The Iowa Legislature > Committees & Schedules > Meeting Public Comments Print Icon Print

Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:
Attendance at subcommittee meetings by lobbyists and the public is via zoom or in-person. See agenda for zoom details. Only authenticated users are permitted access.
SF 352
A bill for an act relating to the property tax exemption for forest reservations and fruit-tree reservations and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.(Formerly SF 112.)
Agenda
Subcommittee members: Sinclair-CH, Bolkcom, Dawson
Date: Monday, March 15, 2021
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Location: 217 Conference Room
Comments Submitted:
The purpose of comments is to provide information to members of the subcommittee.
Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

03-13-2021
Virginia Soelberg []
Iowa must encourage tree planting and protection. The derecho destroyed 1/4 of Iowa's trees! I personally have donated towards and worked with groups that are attempting to reforest after the damage, and the state should NOT be for raising property taxes and working against tree protection at this time. No to SF352. Support for tree protection and planting. Thank you.
03-15-2021
Jim & Jody Kerns []
To take away the forestry reserve law which has been in place in Iowa for many decades not only shows the lack of responsible management of our resources, but also lack of responsible management of the finances for the state of Iowa. The forestry reserve bill has maintained Some of the highest quality land soil and water conservation in the state of Iowa for decades, and at one of the cheapest cost out there. If you take away this bill, much more money will be spent in the state of Iowa having to restore and promote water and soil conservation along some of the most fragile lands in Iowa. Not only do our forest do one of the greatest and most natural jobs a protecting our land soil and waters, but the echo tourism that they attract to our state is unsurmountable. Landowners receive NOTHING for the millions of dollars that forestry provides in tourism dollars. As a state we need to be promoting good forest not once again penalizing them. Youve taken away our forestry bureau and now you want to take this? Weve never been so disappointed in decisions being made in Des Moines as I have these last couple years. Please do not support this bill and consider the longterm ramifications that it will create.Jim and Jody Kerns
03-15-2021
Lynn Gallagher []
Increasing taxes on forests is the opposite of what Iowa should be doing. We should be encouraging and incentivizing the planting of trees and protection of our remaining forests. This was true even before the derecho devastated our state. I do not understand why anyone would even introduce a bill like this. Please do not move this bill forward.
03-15-2021
Eric Rector []
If Iowa is truly serious about water quality issues, why would anyone propose a bill that would potenially cause more unmitingated deforestation and cause more nutrient runoff pollution in this state? Vote no to this bill, it's not good for the environment or the land and waters of this state.