Transparency in Government Spending

Here’s what most business people know about their business property taxes: • Property taxes provide income for cities, counties and school districts through levies. • Property taxes are difficult to understand. Beyond those two facts, most do not understand what determines the amount that shows up on their annual property tax statement. What we do know is that an increase in property your property taxes is an increase in your fixed costs. And, that increases in your fixed costs will make it more difficult for you to sustain and grow your business. On Thursday, January 12 the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee will welcome, Kaye Rakow, Director of Public Policy for NAIOP Minnesota, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association, to Winona. Rakow will share the research their organization has conducted to educate their members, Minnesota's industrial and office property owners, about businesses' property taxes. Ms. Rakow will cover: 1. Factors that influence your business property tax bill 2. The complexities of the system 3. The business side of the property tax debate 4. Thoughts for improving the transparency of the system.