All reports by date

Research Activities Credit cost leaps in 2019 to record $78 million Non-taxpaying companies receive record $53 million in ‘refund’ checks IOWA CITY, Iowa (March 12, 2020) — Iowa businesses large and small made record use of the state’s generous research tax Read more

Governor’s tax plan: Breaking trust with the Trust Fund Plan offers much less than expected — and extras that voters did not seek IOWA CITY, Iowa (Feb. 14, 2020) — Iowa voters should be getting more than Governor Kim Reynolds Read more

Whatever happens on the pension side of this property tax limitation bill, Iowans should not miss the significant consequences for local public services.

Iowa stacks taxes against middle, low-income Iowans Study: New state tax law reinforces long-term trend of regressive taxes Iowa summary sheet (PDF) IOWA CITY, Iowa (Oct. 17, 2018) — Iowa taxes its middle- and low-income families more as a share Read more

Questions for Iowa before adopting the pass-through loophole need answers: Costs of $100 million-plus, benefits to wealthy — some vs. others at the same income.

Do these highly profitable companies need state subsidies? Would Iowa legislators choose these subsidies over funding for education, human services and public safety?

The plan includes some desirable reforms that need not have come at the expense of essential public services that inevitably will have to be cut in the face of revenue losses. It also omits reforms that could enhance Iowa tax fairness. 

Overall the Senate plan would erode revenues, create structural budget deficits for years to come, and force cuts certain to imperil Iowa’s basic infrastructure and traditionally accepted responsibilities for its residents.

Despite chronic revenue shortfalls that have forced a series of mid-year budget cuts, senators are moving a tax-cut bill forward without even an analysis of its impact.