House File 931 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 905)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to state and local budgets and taxes by
  2    authorizing a commercial property tax credit for individual
  3    and corporate income tax, reducing the assessment limitation
  4    for commercial and industrial property, establishing a
  5    legislative property tax study committee, and including
  6    effective and retroactive applicability date provisions.
  7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  8 TLSB 2704HV 82
  9 sc/es/88

PAG LIN



  1  1                           DIVISION I
  1  2                 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX CREDIT
  1  3    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  422.11T  COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX
  1  4 CREDIT.
  1  5    1.  The taxes imposed under this division, less the credits
  1  6 allowed under sections 422.12 and 422.12B, shall be reduced by
  1  7 a commercial property tax credit.  To qualify for this credit,
  1  8 the taxpayer shall have paid property tax during the tax year
  1  9 levied on property that is assessed as improved commercial
  1 10 property for property tax purposes, and the assessed value of
  1 11 such improved commercial property owned by the taxpayer does
  1 12 not exceed, in the aggregate statewide, three hundred thousand
  1 13 dollars.
  1 14    For purposes of this section, "improved commercial
  1 15 property" means land containing one or more structures that
  1 16 are being put to productive use.
  1 17    2.  The total amount of tax credit that may be claimed by a
  1 18 taxpayer equals three hundred twenty dollars.
  1 19    3.  The amount of the tax credit claimed under this section
  1 20 shall not be deducted in computing the taxpayer's taxable
  1 21 income for state income tax purposes.
  1 22    4.  Any credit in excess of the tax liability shall be
  1 23 refunded with interest computed under section 422.25.  In lieu
  1 24 of claiming a refund, a taxpayer may elect to have the
  1 25 overpayment shown on the taxpayer's final, completed return
  1 26 credited to the tax liability for the following tax year.
  1 27    5.  An individual may claim the tax credit allowed a
  1 28 partnership, limited liability company, S corporation, estate,
  1 29 or trust electing to have the income taxed directly to the
  1 30 individual.  The amount claimed by the individual shall be
  1 31 based upon the pro rata share of the individual's earnings of
  1 32 the partnership, limited liability company, S corporation,
  1 33 estate, or trust.
  1 34    6.  This section is repealed January 1, 2012, for the tax
  1 35 years beginning on or after that date.
  2  1    Sec. 2.  Section 422.33, Code 2007, is amended by adding
  2  2 the following new subsection:
  2  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  24.  a.  The taxes imposed under this
  2  4 division shall be reduced by a commercial property tax credit.
  2  5 To qualify for this credit, the taxpayer shall have paid
  2  6 property tax during the tax year levied on property that is
  2  7 assessed as improved commercial property for property tax
  2  8 purposes, and the assessed value of such improved commercial
  2  9 property owned by the taxpayer does not exceed, in the
  2 10 aggregate statewide, three hundred thousand dollars.
  2 11    For purposes of this subsection, "improved commercial
  2 12 property" means land containing one or more structures that
  2 13 are being put to productive use.
  2 14    b.  The total amount of credit that may be claimed by a
  2 15 taxpayer equals three hundred twenty dollars.  For
  2 16 corporations that file a consolidated Iowa return in
  2 17 accordance with section 422.37, each corporation filing on the
  2 18 consolidated return that paid commercial property tax during
  2 19 the tax year may claim the maximum tax credit.
  2 20    c.  The amount of the tax credit claimed under this
  2 21 subsection shall not be deducted in computing the taxpayer's
  2 22 taxable income for state income tax purposes.  For
  2 23 corporations that file a consolidated Iowa return in
  2 24 accordance with section 422.37, each corporation filing on the
  2 25 consolidated return that claimed the credit shall not deduct
  2 26 the amount of the tax credit claimed by it for state income
  2 27 tax purposes.
  2 28    d.  Any credit in excess of the tax liability shall be
  2 29 refunded with interest computed under section 422.25.  In lieu
  2 30 of claiming a refund, a taxpayer may elect to have the
  2 31 overpayment shown on the taxpayer's final, completed return
  2 32 credited to the tax liability for the following tax year.
  2 33    e.  This subsection is repealed January 1, 2012, for tax
  2 34 years beginning on or after that date.
  2 35    Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE AND RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY DATES.
  3  1 This division of this Act, being deemed of immediate
  3  2 importance, takes effect upon enactment and applies
  3  3 retroactively to January 1, 2007, for tax years beginning on
  3  4 or after that date.
  3  5                           DIVISION II
  3  6                     ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY
  3  7    Sec. 4.  Section 441.21, subsection 5, Code 2007, is
  3  8 amended to read as follows:
  3  9    5.  For valuations established as of January 1, 1979,
  3 10 commercial property and industrial property, excluding
  3 11 properties referred to in section 427A.1, subsection 8, shall
  3 12 be assessed as a percentage of the actual value of each class
  3 13 of property.  The percentage shall be determined for each
  3 14 class of property by the director of revenue for the state in
  3 15 accordance with the provisions of this section.  For
  3 16 valuations established as of January 1, 1979, the percentage
  3 17 shall be the quotient of the dividend and divisor as defined
  3 18 in this section.  The dividend for each class of property
  3 19 shall be the total actual valuation for each class of property
  3 20 established for 1978, plus six percent of the amount so
  3 21 determined.  The divisor for each class of property shall be
  3 22 the valuation for each class of property established for 1978,
  3 23 as reported by the assessors on the abstracts of assessment
  3 24 for 1978, plus the amount of value added to the total actual
  3 25 value by the revaluation of existing properties in 1979 as
  3 26 equalized by the director of revenue pursuant to section
  3 27 441.49.  For valuations established as of January 1, 1979,
  3 28 property valued by the department of revenue pursuant to
  3 29 chapters 428, 433, 437, and 438 shall be considered as one
  3 30 class of property and shall be assessed as a percentage of its
  3 31 actual value.  The percentage shall be determined by the
  3 32 director of revenue in accordance with the provisions of this
  3 33 section.  For valuations established as of January 1, 1979,
  3 34 the percentage shall be the quotient of the dividend and
  3 35 divisor as defined in this section.  The dividend shall be the
  4  1 total actual valuation established for 1978 by the department
  4  2 of revenue, plus ten percent of the amount so determined.  The
  4  3 divisor for property valued by the department of revenue
  4  4 pursuant to chapters 428, 433, 437, and 438 shall be the
  4  5 valuation established for 1978, plus the amount of value added
  4  6 to the total actual value by the revaluation of the property
  4  7 by the department of revenue as of January 1, 1979.  For
  4  8 valuations established as of January 1, 1980, commercial
  4  9 property and industrial property, excluding properties
  4 10 referred to in section 427A.1, subsection 8, shall be assessed
  4 11 at a percentage of the actual value of each class of property.
  4 12 The percentage shall be determined for each class of property
  4 13 by the director of revenue for the state in accordance with
  4 14 the provisions of this section.  For valuations established as
  4 15 of January 1, 1980, the percentage shall be the quotient of
  4 16 the dividend and divisor as defined in this section.  The
  4 17 dividend for each class of property shall be the dividend as
  4 18 determined for each class of property for valuations
  4 19 established as of January 1, 1979, adjusted by the product
  4 20 obtained by multiplying the percentage determined for that
  4 21 year by the amount of any additions or deletions to actual
  4 22 value, excluding those resulting from the revaluation of
  4 23 existing properties, as reported by the assessors on the
  4 24 abstracts of assessment for 1979, plus four percent of the
  4 25 amount so determined.  The divisor for each class of property
  4 26 shall be the total actual value of all such property in 1979,
  4 27 as equalized by the director of revenue pursuant to section
  4 28 441.49, plus the amount of value added to the total actual
  4 29 value by the revaluation of existing properties in 1980.  The
  4 30 director shall utilize information reported on the abstracts
  4 31 of assessment submitted pursuant to section 441.45 in
  4 32 determining such percentage.  For valuations established as of
  4 33 January 1, 1980, property valued by the department of revenue
  4 34 pursuant to chapters 428, 433, 437, and 438 shall be assessed
  4 35 at a percentage of its actual value.  The percentage shall be
  5  1 determined by the director of revenue in accordance with the
  5  2 provisions of this section.  For valuations established as of
  5  3 January 1, 1980, the percentage shall be the quotient of the
  5  4 dividend and divisor as defined in this section.  The dividend
  5  5 shall be the total actual valuation established for 1979 by
  5  6 the department of revenue, plus eight percent of the amount so
  5  7 determined.  The divisor for property valued by the department
  5  8 of revenue pursuant to chapters 428, 433, 437, and 438 shall
  5  9 be the valuation established for 1979, plus the amount of
  5 10 value added to the total actual value by the revaluation of
  5 11 the property by the department of revenue as of January 1,
  5 12 1980.  For valuations established as of January 1, 1981, and
  5 13 each year thereafter, the percentage of actual value as
  5 14 equalized by the director of revenue as provided in section
  5 15 441.49 at which commercial property and industrial property,
  5 16 excluding properties referred to in section 427A.1, subsection
  5 17 8, shall be assessed shall be calculated in accordance with
  5 18 the methods provided herein, except that any references to six
  5 19 percent in this subsection shall be four percent.  For
  5 20 valuations established as of January 1, 2008, the percentage
  5 21 of actual value as equalized by the director of revenue as
  5 22 provided in section 441.49 at which commercial property and
  5 23 industrial property, excluding properties referred to in
  5 24 section 427A.1, subsection 8, shall be assessed shall be
  5 25 calculated in accordance with the methods provided herein,
  5 26 except that any references to six percent in this subsection
  5 27 shall be three percent.  For valuations established as of
  5 28 January 1, 2009, the percentage of actual value as equalized
  5 29 by the director of revenue as provided in section 441.49 at
  5 30 which commercial property and industrial property, excluding
  5 31 properties referred to in section 427A.1, subsection 8, shall
  5 32 be assessed shall be calculated in accordance with the methods
  5 33 provided herein, except that any references to six percent in
  5 34 this subsection shall be two percent.  For valuations
  5 35 established as of January 1, 2010, and each year thereafter,
  6  1 the percentage of actual value as equalized by the director of
  6  2 revenue as provided in section 441.49 at which commercial
  6  3 property and industrial property, excluding properties
  6  4 referred to in section 427A.1, subsection 8, shall be assessed
  6  5 shall be calculated in accordance with the methods provided
  6  6 herein, except that any references to six percent in this
  6  7 subsection shall be one percent.  For valuations established
  6  8 as of January 1, 1981, and each year thereafter, the
  6  9 percentage of actual value at which property valued by the
  6 10 department of revenue pursuant to chapters 428, 433, 437, and
  6 11 438 shall be assessed shall be calculated in accordance with
  6 12 the methods provided herein, except that any references to ten
  6 13 percent in this subsection shall be eight percent.  Beginning
  6 14 with valuations established as of January 1, 1979, and each
  6 15 year thereafter, property valued by the department of revenue
  6 16 pursuant to chapter 434 shall also be assessed at a percentage
  6 17 of its actual value which percentage shall be equal to the
  6 18 percentage determined by the director of revenue for
  6 19 commercial property, industrial property, or property valued
  6 20 by the department of revenue pursuant to chapters 428, 433,
  6 21 437, and 438, whichever is lowest.
  6 22                          DIVISION III
  6 23                       PROPERTY TAX STUDY
  6 24    Sec. 5.  LEGISLATIVE PROPERTY TAX STUDY COMMITTEE.
  6 25    1.  A legislative property tax study committee is
  6 26 established.  The study committee shall conduct a
  6 27 comprehensive review of property taxation in Iowa including
  6 28 but not limited to the continued use of property taxes as a
  6 29 major funding source for local governments and for local
  6 30 school districts in Iowa, the classification and assessment of
  6 31 property for property tax purposes and the impact of the tie
  6 32 between residential and agricultural property assessments, the
  6 33 level of consistency employed in classifying and assessing
  6 34 property for property tax purposes, the various exemptions and
  6 35 credits currently available to property taxpayers and the
  7  1 impact on local government and state budgets and on other
  7  2 taxpayers of providing those credits and exemptions, and the
  7  3 use of property taxes as an economic development tool and the
  7  4 impact on local and state government budgets and on other
  7  5 taxpayers of such use.  In its study, the committee shall
  7  6 address the goals of property tax simplification and equity.
  7  7    2.  a.  The committee shall be comprised of the following
  7  8 voting members:
  7  9    (1)  Five members who are members of the senate, three of
  7 10 whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the senate
  7 11 and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of
  7 12 the senate.
  7 13    (2)  Five members who are members of the house of
  7 14 representatives, three of whom shall be appointed by the
  7 15 speaker of the house of representatives and two of whom shall
  7 16 be appointed by the minority leader of the house of
  7 17 representatives.
  7 18    b.  The committee shall be comprised of the following
  7 19 nonvoting members who shall be appointed by the majority
  7 20 leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of
  7 21 representatives in consultation with the minority leaders of
  7 22 the senate and the house of representatives:
  7 23    (1)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  7 24 counties.
  7 25    (2)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  7 26 cities.
  7 27    (3)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  7 28 school boards.
  7 29    (4)  One member from an association representing
  7 30 agricultural property taxpayers.
  7 31    (5)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  7 32 commercial property taxpayers.
  7 33    (6)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  7 34 industrial taxpayers.
  7 35    (7)  One member representing residential taxpayers.
  8  1    (8)  One member from an association representing Iowa
  8  2 telecommunications property taxpayers.
  8  3    (9)  Representatives of other interests as designated by
  8  4 the legislative council.
  8  5    c.  The committee shall be comprised of the following
  8  6 nonvoting members who shall be appointed by the governor:
  8  7    (1)  A representative employed by the department of
  8  8 management.
  8  9    (2)  A representative employed by the department of
  8 10 revenue.
  8 11    (3)  A representative employed by the department of
  8 12 economic development.
  8 13    3.  The property tax study committee shall meet during the
  8 14 2007 and 2008 legislative interims at the call of the
  8 15 chairperson.  The committee is authorized to hold as many
  8 16 meetings as the committee deems necessary.
  8 17    4.  The property tax study committee may contract with one
  8 18 or more tax consultants or experts familiar with the Iowa
  8 19 property tax system.  The legislative council, pursuant to its
  8 20 authority in section 2.42, may allocate to the study committee
  8 21 funding from moneys available to it in section 2.12 for the
  8 22 purpose of contracting with the consultant or expert.
  8 23    5.  The property tax study committee shall submit a final
  8 24 report to the general assembly on or before January 5, 2009.
  8 25 The final report shall include but not be limited to findings,
  8 26 analyses, and recommendations by the committee.
  8 27                           EXPLANATION
  8 28    This bill makes changes relating to state and local budgets
  8 29 and taxes.
  8 30    Division I of the bill provides for an individual and
  8 31 corporate income tax credit for a certain amount of commercial
  8 32 property tax paid during the tax year.  For a taxpayer to
  8 33 qualify, the property tax shall have been paid on improved
  8 34 commercial property, and the taxpayer owns less than $300,000
  8 35 of improved commercial property in the aggregate statewide.
  9  1 The credit is equal to $320.  For corporations included in a
  9  2 consolidated Iowa return, each corporation in the consolidated
  9  3 return that paid commercial property tax can claim the maximum
  9  4 credit.  The credit amount is not allowed as a deduction in
  9  5 computing Iowa taxable income.  Any credit in excess of the
  9  6 tax liability is refundable.
  9  7    This credit is repealed effective January 1, 2012, for tax
  9  8 years beginning on or after that date.
  9  9    The division takes effect upon enactment and applies
  9 10 retroactively to January 1, 2007, for tax years beginning on
  9 11 or after that date.
  9 12    Division II of the bill changes the property tax assessment
  9 13 limitation percentage for commercial and industrial property
  9 14 from 4 percent to 3 percent for assessment year 2008, 2
  9 15 percent for assessment year 2009, and 1 percent for assessment
  9 16 year 2010 and subsequent assessment years.
  9 17    Division III of the bill establishes a legislative property
  9 18 tax study committee to conduct a comprehensive review of
  9 19 property taxation in Iowa.  The committee shall be comprised
  9 20 of legislative members and nonvoting members representing
  9 21 certain interest groups and state departments.  The division
  9 22 authorizes the study committee to contract with one or more
  9 23 tax consultants or experts familiar with the Iowa property tax
  9 24 system.  The study committee is to meet during the 2007 and
  9 25 2008 legislative interims, and is to submit a final report to
  9 26 the general assembly on or before January 5, 2009.
  9 27 LSB 2704HV 82
  9 28 sc:rj/es/88