The Tax Foundation ranks Iowa as one of the top ten worst states for business climate. Iowa’s high tax rates not only discourage economic growth, but they make our state less competitive. South Dakota has no state income tax and Iowa is losing ground to our neighbor because they have a more competitive tax climate. It will be difficult for […]
Sales taxes, or taxes on consumption, are considered the least harmful in comparison to income and corporate taxes. This does not mean a state should have a high sales tax, because this too would be harmful for economic growth. States should work to establish a tax code that has low rates combined with simplicity and transparency. This would in turn […]
The COVID-19 pandemic is greatly impacting how Iowans view education. As a result, many students across Iowa are either learning completely online or in a hybrid model of online and in-class learning. Parents are being forced to balance work from home as well as facilitate their children’s online learning. Many children are not getting the education they deserve based on […]
By Dr. Christopher Peters With President-Elect Joe Biden’s administration due to take over in just over a month the nation will be faced with either a divided Congress or a razor-thin Democratic majority. What might we expect in the realm of healthcare reform in the near future? Probably not much. Democrats maintained their majority in the House, but […]
On January 11, 2021, the Iowa legislature is scheduled to reconvene. Besides crafting a budget, the legislature will also be confronted with the challenge of creating policies to help stimulate the economic recovery from COVID-19. Governor Kim Reynolds and the Republicans in the legislature have been following a policy of fiscal conservatism by keeping spending low and reducing tax rates. […]
Iowa’s is one of six states that still levies an inheritance tax. This obsolete tax not only punishes the individual who has died, but also punishes the intended recipient. Previous Iowa legislatures have eliminated the inheritance tax for spouses and other lineal beneficiaries. Yet, the tax remains for non-lineal recipients. In past sessions, the Iowa legislature has considered abolishing or […]