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Iowans for Tax Relief: Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act wins approval in the Iowa House
3/25/2009

Iowans for Tax Relief, 2610 Park Avenue, Muscatine, IA 52761

Contact: Katie Koberg, (563) 288-3600 or kkoberg@taxrelief.org

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act wins approval in the Iowa House

MUSCATINE, IA-- Iowans for Tax Relief President, Ed Failor, Jr., made the following statement today regarding the 96-3, 1 absent, vote in the Iowa House to approve the Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2009.

The three Representatives voting against the Taxpayer Transparency Act were:

Rep. Scott Raecker (R-Urbandale) Rep. Christopher Rants (R-Sioux City) Rep. Ralph Watts (R-Adel)

"The Iowa House took the first step forward today to provide a more accountable and transparent state government. The approval of the Taxpayer Transparency Act will allow every day Iowans, not just Legislators and budget managers, to find ways to provide savings in state government.

The people of Iowa are the consumers of government, and we are all one step closer to providing Iowans with the opportunity to determine if government is efficient and effective with our tax dollars.

We thank the original bill sponsors who worked to move this legislation forward, and also the leaders in the Iowa House for allowing this important legislation debate time.

We hope the Iowa Senate will act quickly to approve the Taxpayer Transparency Act and send it to Governor Culver's desk for approval."

The Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act Background Information:

Earlier this year, Iowans for Tax Relief took part in a press conference at the Iowa Statehouse with five Iowa lawmakers introducing the Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2009. The bill (originally House File 74) House File 801, creates a single website database for taxpayers to search state expenditures and all tax rates across the state by January 1, 2011. We believe all Iowans should be able to easily access the details on how we are taxed and how our money is spent.

Each year Iowans pay more than $4,700 per person in state and local taxes. The implementation of an Iowa transparency website would likely have a limited price tag under $40,000. Software is available for no additional taxpayer dollars from the federal government and some states have partnered with private businesses to develop state websites.

The legislation will create a publicly available database website for taxpayers to access, at no charge, annual revenues and expenditures of state government agencies. Further, the bill creates a searchable tax rate database. The searchable tax rate database will include tax rates of all taxing jurisdictions across Iowa, and will contain a geographical tax rate map, as well as an individual tax rate calculator. This feature will provide Iowans with a much needed tool in seeing specifically how they are taxed by state and local governments.

The budget for the State of Iowa for Fiscal Year 2009 is over six billion dollars, and more than nine billion dollars is collected by Iowa state and local governments annually. The current lack of transparency limits Iowans from participating in government and from raising questions or protesting unfair or ill-advised decisions. Government needs to be accountable to the citizens and the Iowa Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2009 gives Iowans the chance to be auditors and carefully examine state government.

The bill now moves to the Iowa Senate for action. It will have to pass out of committee, and be approved by the full Senate before it is sent to Governor Culver's desk for his signature of approval.

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