They are going to be unequal. The issue has been around since 1998, when the state passed the current law, clearing the way for places like Sioux City to pass the tax locally and begin rebuilding its schools. Ten Iowa counties have adopted the tax including Woodbury, Des Moines, Monona, Shelby, Webster, Emmett, Blackhawk, Scott, Lee and Polk. I will acknowledge that it didn't equalize every county in Iowa, but it provides one more tool for districts to provide funding for infrastructure. Property taxes simply are not equally collected either, pointed out Rep. Steve Warnstadt, D-Sioux City.
Some districts are rich in property while others are poor.
We should not do that as it applies to the local option sales tax. He said he believes there are ways for the state to address funding inequities, but said the solution is not taking money from richer districts to fund poorer ones, whether that's applied to property taxes or the local option sales tax. It's time to fix the funding inequities in this state and make sure that all Iowa students have safe classrooms in which to learn. Richardson's bill requires counties that impose the tax to pool revenues in a joint fund with other contiguous counties that also have passed the tax. The money would then be distributed on an equal per-pupil basis.