Editorial: Bipartisan work must begin now to make property tax reform a reality in Iowa
Iowa legislators adjourned this year's session without passing the property tax reform they've been promising.
The idea of cutting property taxes is noble. After all, we've stated before, we love the idea of paying lower taxes. But as with everything, the devil is in the details. And as legislators debated this matter all session, they continued to uncover challenges.
We're glad lawmakers didn't press forward with the changes they proposed making. It would've limited our city governments in ways that we all likely would've regretted. Our cities already feel stuck with the caps that have been imposed on their growth. Any proposals that were on the table would've added to our cities feeling even more handcuffed than they already are.
This pause is a good thing, but only if all the stakeholders work to find a better plan. We encourage our leaders to assemble a committee of bipartisan city and county stakeholders who can help the state reimagine property taxes. But that work must begin now. Because it will take a long time.
By taking a holistic approach, the state can truly reform the tax code, get the desired results of lowering the tax burden on its constituents, and leave our cities and municipalities with a better roadmap for growth.