At the most recent meeting of the Adel City Council, the City moved to phase out their tax abatement plan over the course of the next three years.

Adel has had an aggressive tax abatement program since 2011, where new residential and business developments were given seven years tax-free. The issue has divided residents and council members, with people on one side arguing it’s fostered expansive growth for the City, and people on the other side saying the City has lost out on substantial revenue because of it. In the end, the Council managed to come up with a compromise they felt was in the best interest of everyone.

The plan is to continue the current tax abatement plan through 2018. In 2019 and 2020, the abatement will be reduced to three years. The amount abated will also decline, going to 75% in 2019 and 50% in 2020. By January 1, 2021 the program will officially come to an end. The Council held a public hearing before voting on the issue, and the divisive nature of the topic was on display. Once everyone had weighed-in however, the Council voted unanimously to approve the change.