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BEG YOUR PARDON, GOV'NOR

January 31, 2007

The Des Moines Register has some new details about the proposed Iowa tax amnesty:

Under an Iowa Department of Revenue proposal, Iowans would be given roughly a two-month window of opportunity - from Sept. 4 through Oct. 31 - to pay delinquent taxes that are free of penalties, and with a 50 percent reduction in the amount of interest due.

The amnesty would cover the state income, sales, cigarette and motor fuel tax as well as other types of taxes collected by the state government. However, the program would not include property taxes or liquor taxes.

As a cheap gimmick to raise revenue, it's a bad enough idea to get support from both sides of the aisle:

Leaders of the 2007 Legislature agree it's worth a try to offer a new tax amnesty program - one of the budget recommendations that Culver, a Democrat, made Tuesday.

"I think it's a good thing to do. You don't have enough enforcement to catch everyone," said Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, a Marion Republican. "If you have an amnesty and get some money back from it, why not try it?"

This, of course, sends a bold bi-partisan message to the taxpaying public: "So you've paid your taxes on time all these years? Ha, ha, ha, Sucker!"

Prior coverage:

AN IOWA TAX AMNESTY?

 • Eye on the Legislature: 2007 ~ • Iowa Tax Law       Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit