State lawmakers tell Pottawattamie supervisors property-tax overhaul, mental health and workforce housing are priorities

On Jan. 7, 2025, state legislators briefed the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors on issues they expect to take up in the 2025 legislative session, with property-tax reform taking center stage.

The legislators — Representative Brent Siegrist (House District 19), Senator Dan Dawson (chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee), Representative David Sieck (House District 16) and Representative Josh Turek (ranking member on the House health and human services budget committee) — told supervisors they expect multiple bills on property taxes and transparency, and they urged local officials to engage in shaping any proposals.

"Property taxes are going to be 1 of the big, probably the biggest issue of the session," Representative Brent Siegrist said, describing widespread interest inside the legislature. Senator Dan Dawson framed the objective as both reform and simplification: "The Iowa constitution specifically states that the state has the purview of controlling a property tax system," Dawson said, adding that lawmakers want a system that taxpayers can understand.

Why it matters: County supervisors said the complexity of the current system leaves taxpayers and local officials confused about who controls levies and assessments. Lawmakers said they want a multi-part approach: immediate transparency measures, and a longer-term reworking of valuation and exemption rules (for example, the "rollback" mechanism) that they said create inequities when valuations shift.

Key points from legislators

- Timing and scope: Dawson said any statutory changes passed this year would not affect current fiscal-year budgets; they would apply to later budgeting cycles (for example, FY27). He also said leaders hope to circulate a proposal by mid- to late January to solicit feedback. "One of the first goals I would like to achieve this year ... is to actually be able to simplify this system so you all understand how property taxes work," Dawson said.

- Rollback and transparency: Lawmakers discussed revisiting the statewide "rollback" that adjusts taxable valuations and accused the policy of producing winners and losers when market changes are uneven across jurisdictions. Dawson suggested the rollback may need a sunset or other structural change.

- Budget context: Legislators defended recent state tax cuts and said the state has reserves to smooth revenue declines. Dawson said the state planned for lower revenue after recent cuts and expects spending priorities to be balanced unless the economy deteriorates.

- Mental health: Representative Josh Turek described concerns about the rural mental-health provider network and the consequences of a statewide contract model the state is weighing. "I remain undecided on the statewide contract," Dawson said, noting the state moved to take a larger role after some regions failed to meet statutory obligations and expose the state to lawsuits.

- Workforce, childcare and housing: Legislators named preschool, early literacy, childcare and workforce housing among likely priorities, with a particular interest in TIF and other incentives that may support development.

Local concerns and other topics

Supervisors pressed the delegation on a range of county priorities, including state-park maintenance and deferred maintenance funding for state properties; road funding and electric vehicle impacts on fuel-tax revenue; vehicle weight limits on interstates and the cost to municipalities; and the CO2 pipeline litigation and easement status. Lawmakers acknowledged the range of concerns and encouraged ongoing communication between county officials and legislators.

Quotes and attributions in this article come from the legislators listed above and from supervisors who identified themselves during the Jan. 7 meeting.

What's next: Legislators asked local leaders to continue providing input as bills are drafted. Several county officials asked for follow-up on specific funding and program timelines; legislators said many items remain under discussion and that formal drafts should appear in committee files over the coming weeks.