Des Moines, Iowa — (RI) — “Opportunity Lives Here” is the title of the annual “Condition of the State” message Governor Kim Reynolds delivered Tuesday morning and she’s asking legislators to raise one tax and lower others.
Governor Kim Reynolds declared the condition of the state “truly strong” — but she cautioned lawmakers not to take that for granted and urged them to make plans for what Iowa can be for the next generation. Reynolds used the speech to unveil what she’s calling the “Invest in Iowa Act.” By raising the state sales tax by one percent, Reynolds says the state can significantly CUT income taxes across-the-board by 10 percent for all taxpayers — and by 25 percent for low-income Iowans.
Reynolds is also proposing a reduction in county property taxes. Today, counties use property taxes to pay for mental health services. Reynolds proposes having the state pick up 70 percent of those costs — using money from the sales tax hike. Another fraction of the new sales tax money would be deposited in a state fund for water quality and outdoor recreation programs. Part of her plan is to change a state law, so more of the new sales tax money is spent on improving water quality rather than on outdoor recreation projects, like bike trails.
