Voters should pay close attention to why a district wants a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) and what it intends to do with the proceeds. Details A Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) is a ballot measure describing how a school district will spend sales tax funds the State of Iowa has dedicated to public schools through a program called Secure an Advanced Vision for Education […]
One of the foundational arguments for creating a Local Option Sales Tax was to offset the property tax burden. However, the property tax reduction has not come to fruition for many Iowa communities, leaving citizens with a higher sales tax burden and an increasing property tax burden, too. After the property tax, local sales taxes are the most-important source of […]
Sales tax holidays create complexities for tax code compliance, do not promote economic growth or increase consumer purchases, and distract policy makers from truly beneficial tax reforms. School starts for most Iowa students on August 23rd, which means families have already received their back-to-school shopping lists. What better way to get ready for school than to shop during Iowa’s Sales […]
When a state starts to move away from sound tax policy, even if it does so with the best of intentions, unintended consequences can abound. Exempting certain goods and services from taxation is a literal example of government “picking winners and losers.” A sales tax holiday is a limited time period during which a state frees purchases of specific items […]
While taxpayers have a choice whether to stay home or dine out and support area businesses, they should not be forced to pay for a commercial developer’s business loan. This type of tax increase should go to a vote of the people. Do Iowans want to pay supercharged sales taxes when they go out to eat? Will they be excited […]
A sales tax holiday is a limited time period during which a state frees purchases of specific items from state and local sales tax. At first glance this seems like a good policy from a tax-skeptical, pro-consumer perspective — giving people a break — especially when times are tough, as they are, now, with high inflation. However, sales tax holidays create complexities for tax code compliance, do not promote economic growth or increase consumer purchases, and distract policy makers from truly beneficial sales tax reforms.
Did you know that Iowa was the first state to pass a cigarette tax? In 1921 the legislature approved a 2 cent per package tax on cigarettes. Iowa’s cigarette tax even came before the sales and income taxes. Taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugary foods and drinks, and other similar products, are sometimes referred to as sin taxes. They could just […]
In 2018, Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa legislature passed a comprehensive tax reform measure that lowers both the individual and corporate income tax rates as well as broadens the sales tax base. Although the 2018 reform was historic, Iowa will still have high income tax rates. Iowa’s top individual income tax rate will be 6.5 percent and the […]
Sales taxes, or taxes on consumption, are considered the least harmful in comparison to income and corporate taxes. This does not mean a state should have a high sales tax, because this too would be harmful for economic growth. States should work to establish a tax code that has low rates combined with simplicity and transparency. This would in turn […]
Recently TEF Iowa polled Iowans to get their view on some key public policy issues. In this guide you will find not only how Iowans think about these issues, but also public policy solutions that align with the interest of Iowans. TEF Iowa has developed this guide as a resource to provide legislative candidates additional information on some of the […]
Can you think of any area of your life that is not directly impacted by government? Government, whether at the federal, state, or local level, has grown considerably overtime. The escalating $26 trillion national debt is the most symbolic description of the growth of government. As more demands are placed on all levels of government, it creates a problem. As […]
Iowa begrudgingly endures some of the nation’s highest personal and corporate income taxes. Those high taxes hamper economic growth and make our state less affordable for families and less competitive for businesses. Even after recent improvements, tax reform remains a high priority for the Hawkeye State. So we applaud Governor Reynolds for proposing the Invest in Iowa Act and […]
The sales tax is getting a lot of attention as a result of Governor Kim Reynolds Invest in Iowa Act. One phase of this Act calls for a one cent sales tax increase. Three-eighths of it would be for the purpose of funding the voter approved Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. In addition, the remaining five-eighths of the […]
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Iowans Deserve a Better Tax System Now Last year, Iowa’s robust tax reform took a giant step toward reducing burdensome taxes on families and businesses. Unfortunately, many Iowans may never see the benefits of that overhaul because the new law hamstrings its best features, tying them to future revenue benchmarks or “tax triggers” that Iowa may never reach. Those arbitrary […]
A businessman in Sioux City recently stated it very plainly to us: “We have stores in seven states. Iowa is more expensive for property taxes than any other.” Iowans are, for the most part, hardworking, friendly, and willing to help a stranger in need. Many call this “Iowa nice.” However, our state’s tax code has been ranked as one […]
Sour grapes! Iowa has the fourth highest tax on wine in the nation. When considering wine, Iowa may not necessarily be the first region connoisseurs think about. However, Iowa’s wine industry does have an economic impact in our state. Iowans and tourists often visit one of nearly 100 wineries and the state government taxes wine at $1.75 per gallon, […]
Property tax bills might increase from valuation growth more than the promised reduction from increasing the sales tax. Many property owners in Polk County received a shock recently as they opened their new property tax assessments. Assessments in Polk County increased from 7.1 percent in Johnston to 11.6 percent in Des Moines. Numerous property owners saw a 10 percent […]
There are renewed calls for a cigarette tax increase, despite evidence that sin taxes fall short in revenue generation and in their attempt at social engineering. Once again anti-smoking advocates are calling for a tax increase in Iowa, this time to the tune of $1.50 more on each pack of cigarettes. A cigarette tax is a sin tax; sin taxes are […]
How does Iowa compare with the other 49 states and Washington, D.C.? The individual income tax rate, corporate income tax rate, sales tax rate all as of January 1, 2019, and property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value for CY 2016 are ranked from 1 to 51 with 1 being the lowest and 51 the highest. Individual […]
As Iowa’s tight budget situation lingers, the call for additional revenue sources continues to grow. The Des Moines Register recently published an editorial advocating a tax increase on beer to fund various programs and law enforcement efforts to deal with alcohol-related issues. The editorial board argued that a higher beer tax would discourage drinking and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Iowa currently […]
The Des Moines Register recently suggested that Iowa should consider imposing a new tax on soda and other sugary drinks. It is assumed that this tax may be able to help solve two problems. The first is to generate more revenue for state government, and the second is to fight obesity. Any potential debate over a soda tax should serve […]