Hawkeye Reporter

Iowa State Director Matt Everson joined forces with John Hendrickson, policy director for Iowans for Tax Relief, to discuss the critical issue of property tax reform in Iowa. The pair expressed their views in an opinion piece published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, emphasizing the importance of reforming property tax policies to foster economic growth.

The op-ed highlighted the progress Iowa has made since 2018 in streamlining income tax rates and enhancing the competitiveness of its tax code. "Since 2018, Iowa has made tremendous progress in lowering income tax rates and making the tax code more competitive," they wrote. The authors credited the state's success to conservative budgeting strategies that led to a flat 3.8% income tax rate.

The opinion piece called for local governments to adopt similar fiscal strategies as those implemented by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa legislature. "It's time for local governments to follow the example of Gov. Kim Reynolds and the legislature when it comes to fiscal conservatism," Everson and Hendrickson stated.

A key component of their proposal involves pro-growth property tax reform, which they believe should start with controlling local government expenditure. "Pro-growth property tax reform is possible, and it begins with addressing local government spending," the piece advised.

By adopting conservative budgeting and maintaining spending restraint, the authors contend that local governments can effectively reduce property taxes. They cautioned against maintaining the current trajectory, warning that "the status quo is unsustainable because high property taxes will increasingly become more of a deterrent to growth."

For readers interested in the full op-ed, it is available at the Cedar Rapids Gazette's website.