Thousands of commercial property owners in Iowa face an important deadline in five weeks, as they have to submt an application for the new tax credit Iowa policymakers have established. Courtney Kay-Decker is director of the Iowa Department of Revenue. “Just like when you first buy your house, you have to apply for the homestead credit, this is the first time that you’re going to be eligible for the commercial property tax credit and you have to apply,” Kay-Decker says, “and it’s by January 15th.” Some counties have the applications available online, which others require commercial property owners to submit paper forms.

“Each county is doing it slightly differently, because it’s local government,” Kay-Decker says. Commercial property owners who fail to meet that January 15th deadline will have to wait another year to apply for the credit. The governor and legislators hammered out a deal this spring which would reduce commercial property tax RATES in Iowa by 10 percent within three years, but the plan also created a new property tax credit for commercial property. Counties will get 50-million dollars from the state to create that tax credit at the local level. That means math must be done to calculate how to divvy up that money and determine how much the credit will be worth to each individual commercial property owner.

“So we’re working on software between the Department of Revenue and all of local governments which involves not only the assessors…but also the treasurers and the auditors to come up with how to do it, the technology to do it,” she says. “We’re, in fact, testing right now.” That computer software is being tested today (Wednesday) by officials in each of the 99 counties as well as the Iowa Department of Revenue. Kay-Decker says commercial property owners will find out in August or September how much of a credit they’ll receive.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs report a woman from Shelby County was injured during a crash that took place last week. Information released this week indicates 51-year old Melinda Mathiasen, of Harlan, suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries during the crash that took place Dec. 5th  on Interstate 29, near South 24th Street, in Council Bluffs.

Offcials say Mathiasen’s 1992 Lincoln Towncar was struck by a 2007 Nissan Sentra driven by 23-year-old Stephanie Jones, of Council Bluffs. The accident happened at around 8:30-a.m.  as Jones was traveling west on I-29 and attempting to merge into the left lane. As she was switching lanes, Jones’ car hit Mathiasen’s vehicle, which caused the Lincoln to strike sand-filled barrels along the road. Both cars spun around before coming to a stop.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The settlement of a lawsuit challenging a closed-door meeting last year regarding a former Des Moines superintendent has been finalized. A judge approved the settlement Tuesday between the Des Moines School Board and a former board member. The board will release audio and transcripts from a portion of an 80-minute May 2012 meeting. The settlement also includes the board’s acknowledgement it acted inappropriately by discussing matters that should have been public.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A memo sent by a former prosecutor was the latest focus of a trial in U.S. District Court in Sioux City alleging discrimination by a former U.S. attorney. The Sioux City Journal reports that one of former prosecutor Martha Fagg’s supervisors cautioned her about sending the memo to then-U.S. Attorney Stephanie Rose. The memo raised concerns that a personnel move could be seen as age discrimination.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Construction of a new Sioux City casino has been halted until litigation can be resolved between Iowa gaming regulators and the owner of the Argosy riverboat casino. The Sioux City Journal reports that Polk County Judge Robert Hanson granted a motion for a stay Tuesday in favor of Penn National Gaming Co. Penn claims the state violated the company’s constitutional protections, as well as state and federal law, in awarding a license to Sioux City Entertainment in April.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state Department of Natural Resources says wildlife supervisors will be on Facebook on Dec. 19 to answer questions from the public. Karen Kinkead and Willie Suchy of the Wildlife Diversity Program will monitor a specific post for questions on anything ranging from animals in a backyard to out in the field. People can also post questions ahead of time on the agency’s page.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has halted construction of a new Sioux City casino until litigation can be resolved between Iowa gaming regulators and the owner of the Argosy riverboat casino. The Sioux City Journal reports Polk County Judge Robert Hanson granted a motion for a stay Tuesday in favor of Penn National Gaming Co.  The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission awarded a license in April to Sioux City Entertainment to build the $128.5 million Hard Rock casino. The land-based casino is set to replace the Argosy.

Penn claims the commission violated the company’s constitutional protections, as well as state and federal laws in awarding the license to Sioux City Entertainment. They also say the commission ignored deficiencies in the winning bid.

The Iowa Transportation Commission Tuesday, approved the fiscal year 2015 Traffic Safety Improvement Program projects. More than $8.7 million in safety improvements were approved for 46 projects. Among the projects in southwest & western Iowa:

Montgomery County received a requested half-million dollars to add six-feet of pavement to County Road H-34, to create a 24-foot wide pavement and rumble strips, and wide painted edges. The improvements are along a 3.25-mile segment of H-34, one-mile east of A Avenue to Fernwood Avenue. The total cost of the project is $546, 812.

The City of Crescent received a requested $50,000 from the Commission for work on the Old Lincoln Highway. The works entails a cut back from the south hillside, improve site triangle at the intersection of Old Lincoln Highway and Powells Addition. The project is expected to cost $50,000.

And, the City of Carroll received a requested One-half millions dollars for the widening of U-S Highway 30 to provide east-and westbound left turn lanes. The projects involves the replacement of traffic signals, providing protected/permissive east/west left turns, and an improve intersection radii, at the intersection of U-S 30 and Grant Road. The total project cost is $713,000.

Other funding from the Commission includes: $105,000 to replace traffic signals and mast arms in Denison, at the intersection of Iowa Hwy 39 and Avenue C. and $31,830 to removes traffic signals and replace them with 4-way stop signs in Onawa, at the intersection of Iowa Highway 175 and 10th Street.

If the total project amount is greater than the grant amount, the grant recipient will be responsible to provide additional funding.

The Iowa Transportation Commission Tuesday, approved a Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) Immediate Opportunity grant application submitted by the city of Carter Lake. Up to $815,291 will be made available to assist in the reconstruction of approximately 690 feet of North Fifth Street, approximately 1,286 feet of Avenue J, and approximately 690 feet of North Ninth Street located on the southwest side of town. This project is anticipated to be completed by September 2014.

These improvements are necessary to provide improved access to Paxton & Vierling Steel’s facility, which is a steel processing and fabrication facility and a subsidiary of Owen Industries Inc. The improvements will support the creation of 18 new jobs and the retention of 78 jobs along with $39,658,000 in associated capital investment.

Funding for the grant comes from the city share of the RISE Fund.