(Okoboji)– State Senator Dave Rowley of Spirit Lake was the keynote speaker at a meeting this (Thurs.) morning of the Dickinson County Taxpayers Association. Among the topics he addressed was the proliferation Air BNB’s, or vacation rentals, in the Iowa Great Lakes. Rowley says he’s working on a bill that would subject them to regulations similar to what’s imposed upon regular hotels and motels…
“I totally support the private property rights of homeowners of being able to do whatever they want to do, but there are certain regulations that could be applied on a statewide basis very similar to a hospitality motel-hotels, how those are run. There’s some discussion, too, is there a permit, is there licensing at the state level that could occur. And so that’s one of my interests right now with Air BNB’s.”
Rowley admits getting something like that through the legislature is going to be hard to do given the fact vacation rentals have become a huge industry in the state, but he says concerns are starting to come from other regions of Iowa as well…
“I realize that it’s just not our immediate area here, but any waterways, any tourist-type attraction, metro areas. These have proliferated to a high degree and they’re very popular, and I understand that. And they do pay taxes. So it’s a very important component of our tourism industry, but I think that as far as some of the issues that neighbors or residents may have in neighborhoods, I think it’s fair to have some reasonable guidelines, if you will, or regulations, to make sure we’re on the same playing field, if you will.”
One person who spoke at the session expressed concern over what’s intended to be housing for workforce being purchased and converted into vacation rentals, saying it isn’t helping the region’s workforce shortage.
Eminent domain, particularly when it comes to carbon pipelines, was another major topic of discussion. Rowley is one of 40 legislators that have signed onto a lawsuit challenging action by the Iowa Utilities Commission allowing Summit Carbon Solutions to utilize the practice…
“There’s two components to the fifth amendment that it should be for the public good, public use and also fair compensation. And the issue of public good is where I wrestle with that and the use of eminent domain. Because if you used eminent domain for that, it’s a very slippery slope of how you can interpret public good if it’s going to be used in this context.”
The suit was filed several weeks ago. House File 718, a property tax reform measure, was also a major topic of discussion during today’s (Thurs.) meeting.
