“Over the long term, the late-session deals may force lower expectations in Iowa for critical services. Forward steps were clear: The Medicaid expansion will address needs and protect state revenues, while the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion is an important but small nod to a more equitable income-tax structure.
The property-tax reform package, however, will be costly and will challenge cities, counties and schools to deliver what Iowans have come to expect.”
Read Iowa Fiscal Partnership statement. 5/23/13 NEW!
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It's Christmas for Walmart and McDonald's, which will happily receive property-tax breaks that they don't need, while their low-wage employees receive a better Earned Income Tax Credit. In the balance of who benefits from this package, the long-needed EITC boost is a very small ornament.
Read Iowa Fiscal Partnership statement. 5/16/13
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Property-tax reduction plans in the Iowa House and Senate are costly to local and state services and offer an unnecessary break to businesses.
Read Iowa Fiscal Partnership policy brief. 4/24/13
See The Des Moines Register editorial. 4/29/13
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Iowa’s total nonfarm job numbers were unchanged from the previous month, which illustrates how our pace has slowed from 2011 and 2012 — which were not robust years for job growth. IPP's Heather Gibney notes that job deficits from the recession are shrinking, but that as population has increased since then, the demand for jobs is greater.
Read our monthly Iowa JobWatch statement. 5/17/13
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The continued growth of Iowa’s business tax expenditures is largely the result of new or expanded credits, increased spending without accountability, sizable uncapped credits and limited review by lawmakers.
Read Iowa Fiscal Partnership policy brief. 4/16/13
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The largest recipients of a state research credit shared $28.5 million in subsidy checks as some or all paid no income tax in 2012, according to a new report from the Iowa Department of Revenue.
Read our news release or the Department of Revenue report 2/15/13
Hear IPP's Mike Owen discuss this issue with KVFD's Mike Devine on "The Devine Intervention" 2/20/13
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One out of every six Iowa households benefits from the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, bringing $412 million into the state economy in 2010 alone.
The greener the spots on the map at right, the greater the use of the credit by moderate- and low-income working families.
Read Iowa Fiscal Partnership Backgrounder. 5/14/13 NEW!
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How much working families need a boost from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can be seen in light of the actual costs of raising a family in Iowa.
Read our Iowa Fiscal Partnership Backgrounder. 4/5/13
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“The announcement that MidAmerican Energy Company will install more than another thousand megawatts of wind power is great news.”
Read our statement from IPP Executive Director David Osterberg. 5/8/13
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Opponents of expanding renewable energy often claim that new, safe and clean electricity is all very nice but it just costs too much. Let’s look at the data.
Read our policy snapshot. 3/18/13
Hear IPP's David Osterberg discuss this issue with KVFD's Mike Devine on "The Devine Intervention" 3/20/13
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For the past 35 years many beverages sold in the state of Iowa have included a container deposit of 5 cents to encourage recycling of glass, specific plastic and cans. More containers would be covered under legislation that still might be considered in the 2013 session of the General Assembly.
Read IPP Backgrounder. 5/2/13
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Once upon a time, not so long ago, Iowa was among the leading states with its minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for non-tipped workers. That was then. This is now.
Read our policy brief 3/5/13
Hear IPP's David Osterberg discuss this issue with KVFD's Mike Devine on "The Devine Intervention" 3/6/13
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