Guest Opinions
October 18 , 2011
fisher Who are the real job creators?
By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register
State and local government is a large and important part of the state economy. And it is the only part that our legislators have real control over. Guest Opinion.
October 5 , 2011
Pirates are safe at Coralville's Iowa River Landing
By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City
If Coralville's plans to pirate Von Maur from Iowa City do not make abundantly clear the need to reform Iowa's TIF law, nothing will. Guest Opinion.
September 17, 2011
Deal with facts when talking of debt reduction
By Mike Owen in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City
To deal with the federal debt debate, one must avoid the distractions and forget about silver-bullet, easy-answer "solutions." Start with a firm foundation of facts, then move forward. What are the pertinent facts about national deficits and debt? Guest Opinion.
September 12, 2011
Wellmark's concerns are premature and misplaced
By Andrew Cannon in The Des Moines Register
In developing a health insurance exchange, the task for Iowa lawmakers is to craft a marketplace that attracts consumers and maintains a level playing field to benefit everyone — not just Wellmark. Guest Opinion.
August 20, 2011
Still waiting for comprehensive, principled tax approaches
By Andrew Cannon in the Sioux City Journal
Sound budgeting principles demand that tax credits are targeted and easy to police, benefit the broader community or economy, and have reasonably accurate cost estimates. The vetoed increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit would have met those standards. Guest Opinion.
August 16, 2011
osterberg Congress needs a Herbert Hoover reminder
By David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register
Lessons for today's policy makers from the experience of Iowa's native-born President. Guest Opinion.
August 12, 2011
fisher What's needed in a holistic take on tax policy
By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
The "comprehensive and holistic" approach the Governor wants for taxes invited his signing of an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, not a veto. Guest Opinion.
August 10, 2011
Governor's veto misses mark
By Lily French in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City
Are we willing to adopt public policy that helps low- and moderate-income working families and the Iowa economy? Guest Opinion.
June 23, 2011
In Iowa, it’s really the budget rhetoric that’s out of control
By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
We can fund quality K-12 and higher education, clean air and water and safe streets. Guest Opinion.
May 22, 2011
Get 'whole story' on Research Activities tax credits
By Mike Owen in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
Fundamental questions about unaccountable tax credits need answers before officials presume to tell us we don’t have enough money to fund education, law enforcement or environmental quality. Guest Opinion.
May 21, 2011
Connecting the dots on access to health care
By Andrew Cannon in The Des Moines Register
At a time when the number of uninsured tops 50 million, some lawmakers are suggesting policies that would only inflate that number and accelerate economic insecurity. Guest Opinion.
May 12, 2011
Truth in labeling on property-tax bill
By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City
If truth in advertising were required of legislation, the property tax bill that just passed the Iowa House would have to be labeled “Homeowners: Pay More for Less.” Guest Opinion.
April 17, 2011
Sales-tax TIFs — a bad gimmick
By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
Iowa should not open the door for any more sales-tax TIFs. Guest Opinion.
April 16, 2011
Tax Day: Our shared commitment
By Andrew Cannon in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City
So much of the rhetoric that surrounds tax day and taxes in general is inflamed by emotion, devoid of fact and not driven by a public spirit. Guest Opinion.
March 13, 2011
Depreciation deduction digs a bigger hole
By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
The recession clearly put a hole in state revenues. But the Iowa Legislature is ignoring the adage: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Guest Opinion.
March 7, 2011
Guest column: Stop insanity of tax cuts and giveaways
By David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register
Once again, lawmakers are proposing big special breaks for business but fundamentally misrepresent who will benefit. It's the big and the wealthy, at the expense of everyone else. Guest Opinion.
January 16, 2011
Health care reform helping small businesses
By Andrew Cannon in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids
Health care reform is working. Though the bulk of the 2010 Affordable Care Act’s provisions won’t go into effect for another three years, the provisions that have are making a difference. Guest Opinion.
December 28, 2010
Don't be fooled into weakening Social Security
By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register
The only threat to Social Security benefits for the present young generation is from those who want to cut their benefits. Guest Opinion.
October 22, 2010
'Iowa Cannot Afford Smaller State Government'
Andrew Cannon in the Des Moines Register

Our health, businesses and children's economic future cannot sustain a further reduction in state services. We need a state government that is adequately funded to help us stay healthy, keep our economy growing, and secure economic opportunity for future generations. See the guest opinion, or download PDF.

August 29, 2010
'Either We Help Most Americans, or Make Grants to the Rich'
David Osterberg in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

Now is no time for new tax cuts for the wealthiest in America. Seven years of preferential treatment for that tiny sliver of society have given us the greatest deficits and debt we have ever seen. See the guest opinion.

August 3, 2010
Tax unearned, untaxed windfalls
By Mike Owen in the Globe Gazette, Mason City
Those who call for repeal of the estate tax want a special exemption for millions and even billions of dollars that in many cases have never been taxed. Guest Opinion.