Iowans have traditionally valued expanding opportunity, caring for neighbors and a strong sense of fair play. Tax-cut proposals at the Iowa Statehouse from Governor Kim Reynolds and legislative leaders turn these Iowa values upside down. They would drastically restrict revenue needed to fund critical services such as education, health care, public safety and environmental quality. The Senate bill, SSB 3141, would set out to fully eliminate the income tax, which until recently has funded roughly half of the state budget. By targeting benefits to the wealthiest Iowans, the plans would throw an already inequitable tax system further out of balance.
ITEP Work in Action
Advocates and policymakers at the state and federal levels rely on ITEP’s analytic capabilities to inform their debates on proposed tax policy changes. In any given year, ITEP fields requests for analyses of policies in 25 or more states. ITEP also works with national partners to provide analyses of federal tax policy proposals. This section highlights reports that use ITEP analyses to make a compelling case for progressive tax reforms.
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ITEP Work in Action February 12, 2024 Common Good Iowa: Both Governor’s, Senate Plans Worsen Tax Inequalities
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ITEP Work in Action January 4, 2024 Common Good Iowa: Tax Cuts: What’s At Stake for Iowans
The income tax is a way Iowans come together to lay strong foundations that create opportunity and help people thrive. Governor Reynolds and legislative leaders want to eliminate Iowa’s personal income… -
ITEP Work in Action February 10, 2022 Common Good Iowa: New Income Tax Cuts – a Recipe for Disaster and Inequity
Iowa lawmakers have repeatedly cut taxes over the last three decades in ways that provide the greatest benefits to the highest-income taxpayers while ratcheting down investments that historically made the… -
ITEP Work in Action October 17, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Tax Inequity: Iowa’s Continuing Story
Iowa taxes its middle- and low-income families more as a share of income than it does wealthy families, a long-term trend worsened by the 2018 tax overhaul.
The latest “Who Pays” report by the Washington-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), again shows the effect of sales taxes and property taxes on lower-income households tilts Iowa’s overall tax system so the poorest pay the highest percentage in taxes.
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ITEP Work in Action May 5, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Tax Plan Facts vs. Spin
As Iowa lawmakers consider the agreed-upon tax plan developed by Republican leadership and Governor Reynolds, sharp differences are clear from earlier proposals by the Governor and the House Ways and Means Committee.
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ITEP Work in Action April 29, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: IFP’s Tax Policy Kit
IFP’s Tax Policy Kit offers resources for the public, advocates and policy makers who want to better understand the stakes — and sort away the spin — on state tax debates.
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ITEP Work in Action March 19, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Passing Through a Special Break for Wealthiest Filers
The tax bill that recently passed the Iowa Senate included a provision from the recent federal tax cut bill that provides preferential tax treatment for certain kinds of business income earned mostly by the highest income taxpayers. The “Qualified Business Income Deduction” (QBID) provides a 20 percent exemption of that income from the personal income tax.
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ITEP Work in Action March 19, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Passing through a special break
The tax bill that recently passed the Iowa Senate included a provision from the recent federal tax cut bill that provides preferential tax treatment for certain kinds of business income… -
ITEP Work in Action March 16, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Governor’s Plan Sets Stage For Service Cuts
Iowa’s General Assembly opened with promises from legislative leadership and the Governor for tax reform. We noted key opportunities to assure a fairer and sustainable system in a brief report last fall, “Introduction to 2018: What should be part of tax reform? And what should not?”[i] These options remain; some are gaining attention — such as the elimination of federal deductibility and the closing of sales tax loopholes — and some are not.
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ITEP Work in Action March 7, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Governor’s Tax Cut Plan Sets Stage For Service Cuts
Governor Kim Reynolds’ tax proposal trades massive cuts in public services for small savings for lower-income taxpayers, larger savings for high-income taxpayers and few meaningful strides toward fairness in a system that already treats the poor poorly and raises too little revenue to avoid mid-year cuts.
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ITEP Work in Action January 10, 2017 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Understanding Iowa Taxes
The Iowa Fiscal Partnership is pleased to distribute a new report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy: The ITEP Guide to Fair State and Local Taxes. We hope… -
ITEP Work in Action April 6, 2016 Iowa Policy Project: $8.9 million revenue boost with immigration reform
“A new report projects a 24 percent increase in state and local tax revenues from undocumented immigrants in Iowa if they were granted permanent legal residence.” Read full report -
ITEP Work in Action March 6, 2015 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Balanced approach on gas tax
Raising Iowa’s tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by 10 cents per gallon would go a long way toward financing needed street and highway repairs and improvements. Critical needs most… -
ITEP Work in Action July 7, 2014 Iowa Policy Project: Immigrants in Iowa
Undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $64 million in state and local taxes, according to a new Iowa Policy Project report. The authors suggest immigration reform that expands work authorization or… -
ITEP Work in Action January 15, 2013 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Putting Fairness First: Questions for Financing State and Local Government in Iowa
As state legislators close out the 2008 legislative session and confront the tasks of maintaining commitments and investing in Iowa’s future, they will have to deal with a basic question:… -
ITEP Work in Action January 14, 2013 Iowa Policy Project: Undocumented Immigrants in Iowa: Estimated Tax Contributions and Fiscal Impact
This report examines undocumented immigrants in Iowa and their state tax contributions. Undocumented immigration remains a controversial issue in the United States, especially as the failure of federal immigration legislation…