Iowans Deserve a Better Tax System Now Last year, Iowa’s robust tax reform took a giant step toward reducing burdensome taxes on families and businesses. Unfortunately, many Iowans may never see the benefits of that overhaul because the new law hamstrings its best features, tying them to future revenue benchmarks or “tax triggers” that Iowa may never reach. Those arbitrary […]
Senator, and Democrat presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren declared recently that her goal if elected is “to be the last American president elected by the Electoral College” and her “second term to be elected by direct vote.” The debate is not new to American politics—whether the Electoral College should be replaced by a direct national popular vote for president—but the question […]
Iowa needs to audit the Medicaid program to ensure that not only are the people who truly need the services are protected, but taxpayer dollars are not wasted. Amity Shlaes, an economic historian and author of the just-released Great Society: A New History, argues correctly that the “lesson of the 1960s is that political compromises with progressives can be […]
All indications, except for the precarious feel of the China trade war, seem to show that Iowa’s economy is doing well. While we may be enjoying a temporary surge due to President Donald Trump’s economic policies, we must make decisions that grow and sustain our state for the long haul. Iowa competes with other states, both for jobs and people, […]
Iowa needs more workers. Changing our burdensome occupational licenses would help Iowans climb the employment ladder and open the door to new residents. Occupational licensing can be both excessive and expensive. This past spring Arizona became the first state in the nation to pass a universal licensing recognition for out-of-state job licensees. The Grand Canyon State is now more […]
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is researching state codes to determine the approximate number of regulatory restrictions. Based on their measurement, Mercatus found that South Dakota was the least restrictive with 44,000 restrictions within their state code, while California had the most with 396,000. Iowa’s state code has 160,000 restrictions – over three and one-half times more restrictions […]
Iowa has one of the worst business tax climates in the country. The state cannot afford to wait for more tax relief. In 2018, the Iowa legislature gave taxpayers the first significant income tax relief legislation in 20 years. However, the relief will be phased in over multiple years, and the income tax rate reduction is subject to a […]
A businessman in Sioux City recently stated it very plainly to us: “We have stores in seven states. Iowa is more expensive for property taxes than any other.” Iowans are, for the most part, hardworking, friendly, and willing to help a stranger in need. Many call this “Iowa nice.” However, our state’s tax code has been ranked as one […]
“When I started my business 40 years ago, the regulations I had to follow fit into a binder. Now, I can stack them from the floor to the ceiling.” A longtime business owner near Pella shared this thought recently and while we didn’t actually break out a measuring tape to verify his claim, it is certain that regulations on businesses […]
When the Iowa Legislature returns for the 2020 session next January, there will undoubtedly be declarations from some corners of the Capitol that public education is not being fully funded. Education will not be alone in this regard; the fully funded claim will be applied to multiple policy areas, especially by those special interest groups advocating for more taxpayer funding. […]
“The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.” – George Washington, 1795 On Tuesday, September 17, 2019, the nation remembers the events that took place in the summer of 1787. September 17th is Constitution Day and Americans will have an opportunity whether in school, institutions of higher education, or other events to remember what President Herbert Hoover […]
FY 1999 to FY 2018 The amount of money collected from Iowans for the General Fund has increased from $4.4 billion to $7.38 billion in 20 years. During the last legislative session, the legislature began the process of lowering Iowa’s high tax rates, but we will still need further rate reduction. Lowering tax rates and unshackling Iowa’s economy from excessive […]
Protecting the safety and health of citizens is a legitimate function of government. Occupational licensing is not necessarily the only way to do that, and a balance must be struck between regulation and liberty. Iowa’s policymakers and business leaders agree: The state’s economy needs more skilled workers. One area of regulatory reform state leaders should look at to address […]
In just one year, over 9,000 Iowans moved to Florida, Texas, and South Dakota – all states that do not have an income tax. Since 1980, the nation’s population has grown by more than 40 percent, and Iowa’s population has only grown 7 percent. Tax rates have a direct impact on the population. States with lower tax rates have […]
Barbers and hairstylists in Iowa must cut through massive amounts of red tape before they can cut hair. Red tape, in the form of excessive regulations, makes it harder for Iowa to attract new residents and create new opportunities for current workers. Sadly, these burdensome regulations are not only cost-prohibitive for many, but they also shut the door on improving […]
The Cedar Rapids Gazette recently published a guest column from Walt Rogers, TEF Iowa Deputy Director about the impending implementation of the “Cadillac Tax.” Under the Cadillac Tax, the federal government will impose a 40 percent excise tax on all employer-sponsored health insurance plans, as well as workplace-provided health care and wellness programs. ‘Soaring deductibles and medical bills are […]
Iowa competes with 49 states for businesses and people. What policies will allow Iowa to be more competitive and attract more people, businesses, and entrepreneurial activity? While the economy overall is doing well, Iowa is still confronted with some serious economic problems. Whether it is slow population growth, a growing divide between rural and urban communities, or a shortage […]
Two states take a bite out of occupational licensing by allowing reciprocity. Arizona has led the way by granting reciprocity for out-of-state licenses. Arizona will grant a license “to new residents who were licensed for at least one year in another state, so long as their credentials haven’t been revoked, they’re not the subject of any pending investigation, and […]
Taxpayers are being forced by the government to subsidize businesses. State and local governments utilize tax credits and incentives to create economic growth. The argument is made that governments need to utilize credits and incentives to not only attract new businesses, but also help existing businesses expand. Whether it is tax credits, incentives, abatements, or the use of TIF […]
Five state policy organizations recently met to discuss principles that create opportunity and promote liberty. TEF Iowa recently hosted and sponsored the second meeting of the Midwest Policy Summit. Policy organizations from Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska met to discuss public policy issues confronting the Midwest. Some of the policy topics at the Midwest Policy Summit included: […]
We are in a Social Security danger zone of over-promised benefits. Will it still be around for younger generations? Anyone below the age of 52 today is on track to receive only a percentage of their scheduled benefits. In August 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Act. When signing the landmark legislation, President Roosevelt […]
It has been almost 100 years since government has shown spending restraint. What can be done to slow down our $22,000,000,000,000 national debt? The $22 trillion national debt symbolizes not only the broken budget process of today’s federal government, but decades of overspending by both Republicans and Democrats. MarketWatch recently reported how much the national debt has grown under […]
One state is trying to dig itself out of a hole… by digging deeper. Connecticut, just as with other progressive Blue States such as Illinois and California, is in a fiscal crisis. Policymakers in Connecticut have relied on increasing taxes and spending. “After eight years of uncontrolled spending and two of the largest tax increases in the history of […]
Religion and Morality: The Indispensable Supports of Political Prosperity The United States Supreme Court in a 7-2 ruling in American Legion v. American Humanist Association decided that a Bladensburg, Maryland memorial cross dedicated to 48 heroes from Prince George County who died in World War 1 does not violate the Establishment Clause. The First Amendment to the Constitution reads […]
A pander bear should be the official mascot of the Democratic presidential debates. Never have so many candidates proposed so much spending. They are clearly trying to bribe voters to support the one who offers the most “free” stuff. In 1935, Ohio’s Robert A. Taft described President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal as “one of those fabulous creatures of […]