School Choice Success in Des Moines
By offering a customized and unique curriculum, Joshua Christian Academy in Des Moines offers its students hope and opportunity they would not otherwise have had in traditional public schools.
Pro-Growth Tax Reform Through Broadening Sales Tax
In 2018, Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa legislature passed a comprehensive tax reform measure that lowers both the individual and corporate income tax rates as well as broadens the sales tax base. Although the 2018 reform was historic, Iowa will still have high income tax rates. Iowa’s top individual income tax rate will be 6.5 percent and the […]
Coolidge Serves as a Guide for National Policy
In the 20th century, President Calvin Coolidge represents the best example of American conservatism. Whether in his political philosophy or temperament, Calvin Coolidge can serve as a guide for today’s conservatives. Conservatives during the 1920s placed the American Founding and the Constitution as their philosophical center as a “veritable cult of Constitution worship flourished.” As President, Coolidge was a champion […]
All Kids Deserve Educational Opportunities
From my experience traveling across Iowa and visiting with parents and teachers, I am convinced that having more choice in education is vital. Real-life stories of change from parents and private school leaders illustrate the importance of choice in education. A small private school principal in eastern Iowa shared, “We’ve increased our numbers this past year because of COVID-19. Parents […]
Des Moines Public Schools and Open Enrollment: Putting Schools Before Students
The Kirkwood Institute and the Tax Education Foundation of Iowa (TEF Iowa) released a special investigation into the Des Moines Public Schools and open enrollment. The report details documents, not previously released publicly, that show how the DMPS denies open enrollment requests from families who cite harassment, bullying, and even sexual assault.
Governor Kim Reynolds Placing Students First
Governor Kim Reynolds in her Condition of the State Address proposed the Students First Act, a bold comprehensive education reform plan, which places Iowa students first by removing barriers to educational opportunity. The goal is to ensure that socioeconomic status and zip codes do not limit the ability of parents to provide the best education for their children. The COVID-19 pandemic […]
Property Taxes are Wealth Taxes
For many Iowans property taxes represent a significant financial burden. A recent independent poll commissioned by TEF Iowa found that close to 50 percent of Iowans surveyed support making property tax relief a priority. Did you know property taxes are a form of wealth tax? It’s true! For example, if the value of a home increased by 10 percent, it […]
Tax Reform’s Potential to Boost Iowa’s Economy
In 2018, Governor Kim Reynolds and the legislature passed pro-growth tax reform that lowered income tax rates and broadened the sales tax base. Reducing tax rates, along with practicing fiscally responsible spending policies, is making Iowa more competitive and economically strong. However, the annual report, Rich States, Poor States, describes how states across America continue to advance policies that help […]
Governor Reynolds Focuses on Moving Iowa Forward
Governor Kim Reynolds, in her Condition of the State address, outlined a pro-growth policy agenda that will continue to strengthen Iowa’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, she also proposed a bold education reform package that will create more opportunities for parents and children across Iowa. As the legislature begins to formulate policy, it is imperative that they […]
Eliminate Barriers to Open Enrollment
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the discussion over education delivery in Iowa. Many Iowa parents are struggling with their children learning from home or balancing a hybrid system of in-school and online learning. In addition, many children are being impacted by the “COVID slide” and are falling behind academically. This has led to a growing call for more parental choice […]
Conservative Budgeting is the Best Path Forward
The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC), which is tasked with the difficult job of projecting state revenues, held their December meeting and is estimating Iowa will collect $8.2 billion in revenue for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The REC also increased the current FY 2021 estimate to $7.9 billion, which is a $65 million increase from their previous projection. The REC will […]