This article was published in the Des Moines Register. Occupational licensing reform creates a more transparent process reviewing licenses and their associated requirements to see if they are appropriate or if they serve as a barrier making it more difficult for individuals to enter into a certain occupation. Governor Kim Reynolds is working hard to grow Iowa’s economy and she […]
Removing Certificate of Need requirements would put more services within reach of Iowans and help slow down the rising costs of health care in our state. Earlier this spring, we told you how West Virginia passed legislation repealing several provisions of its Certificate of Need (CON) Laws. As we wrote then, “the purpose of a CON law is to regulate […]
Iowa cities do important work, and that requires the collection of taxes. Problems surface, however, when cities with similar populations and services spend vastly different amounts of taxpayers’ money. Iowa’s 940 cities collect around 30% of all the property taxes we pay each year. Many of us are supportive of spending on law enforcement, emergency management, and roads. Where disagreement [&hell...
This article was published in the National Review. The Hawkeye State must keep leading the way with pro-growth, pro-family economic policies. In 2022, Iowa led what has been called a state-level “flat-tax revolution.” The last few years have been historic for state-based tax reform, with the Tax Foundation reporting that 43 states passed some form of tax reform in 2021 or 2022....
While the homestead exemption will reduce property taxes by exempting a certain amount of a home’s value from taxation, it will be short-lived if local governments are not given a spending limitation. Iowa lawmakers responded to constituent complaints of rising assessments and growing property tax bills with the most comprehensive property tax reform package in over 30 years. One specific [&hellip...
This article was published in Real Clear Policy, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, and the Telegraph Herald. Both Governor Reynolds and legislative leaders have made Iowa a fiscal example for other states and the federal government to follow. President Calvin Coolidge regarded “a good budget as among the most noblest monuments of virtue.” President Coolidge’s fiscal conservatism is being exemplified at [&...
Governor Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature continue to toe the line for taxpayers through 2024 with prudent budgeting. Despite national economic uncertainty resulting from high inflation, Iowa’s fiscal foundation was strong heading into the 2023 legislative session. One important reason for this success is the continued priority Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature are placing on prudent...
This legislation delivers more transparency and spending restraint for taxpayers. However, future property tax reform must be pursued and include strong budget or spending limits applied to entire local government budgets. A wide-ranging package of property tax reforms were approved inside the Iowa State Capitol this week, as a compromise bill (HF 718) passed both legislative chambers with overwhe...
With the fiscal year almost over, the state is continuing to outperform last year. Iowa’s revenue report for April has been released and the data revealed net General Fund revenue for the month was $157.3 million (-18.1%) below the April 2022 net revenue level. When broken down by the three largest sources (personal income tax, sales/use tax, and corporate income tax), revenue […]
At a time when property taxes are increasing across the state, requirements must be put into place to ensure Iowans have transparency on decisions about bonds and local tax increases. Iowa has long been at the forefront of elections in the United States. Since the 1970s, both major political parties have held their caucuses in the state, and around 93% […]
By Victoria Sinclair, Guest Columnist A nation simply cannot tax and spend its way to prosperity. Federal legislators and the President must stop fueling the flames and exercise spending restraint. It is imperative that federal legislators and the President take the issue of the federal deficit seriously and act now. Generations of American politicians have more or less ignored the […...