Later this morning, the governor’s top budget advisor will publicly release a set of recommendations about state tax credits.
Governor Culver ordered a review of all state tax credits after problems with the state tax credit for filmmakers came to light. Seven of the governor’s agency directors will meet at 10 o’clock today to reveal their recommendations about how all the tax credits offered by the state should be handled.
House Speaker Pat Murphy, a Democrat from Dubuque, says it’s clear there will have to be “some level of transparency” so the public can see how these tax credits work.
“Anybody that’s getting a tax credit — and I’ve told this to every group that receives them that I’ve been visiting with over the last several months — there is no question that you’re going to have to prove why you need that tax credit, what it does to recruit or retain jobs in this state and what’s the reason for your tax credit,” Murphy says. “…If people can’t prove why they’re using these programs and what they’re for, then I think we should look at eliminating them.”
Murphy made his comments during a December appearance on Iowa Public Television.