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Iowa nursing home chain fighting tax battles

News

June 20th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa nonprofit nursing home chain wants dozens of its facilities reclassified to residential properties for property tax purposes. If Care Initiatives succeeds in its quest, communities where the facilities are situated would get about half as much tax revenue from the facilities, which mostly are classified as commercial properties.

Care Initiatives has appealed 15 rejections to the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board. The company cites Iowa law, but several county assessors dispute that nursing homes are used primarily for human habitation.

Care Initiatives owns and operates facilities located locally, in Atlantic, Avoca, Bedford, Corning, Creston and Panora.