January 9, 2026

League Priorities

The League has met with several legislators to ask them to sponsor our 2026 Priority Legislation. We anticipate having bill numbers to share with you soon so that you can follow up with your local state legislators to ask them for their support!

Legislative Update

Property Taxes

We anticipate several property tax proposals will be released early in the session, with separate proposals expected from the House, Senate, and Governor’s office. This is a welcomed shift and reflects feedback lawmakers heard from local governments following the 2025 session. We appreciate legislators’ recognition that advancing significant policy changes late in session, often without sufficient time for local input, created challenges. Earlier proposals allow for more thoughtful review and engagement. 

Iowa House Democrats released a property tax proposal earlier this week. The League is currently awaiting bill language to project the impacts of this and future proposals from the Statehouse in order to bolster our advocacy and engagement with lawmakers.

To that end, the League is prepared to analyze proposals as they are introduced. However, we will need your help to contextualize this analysis and provide meaningful, real-world feedback to lawmakers. Local insight remains critical as these discussions unfold.

Please be prepared to review bill summaries in the coming weeks, as proposals are expected to emerge earlier than in past sessions. We also encourage members to keep an open mind as ideas are introduced. A bill is simply a first draft - nothing is final, and as we experienced last year, constructive input early in the process can meaningfully shape outcomes.

As part of these conversations, the League is emphasizing several key principles with lawmakers, including:

• One-size-fits-all solutions affect communities very differently, making time for modeling and impact analysis essential.

• New construction and development should be excluded from any revenue restrictions under consideration.

• Any revenue limitation should be paired with an inflationary index to reflect the economic realities cities face. The costs for cities to provide services to residents, as shown by the Producer Price Index (PPI) have increased at an even higher rate than other inflationary metrics like the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Arbitrary caps do not account for rising costs that, like household expenses, arrive month after month.

Construction Producer Price Index (PPI) - The Construction Producer Price Index is calculated by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics as a way to better understand the change in costs for goods and services related to construction (like raw materials, machinery, and so on).

Consumer Price Index (CPI) - The Consumer Price Index is calculated by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics as a way to better understand the every-day costs that people in America are facing.

28E Agreements

Related to the broader property tax discussion is an increased focus on shared services and collaboration. We ask members to begin compiling examples of intergovernmental cooperation, specifically, up to ten 28E agreements or memorandums of understanding, to share with your state lawmakers as examples of current efficiency practices resulting in cost-savings for your residents.

Resources

Legislative Advocacy Toolkits: includes 2026 League’s legislative priorities.

Designate your Champion It’s not too late - sign up to be an advocate! If your city has not yet signed up a Legislative Champion for this upcoming session, do so today! Help us elevate city voices at the statehouse!

Save The Date for Local Leaders Day: Register now for Local Leaders Day on Mar. 4! Connect with legislators, hear from key speakers, and share your experience on the impacts of recent legislative changes.

Key Dates for Session: 

• Jan. 12 - First Day of Session
  

• Week of Feb. 16 - First Legislative Funnel
  

• Mar. 4 - Local Leaders Day
  

• Week of Mar. 16 - Second Legislative Funnel
  

• Apr. 21 - 100th Day of Session (per diem expenses end)
  

You can view all editions of Legislative Link at iowaleague.org/resource/legislative-link.

Like our membership, the Iowa League of Cities is a non-partisan, service-oriented organization that does not participate in elections, make campaign contributions, or have a political action committee (PAC).