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| Closing the Deals: Watch for Lasting Impacts of 2013 Session | |
| Property-Tax Deal Will Be Costly; EITC, Medicaid Expansions Positive | |
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“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 IFP statement from Peter Fisher 5/23/13 | |
| Who Does Best in Property-Tax Deal? Hint: It's Not Working Families | |
| 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. Business tax benefits in the deal are 10 times the benefits to working families from the EITC.
Read IFP statement from Peter Fisher 5/16/13 | |
| Before the late-session deal that combined them, costly property-tax reduction plans in the Iowa House and Senate took different approaches that affected big and small businesses differently.
Read IFP news release or report 6-pg PDF 4/24/13 | |
| How the Earned Income Tax Credit Hits Home in Iowa | |
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| Amid Plans to Relax Limits, Business Tax Credits Grow | |
| 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 IFP policy brief or download 5-pg PDF 4/16/13 | |
| Gov's Medicaid Expansion Alternative Might Not Conform to Federal Law | |
| A new report explains why two areas of Governor Branstad's “Healthy Iowa Plan” make it unlikely to be approved by federal officials.
Read the IFP policy brief by Mary Nelle Trefz (7-page PDF) or our news release 3/21/13 NEW! “We know that for low-income individuals, cost-sharing and premiums are a significant barrier to maintaining coverage.” — Mary Nelle Trefz, Iowa Fiscal Partnership. | |
| Commercial Property Taxes: Reform First | |
| The annual debate about commercial property taxes in Iowa is under way, and once again the discussion ignores the larger picture — that overall business taxes in Iowa are below average among states — and fails to consider reforms that should be addressed first.
Read the IFP policy brief by Peter Fisher or download 2-pg PDF 2/28/13 “If Iowa is to make changes in its property tax treatment of commercial and industrial property, the first thing it should do is look to finance the cost of these changes through closing existing tax loopholes and subsidies.” — Peter Fisher, Iowa Fiscal Partnership. | |
| Who Doesn't Pay Iowa Taxes but Gets Big Checks? RAC Report Doesn't Say | |
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| Who Pays Iowa Taxes? Lower, Middle Income Pay Greater Share of Income | |
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| Selling Snake Oil to the States — Why to Beware ALEC's Policy Ideas | |
 A new study finds that state tax and regulatory policies recommended by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) fail to promote stronger job creation or income growth, and actually predict a worse performance.
Read full report PDF or news release 11/28/12 ALEC is defending its shoddy analysis; our experts show why they're wrong. Read backgrounder or as 3-pg PDF 2/11/13 NEW! | |
| Condition of the State: A Missed Opportunity | |
| Governor Branstad’s Condition of the State address missed an opportunity to bring a spotlight to several critical issues, including greater accountability on corporate tax breaks.
Read the IFP statement by Peter Fisher or download 1-pg PDF 1/15/13 “Corporate tax credits in Iowa are excessive and unaccountable, and the Governor did not offer a solution to the giveaway mindset that dominates Iowa public policy toward corporations." — Peter Fisher, Iowa Fiscal Partnership. | |
| Children and the Farm Bill | |
 Decisions in the lame-duck session of Congress can have big impacts on children in Iowa and across the country as lawmakers hammer out differences on nutrition assistance — including Food Stamps — that were evident between House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill.
Read IFP policy brief or download 3-pg PDF 11/13/12 NEW! | |
| Giving to the Rich, Taking from the Poor and Middle | |
| Extending tax breaks for 40 Iowa families inheriting multimillion-dollar estates is a bad idea, especially when combined with other proposals that would end tax improvements used by over 86,000 families just to get by.
Read IFP news release or download 1-pg PDF 10/16/12 “It’s not fair, it’s poor fiscal policy and it’s not good for the economy." — David Osterberg, Iowa Fiscal Partnership. | |
| Stubborn Issues Dog Iowa: Poverty, Stagnant Income, Insurance Access | |
| New Census data illustrate stubborn issues for Iowans in gaining health insurance coverage and better incomes, and breaking free of poverty. Read IFP news release or download 2-pg PDF 9/12/12 "When over 300,000 people cannot get health insurance in our state, it is no time to be turning back efforts to increase access." — Peter Fisher, Iowa Fiscal Partnership. |
An annual report on the state's Research Activities Credit shows big companies get big tax breaks from the state for research activities, but much is left to ponder. Would they do the research anyway? And which ones aren't paying any income taxes while picking up $33 million in checks? 
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