Legislative Accomplishments

Here are a few of ITA's accomplishments over the last few years.

  • Ensured that Iowa businesses facing increased administrative burdens due to the Streamlined Sales Tax Project are to be addressed and solutions and/or alternatives are to be explored and presented to the Iowa Legislature. (2006, 2007)  
  • Defeated proposal that threatened R & D tax credit confidentiality. (2007)
  • Extended the sales and use tax exemption for machinery and equipment to include infrastructure utilized in commercial telecommunications operations. (2006)
  • Created a state assessment appeal board intended to establish a consistent, fair, and equitable property assessment appeal process for all classes of property. (2005)
  • Reinstated the State Industrial Processing Study Committee. (2005)
  • Defeated proposals requiring combined corporate income tax reporting and expanding the sales tax base to include various services. (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
  • Exempted manufacturer "buy downs" from state and local sales and use taxes. (2004)
  • Voided county assessor requirement to reassess machinery and equipment property due to state funding shortfalls in the m & e property tax replacement fund. (2003)
  • Clarified machinery and equipment sales tax exemption to include sand handling, mold making, and core-making equipment. (2003)
  • Created the Streamlined Sales Tax Project Advisory Council to ensure adequate Iowa business representation during the national simplification efforts. (2003)
  • Full subchapter S Corporation income apportionment. (2002)
  • Insurance premium tax rate reduction from 2% to 1%. (2002)
  • Excluded intangible information services permanently from sales and use tax. (2002)
  • Developed and accomplished important venture capital initiatives such as the Iowa Capital Formation Act which will mobilize private capital through contingent tax credits and increase venture capital investment in Iowa. (2002)
  • Excluded business-to-business transactions from the unclaimed property audit process. (2001)
  • Expanded the state research and development credit to include the federal "alternative" method. (2000)
  • Excluded intangible business information services from sales and use tax. (2000)
  • Repeal of the Internet access sales tax. (1999, 2000)
  • Repeal of the argon gas sales and use tax. (1999)
  • Replacement of property tax on electricity and natural gas with excise taxes (a major step towards electric utility restructuring, i.e., lower energy rates for business). (1999)
  • Repeal of sales and use taxes for industrial machinery, computers, fuel, pollution control, and quality control equipment. (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
  • Tax exemption for motor truck vehicles used substantially in interstate commerce. (1998)
  • Reduction in state aircraft registration fees. (1998)
  • Extended property tax exemption for machinery and equipment. (1997)
  • Retained Iowa 's research and development tax credit. (1997)
  • 10% across-the-board state personal income tax reduction (ITA was part of a coalition supporting this legislation). (1997)
  • Direct pay permits for sales tax receipts. (1997)