Statewide Iowa (RI) – It’s clear property tax changes will be at the top of the agenda for the 2026 Iowa legislative session, but key lawmakers warn coming up with a proposal is complicated.
Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh of Spillville says changing a 40-year-old system won’t be easy.
Representative Gary Mohr of Bettendorf, the Republican who leads the House Appropriations Committee, says previous discussions about a variety of approaches to redesigning the property tax system were valuable.
The top Democrats in the House and Senate say the focus should be on reducing residential property tax rates for the people who need it most, including Iowans on fixed incomes.
Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner of Iowa City says policymakers also need to consider the entire tax ecosystem, including incomes taxes and the state sales tax.
House Democratic Leader Brian Meyer of Des Moines says House Democrats will offer a proposal to redistribute state funding to local governments to make up for reductions in property taxes.
The lawmakers made their comments at a forum organized by the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. The organization represents chambers of commerce in a dozen central Iowa counties: Adair, Clarke, Dallas, Guthrie, Jasper, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek and Warren.
KIWA Staff Photo
