News outlets across Iowa are reporting on examples of humanitarianism and service during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health emergency. These news stories are documenting the actions that businesses and individuals are providing in this time of crisis. Below are a few of those stories. Sioux City Journal Fareway, Hy-Vee, Walmart awarding …
News outlets across Iowa are reporting on examples of humanitarianism and service during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health emergency. These news stories are documenting the actions that businesses and individuals are providing in this time of crisis. And while this type of reporting is wonderful, it’s not able to include the …
Herbert Hoover, who served as the 31st President of the United Sates, was born in 1874 in the small village of West Branch, Iowa. Growing up he was shaped by his Quaker upbringing. Orphaned at a young age he went to live with an Uncle in Oregon and eventually he …
North Carolina is one of the state’s best prepared to deal with the budget challenges from the new coronavirus outbreak. It also represents the gold standard for state tax reform, and the connection between these two should not be lost. The Tar Heel state has successfully reduced tax rates, while …
In our current situation, prudence is the best fiscal policy. The economic impact of COVID-19 or the coronavirus is still uncertain. This national health emergency has resulted in business closures, unstable markets, and uncertainty as to when Americans can return to normalcy. Prior to COVID-19, the national economy, …
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 …
In Des Moines, PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) on non-profits are being considered to address high property taxes. Should government focus more on additional revenue or fight for less spending? The city of Des Moines is trying to address high property taxes and PILOTs are being considered as a …
Reducing the property burden is a priority for most Iowans. Cities and counties across Iowa are in the process of planning their budgets and holding public hearings. Government spending is at the heart of high property tax rates, and these budget hearings will not just establish what the city or …
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 …
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 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 …
Reforming a state tax code in order to provide relief, economic growth, and create a more competitive economic climate is difficult. A major reason for this difficulty is tax rate reduction is in direct conflict with numerous policy interests that demand new or additional spending. Rather than reducing rates and …
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 …
As a result of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and elimination of numerous job killing regulations, the national economy is growing and states have benefited tremendously from this growth. In 2018 the legislature passed the first major comprehensive tax reform legislation in a decade. Governor Kim Reynolds, in …
Iowa has the highest corporate income tax rate in the country at 12 percent. That rate, combined with the federal corporate tax, totals 29.5 percent. As part of the 2018 comprehensive tax reform law, the legislature lowered the rate. In 2021, the top corporate tax rate will still have four …
In 1934, Iowa enacted the first sales and income taxes to provide property tax relief. Today, nearly a century later, Iowa taxpayers still face the challenge of not only high property taxes, but also income and sales taxes. Between 2000 and 2017, Iowa property taxes increased by more than …
Continue reading “For Property Tax Reform Focus on Spending”
With the federal government eliminating job-killing regulations and the implementation of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it has led to national economic growth. Many states are using this as an opportunity to lower income tax rates. In 2018, Iowa passed legislation that lowered the top individual income tax …
Continue reading “Iowa’s Income Tax Rates Are a Ball and Chain”
Iowa’s top 12 percent corporate income tax is the highest in the nation. In 2018 the Iowa legislature passed a comprehensive tax reform law and the top rate will be lowered to 9.8 percent in 2021. Even at 9.8 percent, Iowa will still have a high corporate income tax rate. …
Tax credits and incentives are often an enticing siren song that lures state and local policymakers. Both are seen as not only necessary for economic growth, but also to help solve a variety of policy problems. Whether at a state or local level, tax credits and incentives often fail to …
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 …
Find the change of enrollment, teachers, and staff in your school district over the last 20 years. Public education in Iowa consumes 55 percent of the state General Fund. On a local level close to 42 percent of property taxes are spent on funding public education. It is a leading …
Direct notification will make local elected officials think twice before increasing property tax rates because they know all citizens will be notified of the increase and its potential impact on their properties. This fall, local governments across Iowa will begin the process of creating their budgets. Local government, whether …
During the first decade of the 21st century Iowa’s population grew by an estimated 3.6 percent. Population is a major concern for Iowa’s policymakers because of the need for workers. Iowa’s low unemployment rate is even surpassed by the vast amount of open jobs that need to be filled. Solving …
Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia have some sort of tax-increment financing program incentivizing companies to do things they otherwise would not do. The concept has merits, but the way it is applied in Iowa and elsewhere has problems. In fact, many local policymakers hate it, but they feel …
State and local politicians all over the country seem to love to dole out tax dollars to big businesses in an effort to get them to locate in their area. While they routinely argue that those subsidies will benefit the local economy, economic research does not support that conclusion. …
