Don’t pick winners, losers with tax reform

I attended our legislators' open forum on Feb. 25 in Marion. Our local representatives, Nick Wagner, Kraig Paulsen and Liz Mathis, answered questions. Reducing the commercial property tax burden was topic No. 1.

The property tax reduction bill passed by the Iowa House reduces the property tax burden equally regardless of size or type of business. The plan proposed by the Iowa Senate only targets certain sizes or types of commercial property.

At the forum, I asked Mathis if she supports any kind of broad-based property tax reform similar to the House. Instead of answering my question, she touted an alphabet soup full of different incentives and tax credits. She promoted tax rebates for hand-picked companies like Rockwell Collins, AEGON and “main street business,” whatever that meant.

Instead of picking winners and losers with tax credits, only a broad-based property tax reduction will provide relief to all businesses. Iowa's commercial property tax rates are among the highest in the nation. It's time to get serious about reducing them.

Mike Dricken

Marion