The Iowa Legislature passed the tax credit this year, with bipartisan support, for landowners who donate easements or land for conservation purposes.  Now it is part of a budget bill.  Governor Culver can sign the bill with the tax credit included, but he also has the power to item-veto tax credits out of the bill. 

 

This kind of tax credit is already offered by twelve other states.  Those states have seen significant increases in landowner donations as a result. 

 

If you want to support the credit, please contact the Governor's office as soon as possible.  You can use their email form at the address below, or phone the Office of the Governor at 515-281-5211.

 

http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/

 

Here's one sample message, but please use your own words:

 

Dear Governor Culver and Lt. Governor Judge,

 

Please support the Conservation Tax Credit in HF 2700.  This credit will reward landowners who donate land or conservation easements, and will encourage more donations.

 

We need more protected land in Iowa, for the sake of recreation, water quality, and wildlife.  This kind of credit has increased land donations in other states, and is especially helpful to landowners with moderate incomes.

 

The benefits of this tax credit will extend far into the future.  At a time when more and more Iowa land is being put into rowcrops, it is especially needed.   Please sign this credit into law, and thank you for your consideration.

 

***

 

The factual information below is being supplied with the permission of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, which has supported this tax credit from the beginning.   Thank you, INHF.

 

• Landowners will be able to receive an income tax credit for 50% of the fair market value of their contribution, up to $100,000 maximum credit. If their tax credit is larger than they can use in one year, they can carry the excess credit forward for up to 20 years.
  
  
• The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation has worked during 2007-08 to encourage passage of this tax credit. In our daily work with landowners, we see how important it can be to make land protection choices more affordable for Iowa landowners.
  
  
• This state income tax credit was a top recommendation of the Sustainable Natural Resource Funding Advisory Committee - led by bi-partisan members of the Iowa legislature along with many of the state’s leading conservation, environmental, sportsmen, and agriculture advocates (http://www.iowadnr.com/sustainablefunding/index.html )
  
  
• In 2007 it was introduced and passed the Iowa Senate as Senate File 587. The same language was added to a larger budget bill in the Iowa House in the final days of this year’s legislative session.  You can see the text of the new tax credit at http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Legislation/82ndGA//Bills/SenateFiles/Introduced/SF587.html .

 

Thanks for your interest and help!