A Tax Revolt Then—and Now

How the American Revolution’s fight over taxation without representation still echoes in today’s battle against rising property taxes in Iowa.

As we gather each July 4th for fireworks, pool parties, cookouts, and time with family, it’s easy to forget what the holiday actually commemorates: a revolution sparked, in large part, by a tax fight.

While Independence Day celebrates the birth of a new nation, the catalyst for that bold break from Britain wasn’t just lofty ideas of liberty, it was taxation without representation. What began with protests in Boston soon became a widespread colonial movement. Today in Iowa, we face a different but equally pressing tax problem: one of consent, accountability, and runaway property taxes, now exceeding $7 billion in 2025.

A Nation Born Over Taxes

The American Revolution was driven by a number of factors, but British taxation policies struck the deepest nerve. The British government, desperate to repay debt from the costly Seven Years’ War (1756 – 1763), turned to its American colonies for revenue. Parliament passed a series of tax laws—the Sugar Act (1764), the Stamp Act (1765), Townshend Acts (1767), and Tea Act (1773)—without consulting the colonists. That injustice led to protest, and eventually, revolt.

But the issue wasn’t how much tax was collected. It was who had the right to impose it.

Without representation in Parliament, colonists had no voice, no vote, and no say. “Taxation without representation” became their rallying cry. The Declaration of Independence may mention taxes only once, but taxation was central to the colonists’ grievances.

Then and Now: The Taxes We Still Pay

The irony? Many of the taxes that angered the colonists still exist in some form today:

• Excise Taxes on items like tobacco, alcohol, and gasoline are alive and well in Iowa.
• Tariffs, a staple of British colonial policy, are still used by the U.S. government to generate revenue and manage trade.
• Wealth Taxes were once levied by early colonial governments such as Massachusetts. Today, Iowa has moved in the opposite direction—removing its high tax rate on top earners and implementing a flat income tax to promote fairness.

But the one that resonates most with modern taxpayers? Property Tax. It was a burden then, and it remains the most resented today. Unlike other taxes that rise or fall with income or spending, property taxes continue to climb—even when household budgets stay flat.

And while Iowa wasn’t one of the thirteen original colonies, the first settlers to the Iowa Territory enacted a property tax even before statehood—making it the longest-standing tax in the Hawkeye State.

The Right to Consent

Iowans today do have a say in how they are taxed. We can vote. We can challenge local boards, school bonds, or city council decisions. But too often, the system feels like it’s working against us.

We hear familiar refrains: “There’s nothing left to cut.” Or, “We need more revenue.” Local governments propose bonds and levy increases, and if they’re defeated by voters, similar proposals return months later. Over time, taxpayers become exhausted and disengaged.

But our nation’s founding reminds us: it’s not just about what we pay—it’s about being heard.

History as a Warning—and a Call to Action

Our ancestors risked everything not over the burden of taxes, but over the unchecked power to impose them. They believed in the right to self-government—and that includes saying no to taxes they didn’t agree to.

Today, we aren’t staging a tea party in the Boston Harbor, but perhaps we should take a page from that playbook. Local officials must remember who they serve. If they continue to ignore the will of the taxpayers, they may find themselves facing a different kind of revolution—one that starts at the ballot box, not the bayonet.