September 23, 2026

A Higher Bar for Higher Taxes

This November, Iowans will be asked to vote on a simple constitutional amendment on whether the legislature should obtain a two-thirds majority in both houses to increase income taxes. The amendment is simple because the problem it solves is simple. Raising income taxes shrinks the paychecks of workers and cuts into the bottom line of farms and businesses of all sizes. A decision like this, which directly and immediately affects the livelihood of Iowans, should not be something that lawmakers can do without broad consensus or accountability.

John Hendrickson and Leah Vukmir Amendment 1
April 25, 2023

Upset About Your Property Taxes?

This article was published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. A spending limit applied to local governments requiring them to earn a vote of the people to raise spending forces governments to be more accountable and to justify new spending. Taxpayers across the state are upset after receiving their property assessment notices in the mail. Property assessments in Iowa have increased, […]

John Hendrickson and Leah Vukmir Editorials
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Let’s be honest, big government is big bureaucracy, and common sense tells us big bureaucracy is ineffective. That’s why ITR Foundation works to:

  • Research principled solutions
  • Educate Iowans about our solutions
  • Activate Iowans in support of our solutions

By applying the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and the rule of law to public policy, we can ensure all Iowans will have the opportunity to succeed.

ITR Foundation set the policy groundwork for many recent taxpayer victories in Iowa:

  • Increased property tax transparency and spending restraint
  • A 3.8% flat individual income tax rate
  • Elimination of income taxes on retirement income
  • Elimination of inheritance tax
  • Creating a path to reduce corporate income tax to 5.5%
  • Phasing-out special tax incentives in the corporate tax code
  • Banning local universal basic income programs