A group representing chambers of commerce and economic development organizations in Iowa’s 16 largest cities issued its annual “wish list” for the upcoming session of the Iowa Legislature. Jason Hutcheson, chair of the Iowa Chamber Alliance (ICA), says one of his group’s top priorities is tax reform. “The Tax Foundation ranks Iowa’s business climate 40th in the nation in its 2017 State Business Tax Climate Index. The major reason for Iowa’s persistently poor showing is tax complexity,” Hutcheson said. “Our state’s complex system makes Iowa less competitive and requires a cumbersome explanation to prospective businesses.”

Hutcheson is also the President and CEO of the Greater Burlington Partnership. John Stineman, executive director of the I-C-A, says one possibility to simplifying Iowa’s tax system might involve eliminating federal deductibility. “It does definitely complicate our tax code,” Stineman said. “What’s important there, however, is if we are going to move a way from federal deductibility, we do so in a way that does not inadvertently raise taxes, because right now that federal deductibility does have a net decrease on Iowans’ tax bill.”

Currently, Iowa is one of a handful of states to permit tax filers to deduct all tax payments made to the federal government in calculating their state income tax liability. Chris McGowan, with the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, says another priority of the Iowa Chamber Alliance is a “statewide-only” minimum wage. “Any adjustments to the minimum wage should be done at the state level, not by local government entities,” McGowan said.

McGowan is vice-chair of the ICA. Stineman said, for now, the ICA is staying “neutral” on the idea of a hike in the statewide minimum wage. Instead, the group is only calling on the legislature to halt the patchwork of local rates that are higher than the current state standard of $7.25 an hour. “It’s very challenging for businesses of all sizes to have to hopscotch across different municipalities, sometimes literally crossing the street – where the wage is one level on one side of the street and a different wage on the other side of the street,” Stineman said. “That’s very difficult for our existing businesses and how they operate, from small to large.”

The Alliance is also calling on the legislature to develop “forward-looking” programs to encourage entrepreneurship and attract investment, while creating a “predictable and responsive” regulatory environment. The 2017 Legislative Session begins on January 9. Republicans will hold a majority in both the Iowa House and Senate over the next two years.

(Radio Iowa)

PELLA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa State Patrol spokesman says the crash of a pickup truck into a Wal-Mart store in Pella that killed three people, appears to have been an accident. Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said Thursday that investigators “don’t have any reason to believe it was intentional,” but are looking into all scenarios. Ludwig said the crash just before 10 a.m. killed three people — all outside the vehicle — and injured the driver and another person. He says none of those killed or injured were children.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of those involved as officials work to inform family members of the casualties. Lugwig said Thursday afternoon that he did not have the medical conditions of those hurt. A photograph posted by the Des Moines Register shows the pickup came to rest in the fresh produce aisle of the store with merchandise scattered on the floor.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests. On Tuesday, 23-year old Ashlie Marie Gray, of Tabor, and 19-year old Denver Alan Cook, of Glenwood, were arrested on separate warrants for Assault. Bond for both individuals was set at $1,000 each.

On Wednesday, 36-year old Helen Elaine Tuper, of Malvern, was arrested in Malvern on a charge of Harassment. Her bond was set at $300.  And, 45-year old Wendy Ann Edmonds, of  Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Edmonds was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) – Repairs will soon be complete on a broken elevator at a Le Mars apartment building, allowing some elderly and disabled residents easy access to the outside world for the first time since August. Fire chief David Schipper says the elevator at the five-story Floyd Valley Apartments is expected to be in operation Friday or by the beginning of next week.

Schipper tells The Sioux City Journal special parts for the elevator have had to be made and shipped from Pennsylvania. One part was dropped down the elevator shaft and broke a couple of weeks ago, slowing down the repair process even more.

Larry Schmitz, a fifth-floor resident, says he’s only been able to leave the building four times since August. Paramedics had to assist Schmitz up and down the stairs on two of those occasions.

Law officers and banks are on alert in northwest Iowa after a man tried to defraud at least four banks in the region this week. Le Mars Police Sergeant Jay King says the suspect used the same tactics at each stop, including at Kingsley State Bank in LeMars. King says, “What he did is he would take a stolen check, a forged check, and write it out for a large amount, deposit it into a real account of somebody who was not involved in any of this but keep an amount of cash out, basically causing an act of theft for the amount he kited from the check.”

Police are circulating a photo of the man.

Bank fraud suspect

“The subject is described as a person of 40 to 50 years of age with a close-cut haircut,” King says. “He was wearing an Ace bandage on his right arm, dressed in business attire. He drove away in a white Chevy Impala.”

It appears the same suspect also tried the scam at two Sioux County banks — in Granville and Alton — and later at a bank in Sioux City. Officials would not say how much money was involved.

(Radio Iowa)