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LEGISLATORS UNLEASHED

February 08, 2007

If you ever wonder how the tax law gets so complicated, look no further than the good folks we elect as our representatives. Three bills introduced on Monday in the Iowa House are instructive.

HF 218 would give dentists a special deduction for income they don't receive. The bill would give a special Iowa deduction of 50% of the amount by which state medical reimbursments fall short of their "normal" fee. This gives a double benefit - the dentists wouldn't have to pay tax on income they didn't get paid anyway, but now they get a special break. It's time for dentists to jack up their "normal" feel, for sure.

HF 219 would give a 75% property tax exemption for "recreational" property, including golf courses and amusement parks. Talk about a naked special-interest provision that would make it that much harder to reform Iowa's lame property tax system.

Finally, HF 228 would deny the property tax credit for pollution-control property to farms not qualifying for the "family farm" property tax credit. Strangely, it seems that they want to encourage large corporate farms to pollute. Great plan, that.

 • Eye on the Legislature: 2007       Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit