“The headline of this session is simple: Iowa’s income tax rate will be the 6th lowest in the country…” The Iowa legislature has adjourned, and this session has resulted in some important pro-growth policy victories that provide further tax relief to Iowans, while also making Iowa’s economy more competitive and government more efficient. As Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said, “The […]
By offering businesses the freedom to explore and expand their innovative ideas in a relatively unrestricted environment, Iowa is setting the stage for becoming a beacon for start-up firms and a hub for economic progress. Iowa lawmakers are now considering a fresh approach to bolster entrepreneurship and innovation through the concept of a regulatory sandbox. This initiative is designed to […]
While some regulation is necessary, too much stifles economic growth. The elimination of “red tape” barriers will add to and amplify the multiple pro-growth and free-market reforms Iowa has passed in recent years. Cutting back unnecessary regulation will continue to move Iowa toward a better economic climate.
A new EPA rule to reduce lead in drinking water will cost utilities, ratepayers, and homeowners around $80 billion. The Biden Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new regulations requiring the removal of lead water pipes throughout the country. Lead is a known neurotoxin, and it drew national attention when it leached from pipes into the tap water of […]
A newly-proposed rule has the potential to weaponize OSHA safety inspections — without protecting worker safety — and is certain to erode trust. Who has access to a business or other organization’s premises can be a highly sensitive matter, and public policy must make a priority of fostering trust in government agents with that authority. Unfortunately, that trust has been […]
This article was published in The Gazette. Governor Reynolds is working to reform state government and make it more accountable and efficient for the taxpayer. Former President Herbert Hoover chaired two commissions during the presidential administrations of President Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Hoover Commissions were looking to make government more efficient. As a result of the […]
A streamlined path to market leads to greater innovation, more economic growth, and lower prices for consumers. The concept of a regulatory sandbox has emerged as a popular way to promote innovation and experimentation while still operating within the confines of government oversight. A regulatory sandbox is essentially a controlled environment where businesses can test ideas, products, and services without […]
Often, a state accepting federal dollars does so with strings attached. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. Even when federal law changes and the strings are severed, programs created by those laws have a pesky habit of sticking around and are rarely repealed by state lawmakers. Frequently, this comes at a greater cost to consumers, taxpayers, or both.
This article was published in the Des Moines Register. Occupational licensing reform creates a more transparent process reviewing licenses and their associated requirements to see if they are appropriate or if they serve as a barrier making it more difficult for individuals to enter into a certain occupation. Governor Kim Reynolds is working hard to grow Iowa’s economy and she […]
Removing Certificate of Need requirements would put more services within reach of Iowans and help slow down the rising costs of health care in our state. Earlier this spring, we told you how West Virginia passed legislation repealing several provisions of its Certificate of Need (CON) Laws. As we wrote then, “the purpose of a CON law is to regulate […]
Ohio passed a bill resulting in a 30 percent reduction of regulations by 2025 making Ohio’s businesses more competitive and spurring economic growth. Policymakers in Iowa should look to this as a model that further reform can be built upon.
Governor Kim Reynolds is prioritizing making Iowa’s economy more competitive. This year the Governor is focusing on reducing the regulatory burden in Iowa. In January, Governor Reynolds issued an executive order to begin to reform regulations in Iowa. In her Condition of the State address she said that the intent of the executive order is to “begin the process of lifting this dead weight from our economy over the next four years.” In advancing regulatory reform Iowa policymakers should consider Ohio’s successful efforts to eliminate burdensome regulations. Ohio serves as the gold standard for state regulatory reform.
CON laws have decreased competition in Iowa’s healthcare field, resulting in higher medical costs and reduced healthcare access. The news has recently been telling stories about Iowa nursing homes closing and rural hospitals at risk. Iowans are facing higher healthcare costs and fewer options, and one reason is an extremely burdensome regulation called Certificate of Need, or CON. Healthcare providers […]
Iowa’s Administrative Code contains over 20,000 pages and 190,000 restrictive terms. Utilizing the three pillars of regulatory reform to re-shape Iowa’s regulatory system is a way to propel our state ahead. We all remember our civics and social studies classes that taught us about government, don’t we? We learned the separation of powers between the three branches of government- Legislative, […]
Governor Reynolds has issued an executive order that places a moratorium on new regulations and requires a review of existing rules. These are the exact reforms Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation have offered in the past. A reduction of the barriers of “red tape” will add to and amplify other reforms, moving Iowa toward a more-competitive economic climate.
Governor Kim Reynolds, after winning reelection in a landslide, delivered her sixth Condition of the State address where she continued to outline a conservative policy agenda. Governor Reynolds has led the state through natural disasters, the COVID pandemic, and through our current uncertain national economy. Since assuming office, Governor Reynolds has been a champion of conservative policies that place the taxpayer first and protect and defend traditional values. As a result, Iowa’s economy is strong, the tax code is more competitive, and as Governor Reynolds stated the state is “a beacon for freedom and opportunity.”
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.
By Sarah Curry, DBA Everyone loves a good farmers’ market on a hot summer afternoon, and Iowa has a long history with these classic representatives of direct retail. The first one in the state began in 1858 at the Dubuque city hall building, where it still operates today. This summer, however, Iowa is home to only 172 farmers’ markets across […]
A Des Moines Register headline from September 2020 posed a question that is already being answered in the affirmative: As working from home becomes routine, will others follow? It’s not just large corporations in Iowa’s biggest city that have shifted where their employees work, but employers of all sizes in every corner of the state have developed flexible and remote work options. Just three years ago, 13 percent of Americans were working from home. At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, that number had grown to nearly one third of Americans. It is natural to assume that out of necessity or opportunity, a similar trend has occurred among entrepreneurs.
In Iowa, Medicaid is not only one of the most significant drivers of the budget but also one of the fastest growing. Medicaid is a shared expense between states and the federal government, but recent policies on the national level, especially the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, have led to an expansion in recipients.
Iowa employers currently have numerous jobs available illustrating that a major problem confronting businesses is the need for workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Iowa’s labor force and as the economy works through that impact, it will be important to encourage people to move back into the workforce. An area of reform that should be considered is Iowa’s unemployment guidelines.
The ability for Iowans, as well as those who relocate to Iowa, to earn a living will be greatly improved due to 2020’s historic occupational licensing reforms passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds. Those reforms allow for universal recognition of out-of-state licenses, waive licensing fees for low-income individuals, and establish a standard for a fairer review process if a license is denied based on past criminal convictions. Reforming occupational licensing expands liberty and makes Iowa a more competitive state.
“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.
Some of our country’s fastest growing states have spent the past decade crafting policies that lower taxes, reduce the regulatory burden, and rely on the choices of their citizens instead of government mandates and control. The free-market solutions presented in this report are a blueprint for growth and a reliable roadmap for Iowa’s future. Click to download the report
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 […]
During the last legislative session, the legislature passed, and Governor Kim Reynolds signed a historic occupational licensing reform measure. The law allows for universal recognition of out-of-state licenses, waives licensing fees for low-income individuals, and establishes a standard for a fairer review process if a license is denied based on past criminal convictions. Policymakers have an opportunity to build upon […]
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