March 16, 2026

Spend It, Use It, Make Sure You Get It Next Year

Most county budgets get spent in full because of the mentality to “spend it or lose it.” The system should be changed so that it begins working more efficiently. As an attorney with a financial background and entrepreneurial experience, I became concerned about the direction my county was heading. I ran for and was elected County Attorney of Muscatine County, a position I held for 10 years.  At the time I was elected, Muscatine was the 14th largest county in Iowa, and the ever-increasing burden of property taxes was on the minds of many voters.

Richard Phillips Taxes, Spending, & Budget
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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