September 2024

Is the Constitution Still Relevant?

Is the Constitution Still Relevant?

September 17, 2024by John Hendrickson

Defending the Constitution will be impossible if the American people fail to realize the importance and sacredness of the document. Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, wrote about “the Left’s assault on the Constitution.” Turley argues that the progressive attack on the Constitution goes beyond proposals to “pack” the Supreme Court,...

Universal Basic Income Programs: Less Work and Less Productivity

Universal Basic Income Programs: Less Work and Less Productivity

September 13, 2024by John Hendrickson

Recent evidence continues to demonstrate that UBI programs do not work as intended. Universal Basic Income (UBI) programs are gaining popularity across the nation. Some policymakers view UBI as a solution that solves poverty and provides greater economic security through wealth redistribution. Here in Iowa, Polk County joined with other Des Moines-area cities and nonprofit organizations to launch ...

Majority of Special Elections Approve Property Taxes; Low Turnout the Norm

Majority of Special Elections Approve Property Taxes; Low Turnout the Norm

September 12, 2024by Sarah Curry, DBA

Voter turnout for city and county measures was 10.5%, while school measures drew only 8.5%. On September 10, 2024, twenty-one local governments held special elections with property tax measures on the ballot. Unofficial results show most of the measures passed, adding up to nearly $14 million in property tax costs. Ten of the 13 participating school districts succeeded with their […]

September 10th Special Election: More Property Tax Increases on Ballots

September 10th Special Election: More Property Tax Increases on Ballots

September 6, 2024by Sarah Curry, DBA

Twenty-one local governments are seeking property tax hikes on top of already-elevated assessments. On September 10, 2024, 13 school districts, two counties, and five cities will place property tax questions before voters in a special election. Eleven school districts are requesting a renewal or an increase in physical plant and equipment levies (PPELs), which generate local property tax dollars f...

The Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on an Iowa Family

The Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on an Iowa Family

September 6, 2024by Sarah Curry, DBA

Making the TCJA permanent would ensure continued financial stability and enable families like mine to focus on what truly matters—raising happy, healthy children in a secure environment. On August 16, 2024, I had the honor of testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee at a field hearing in Des Moines, Iowa, on the impact of the […]

Learn How Much It Will Cost You if Federal Tax Cuts Expire

Learn How Much It Will Cost You if Federal Tax Cuts Expire

September 4, 2024by ITR Foundation

Washington, D.C. sets up a game of chicken between Iowa taxpayers and the sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) delivered significant tax relief to Iowans, from individuals to small business owners. However, key provisions of the TCJA are set to expire in 2025, leading to tax increases across Iowa, […]

A Minnesota Native’s Gratitude for Iowa Values

A Minnesota Native’s Gratitude for Iowa Values

September 3, 2024by John Hendrickson

This article was published in the Des Moines Register. I am grateful for the leadership of Governor Reynolds, who upholds the values that my family once saw in the DFL but now finds in Iowa. Watching the changes in my native Minnesota has been difficult, but it also makes me thankful to now call Iowa home. I grew up in […]