A new law, signed by Governor Kim Reynolds this week, will require extra steps of local officials before they can raise property taxes in the state of Iowa.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 634 into law this week, which implements property tax reform and will have an effect on county and city budgets around the state.
Erin Murphy and James Q. Lynch provided coverage of Senate File 634 in April, after the bill advanced to the governor's desk. Here's how they describe the final moments of the bill's approval process and the significance of its adoption:
Despite heavy opposition from municipal governments, the Iowa Legislature debated through the night before approving a proposal to require local governments to take extra steps before they increase property tax revenues --- whether because of higher tax rate or rising property values.
Supporters of the bill are calling Senate File 634 the property tax transparency bill.
Now that Gov. Reynolds has signed the bill, Brian Morelli breaks down the potential consequences of the bill for communities around the state: Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Marion, and Johnson County.
FULL STORY: How new Iowa property tax bill impacts local cities - or not
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association