Iowa business leaders on January 17 urged lawmakers to be bold and reduce commercial property taxes so the state can be more competitive, while local-government officials warned the loss of revenue would increase tax rates for homeowners.
“This problem we all acknowledge exists,” said longtime Des Moines developer and property manager Jim Conlin, founder and CEO of Conlin Properties – which manages 7,000 residential units and 250,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and industrial space.
“I respect and appreciate your wrestling with it, but we’ve been wrestling with it for 35 years. It’s time to make a decision,” Conlin said. “I think we need a bold approach to create jobs, to move the state forward.”
Iowa’s commercial property taxes are among the highest in the nation. Conlin said the high taxes affect about 80 percent of the population, including people who rent and those who work inside commercial buildings.
