House Speaker says taxes can’t be changed until lawsuit is done

The Speaker of the Iowa House says the 2004 Legislature will not debate income tax cuts or income tax simplification. House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City.House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City, says there won’t be an effort to change the individual income tax climate in Iowa because lawmakers need to find out what happens with their lawsuit against the Governor. Republican legislative leaders have sued Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack to protest his rejection of income tax cuts which were included in a bill that also created the new state economic development fund. Rants says there’s still a desire on the part of lawmakers to make changes, but the tax issue is sort of in “judicial limbo.” Until it’s settled by the court, Rants says the legislature won’t debate income tax changes. Earlier this week, the top Republican in the Senate issued a similar assessment. On Wednesday, the 17 largest Chambers of Commerce in Iowa called upon the legislature to enact a simplified, two-tier state income tax system to make the state more attractive for businesses and their employees.