Hendrickson & Cannon: Truth-in-Taxation: A Needed Reform for Iowa’s Property Taxpayers

Iowa’s high property taxes are a growing concern. The Tax Foundation examined the “effective tax rates on owner-occupied housing” across the United States. Iowa ranked 12th highest in the nation. At the heart of high property taxes is local government spending. Unless spending is controlled, any property tax relief will be limited. Iowa’s property tax system is complex, and more transparency is needed. Iowa should look to Utah’s Truth-in-Taxation law, which since 1985 has been controlling the growth of property taxes and providing transparency and accountability for taxpayers. Utah’s Truth-in-Taxation is the gold standard model for any property tax reform.

Also look at your Senior property taxes. Often these are set to a fixed amount until almost no one qualifies (another form of stealth tax).

When Seniors, who are on a fixed income, cannot absorb any more increases, look to move other counties, states or countries. And they take their knowledge, legacy, and heritage with them which is a loss in the area in which they lived.

My mother, before she passed away, was complaining about her property taxes. I live in Georgia in a good county where at age 62 property taxes go down by almost two thirds (from $1506 to $506 a year). So I looked into it. Her house value in Virginia had to be below a certain limit that was well bellow the median value for the county. So there were no breaks for her! Stealth Tax!!

She also saved in a Traditional IRA during her working career. She was sick of the Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) she had to pay being over 70. Her state had an exclusion but went away at a certain retirement income! So she got no break from that as well. Investing wisely had hurt her (Another stealth tax).

We talked of her moving, but she felt she was too old for that.

So be wise where you live. It may make a huge difference in the latter years! If you are young, repeat these words after me:

ROTH, ROTH, ROTH!

I know. Property taxes go up due to inflated home values, so it’s a win-win for the government, and a lose-lose for taxpayers. Iowa just increased funding to the government schools, even though there are fewer students now. The majority Republican legislature did this! Government ed is an albatross around our necks.

Thought about moving to a different country with lower taxes and more freedom (and one that doesn’t sacrifice it’s young in useless foreign conflicts), but I’m too old and not very brave.

The money has to come from some place.

I live in Iowa. My tax assessments keep going up, but I am ok with it since it limits the blue migration.

Nothing makes a red or purple state go blue faster than low taxes.

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