Republican state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann will help lead his party’s supermajority after Iowa House Republicans elected him as majority leader Monday morning. He replaces former House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, of Missouri Valley, who stepped down from his leadership role to focus on his campaign for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.
President Donald Trump in Iowa on Thursday promised to keep the state a central part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, celebrated Congressional approval of his sweeping tax and spending legislation, and snuck in a few of his greatest campaign-style rally hits.
The city of North Liberty is looking to move forward from a mistake that missed the deadline to publish notice of a public hearing and ultimately prevented the city from certifying its Fiscal Year 2026 budget and approving next year’s tax levy.
At least one key lawmaker believes a property tax reform bill still has a chance to pass into law before Iowa legislators complete their work for the year, which could happen soon.
The outstanding questions and the complexity involved of trying to change Iowa’s convoluted property tax system — with just weeks left in the session — has prompted many to question what, if anything, lawmakers will do on the topic this year.
Three Republican state lawmakers and Iowa’s Republican secretary of agriculture say they are considering — or at least have not ruled out — running for governor after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Friday she will not seek another term.
Revised plan includes doubling the proposed homestead property tax exemption to $50,000 from $25,000.
The legislation would phase out the rollback and cap the revenue that local governments are allowed to collect.
House lawmakers on Monday advanced legislation to create a five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa. The move comes as the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission nears a decision at its Feb. 6 meeting on whether to grant a license for a Linn County casino.
Bills to create a five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa have been introduced by Republicans in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature.
Critics argue accelerated cuts hurt schools, public services
Supporters of the bill, which calls for a constitutional amendment, include tax policy groups, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and Iowa Bankers Association. Critics include the progressive advocacy group Common Good Iowa and the Iowa Catholic Conference.
Democrats vehemently opposed the bill, arguing it would make it harder for certain Iowans to cast a ballot. Republicans said the bill aims to maintain the highest level of election integrity in Iowa.
Iowa voters would no longer be able to return absentee ballots in drop boxes under legislation that also would make it harder to challenge Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the 2024 general election ballot.
‘Glide path’ calls for IPERS investing state surplus, with profits used to reduce taxes
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