Lawmakers on an Iowa House panel approved a bill Monday to lower Iowa’s tax rate for licensed casinos, hoping to help the state’s 19 casinos compete with opening gambling facilities in the neighboring states of Nebraska and Illinois.
Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood, said the bill comes amid discussions of other tax cuts, including the governor’s proposal to speed up and further reduce Iowa’s individual income tax rate.
“We’re lowering taxes for individuals, we’re lowering taxes for corporations, but we’re not lowering taxes for casinos,” Bloomingdale said. “It just doesn’t seem fair. If we’re going to lower taxes for everyone across the state of Iowa, we maybe need to look at everyone.”
