The Use of ARPA funds in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Black Hawk County

By Sarah Curry, DBA The COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, yet the federal government took over a year to direct financial relief to local municipalities across the country through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The pandemic hit local communities across Iowa hard, but through hard work and fortitude, governments survived the pandemic with little lasting fiscal damage. Now […]

The Use of ARPA Funds in Davenport, Bettendorf, and Scott County

By Sarah Curry, DBA The COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, yet the federal government took over a year to direct financial relief to municipalities across the country through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The pandemic hit local communities across Iowa hard, but our governments survived the pandemic with little lasting fiscal damage. Now Iowa’s cities and counties face […]

The Use of ARPA Funds in Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Linn County

The COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, yet the federal government took over a year to direct financial relief to municipalities through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The pandemic hit local communities across Iowa hard, but our governments survived the pandemic with little lasting fiscal damage. Now cities and counties face the task of spending ARPA funds while complying […]

Talkin’ ARPA

Washington D.C. gave local governments across the country trillions of dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  To understand how that money was spent, ITR Foundation focused on a selection of cities and counties across Iowa, asking each: How much money did you get? How much have you already spent? How much is left? What did you spend ARPA […]

How Do Iowans Want ARPA Funds Used?

Nothing says “overreach” like one government forcing another to spend $1 billion, but of course that’s the situation Iowa’s local governments find themselves in.  As we’ve written about, cities, counties, and school districts in Iowa have collectively received nearly $1.2 billion dollars from Uncle Sam through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and there are lots of ways to utilize […]

Revenue Growth and Missing Property Tax Savings

State Revenue in August Paints Positive Picture Iowa’s revenue report for August has been released and the news for the month was encouraging. Even under the weight of continued inflation and a national recession, the state’s net General Fund revenue was $57 million (6.5%) above the August 2021 net revenue level. When broken down by the three largest sources of revenue, they […]

Biden vs Reynolds: Contrasting Visions

This year the Republican Party selected Governor Kim Reynolds to deliver the official response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address. Governor Reynolds and President Biden offer two completely different views of both political philosophy and statesmanship. Selecting Governor Reynolds to speak on behalf of the Republican Party was not just a high honor, but it also reflected her leadership as a conservative. This contrasts with President Biden’s progressive philosophy and his embrace of a radical liberal agenda that threatens constitutional government.

ITR Foundation Gets Called Up to the Show

Trump cites the ITR Foundation Poll in his application to federal court for a special master. Another ITR Live episode with real breaking news: The ITR Foundation Poll is cited in former President Trump’s application to federal court for a special master. John tells us about the Durham Bulls’ Ripken the Dog, who fetches bats for the players. Chris Ingstad […]

We’re in a Recession

The Impact of the National Recession on Iowa Well, we were right. Headlines this morning declared America’s economy shrank for the second quarter in a row and yesterday’s news cycle confirmed the Fed was delivering another large interest rate hike. Politicians, policy makers, and members of the media are scrambling to redefine the term “recession” for the American public but voters are not fooled by word games […]

Where Did Iowa’s Local COVID Relief Funds Go?

In March 2021, the United States was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to previous large-scale stimulus measures, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) on a party-line vote. Relief for state and local governments was among the most thoroughly debated provisions of the legislation, ultimately sending $130.2 billion to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. Iowa cities and counties collectively received $1.162 billion. The state’s largest eleven metropolitan cities received nearly $335 million, while counties took in $612 million and smaller governments received $216 million in payments.

The Fight to Restore Fiscal Sanity to Congress

The record high inflation that is plaguing Americans is being fueled by out-of-control federal spending. The federal government has spent over $6 trillion on COVID-19 related pandemic stimulus measures. The most recent, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was not even needed as most states are experiencing large surpluses. The national debt is over $30 trillion and rising, which translates to an estimated $97,500 per citizen.

The Latest Assault on our Constitution and the States

Once again it appears that policymakers in Washington, D.C. are trying to further centralize power and squeeze the sovereignty of the states. Federalism, which refers to the division of power between the federal government and the states, is a pillar of American constitutionalism.  The United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has a bill before them that would set a dangerous precedent regarding tax policy if enacted.  It’s called the STAMP Act which stands for ‘Stop Taxes Against Menstrual Products Act of 2022’. It would tell states and local governments that they cannot levy a sales tax on the retail sale of menstrual products.

Is Iowa Prepared for the Federal Debt Crisis?

Uncle Sam is broke and the nation is on the verge of a serious debt crisis, if we are not already in one.  The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released an alarming report regarding the nation’s fiscal health and their conclusions aren’t good.  The report, which should be taken very seriously, flatly states, “The federal government faces an unsustainable fiscal future.”  Consider the magnitude of Congress’s own watchdog cautioning the nation that we cannot continue down the same spending path we are on.

Breaking Government Dependency by Empowering Citizens

Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation has been a consistent voice against the unnecessary and often harmful stimulus money that has flowed to state and local governments across the country and certainly here in Iowa. This isn’t a new topic (check out our related articles below); even prior to the pandemic we warned against the dangers of a growing federal deficit and […]

Somebody Must Call the Bingo Numbers!

Iowans recently scored a huge income tax reform victory but are still frustrated with out-of-control property taxes.  Additionally, how should cities, counties, and school districts use the nearly $1.2 billion in federal funds they received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)? ITR Foundation has solutions to those issues as well as some school choice stories for you to check […]

Law, Policy, and Politics

You are important to us!  We want to keep you up to date on the impact good and bad policy has on the state’s future. So, for the last couple our weeks, our pens have been working feverishly on articles from tax policy, healthcare, education, among others. Here is a list of our most recent articles. Strong Fiscal Rules Lead to […]

Putting the Taxpayer First

From a taxpayer perspective, the 2022 legislative session is off to a good start. Governor Kim Reynolds and both the House and Senate Republicans have proposed pro-growth tax reform plans that would lower Iowa’s income tax rates. Proposed Individual Income Tax Reform Plans Governor Kim Reynolds        4.0% flat rate by 2026House Republicans               4.0% flat rate by 2026Senate Republicans               […]