t believe that this gets solved in one year. It’s taken many years to get to this point. Property taxes in Iowa are the 10th highest in the nation and, as assessments are going up, Iowans are going to be faced with increasing property tax bills.
In Iowa, we expect to receive quality public services at a reasonable cost. However, in too many school districts, cities, and counties, there is a gap between the amount of property taxes extracted from citizens and the growth of the community. What is going on? Why is this happening? It happens for different reasons in each locality across the state, but the heart of the problem is a failure to talk with local elected officials.
Property taxes are complicated and confusing. A significant amount of confusion comes from the…
“Too often, people are elected to the city council or county board of supervisors, and…
“Just because your house might be valued 22% higher, it doesn’t mean you have 22%…
“There will be tens of thousands of people who appeal their assessments and ten people…
Iowa once had a property tax system that involved the use of “Tax Ferrets,” whose…