Iowa Senate and House Republicans are tackling property tax reform.

District 24 Senator Jesse Green (R-Boone) highlights the key components of the Senate’s approach to property tax reform. He says they want to diversify the revenues and levy uses for local governments, due to some levies that are either not being utilized or being overused. Green points out another part is broadening the sales tax base, which would trigger Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy (IWILL) program. According to its website, IWILL’s goal is to provide substantial funding for better water and soil quality, while also increasing wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation. 

Green believes the weakest part of the House’s bill on property tax reform is capping property assessments.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think when it comes to property taxes, that the (county) assessors or the assessments are the problem. The (county) assessor’s job is to assess the property period. They’re not the ones that set the levy rates, they’re not the ones that sets the budget or spends the money.” 

Green shares his thoughts about property tax reform.

“My position is, I don’t want to dictate the budgets of the local officials, but I want in the future to restructure how they do their budgets, make sure that there’s more transparency, and try to, in the long run, make sure that curve upward on property tax increases is not as severe as what’s been happening in the last few years in the state of Iowa.”

Green says Iowa ranks 40th in the country when it comes to property taxes.