October 4, 2022

Removing Economic Handcuffs Through Regulatory Reform

Regulations are a necessary part of society, but too much regulation can hinder economic growth and prosperity. Lowering tax rates, limiting spending, and eliminating burdensome regulations was the Trump Administration’s formula to produce pro-growth economic policy. The last item–regulatory reform–is often a forgotten pillar of economic growth. Regulations can be roadblocks for both individuals and businesses, which is why regulatory reform can help further boost Iowa’s state economy.

John Hendrickson and Patricia Patnode Regulations
January 14, 2022

Reducing Regulatory Burden Spurs Economic Growth

“Regulations influence behavior. When we want less of something, we regulate it. For the sake of our families, young people, and low-income workers, we must not regulate jobs out of existence,” stated Rea Hederman, Executive Director of the Economic Research Center and Vice President of Policy at Ohio’s Buckeye Institute for Public Policy. Reducing the regulatory burden on an economy will also spur economic growth, as President Trump demonstrated when his administration combined tax cuts with eliminating unnecessary regulation. That type of free market reform would be particularly powerful in Iowa, since we are home to some of the highest levels of state regulation in the Midwest and across the country.

ITR Foundation Regulations
December 17, 2021

Iowa’s Forgotten Tax: The State’s High Regulatory Burden

By John Hendrickson, Policy Director for ITR Foundation, and James Broughel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University   Governor Kim Reynolds and the Republican-led legislature have enacted prudent budgets and lowered tax rates in recent years. Iowa’s economy is in a better position because of these sound fiscal policies. But eliminating burdensome regulations that hinder […]

John Hendrickson and James Broughel Editorial
November 18, 2020

Iowa’s Roadmap to Economic Growth

On January 11, 2021 the Iowa legislature is scheduled to convene. A major priority of the legislative session will be taking measures to aid in the COVID-19 economic recovery. The pandemic continues to cause uncertainty as the virus is once again intensifying throughout the Midwest. To help Iowa’s economy recover and to create economic growth, policymakers should center their efforts […]

ITR Foundation Regulations
May 26, 2020

Small Business Recovery after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is precipitating an unprecedented economic downturn, and small businesses are likely to bear the brunt of it. Mandatory shutdowns and social distancing are forcing many small businesses to shut their doors, leaving millions of people out of work and driving down sales. Even when governments begin lifting social distancing restrictions, the residual effects of unemployment and disrupted […]

ITR Foundation Economy
March 30, 2020

First, Do No Harm

By Matthew D. Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center   COVID-19 presents a challenge of extraordinary scale and complexity. State policymakers across the country, like so many of us, want to know what they can do to help our nation’s healthcare professionals rise to this challenge. Their first task should be to eliminate or suspend laws that stand in the […]

ITR Foundation Regulations
March 19, 2020

Coronavirus and Occupational Licensing

States Lead The Way in Coronavirus Crisis With Emergency Removal of Occupational Licensing Obstacles—Why Not Make Them Permanent?   Today, Vice President Mike Pence announced that the Department of Health and Human Services is considering a national emergency order that would allow doctors throughout the country to practice across state lines. This would be a good move, and luckily, many […]

ITR Foundation Regulations
March 5, 2020

Removing the Occupational Licensing Wall

Iowa, along with several other states, is considering occupational licensing reform. Reducing occupational licensing barriers will provide new opportunities for workers, attract new people to Iowa, and create a more competitive business environment. One aspect of occupational licensing reform is establishing reciprocity, or a universal licensing recognition, for out-of-state licensees. The Iowa legislature is currently considering reciprocity as part of […]

ITR Foundation Regulations
February 21, 2020

Iowa’s Gambling With Your Health

The Des Moines metro is growing and evidence of this growth can be seen through numerous construction and building projects. Recently, MercyOne hospital in West Des Moines announced a $13 million project to create a new maternity and infants care center. This is in response to the demands of a growing population. MercyOne is filling a need by meeting the […]

ITR Foundation Regulations
January 22, 2020

2020: A Year for Progress

A Legislative Year for Smaller Government and Smarter Solutions   Iowa is in an exciting place as we start a new decade of the 21st century. Iowa’s economy is strong and our state budget has an estimated $470 million budget surplus. This does not mean that we do not have policy problems, but we can ensure that all Iowans will […]

ITR Foundation Income Taxes
November 18, 2019

Why So Many Regulations?

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is researching state codes to determine the approximate number of regulatory restrictions. Based on their measurement, Mercatus found that South Dakota was the least restrictive with 44,000 restrictions within their state code, while California had the most with 396,000. Iowa’s state code has 160,000 restrictions – over three and one-half times more restrictions […]

ITR Foundation Regulations