Americans for Prosperity Refocuses Reform Iowa Agenda

(Des Moines, IA) Today, Americans for Prosperity-Iowa is announcing that it will be re-launching their Reform Iowa agenda, a 5 step plan aimed at putting Iowa on track to be an economic leader in the Midwest. Since 2015, the grassroots advocacy group group has been pushing state legislators to adopt their Reform Iowa plan which lays out 5 specific steps that state legislators could take to increase economic growth.

To view the Reform Iowa website, click here.

“Reform Iowa is our policy vision for the state of Iowa and it focuses on creating broad economic growth based on a level playing field with fewer barriers to opportunity.” said Drew Klein, state director for Americans for Prosperity-Iowa. “When we first launched Reform Iowa in 2015, we hoped to spark a statewide conversation. Since then, we have taken our vision directly to Iowans and had in depth discussions about these issues over the phone and on the door steps of citizens across the state. Looking to next month and the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, we believe the stage is set to deliver on these proposals.”

AFP is pressing lawmakers to make progress on the 5 commonsense improvements we’ve laid out in the Reform Iowa agenda. These include:

Step 1: Put students first with education choice & opportunity.

Iowa tends to use a one-size-fits all approach for students – treating gifted and struggling students alike. We understand that every child deserves an education that meets his or her unique needs but access to a better education shouldn’t be based on where a student lives or how much money their parents make.  Iowa students and families deserve greater choice.

Step 2: Spending principles that prioritize Iowa taxpayers.

We may not be the worst offender, but Iowa absolutely has a spending problem. Our state budget is growing too fast, creating a weak and unstable economy for hardworking Iowans. Lawmakers need to find the courage to set real priorities, improve the budgeting process and find smart ways to control spending by eliminating waste and duplications between departments.

Step 3: Make Iowa taxes fairer, more competitive.

Today, Iowa ranks 30th in individual income tax, 49th in corporate income tax and 40th for our overall business tax environment. At the same time, Iowa’s tax code is riddled with handouts and loopholes that put the average family and small business at a disadvantage. Let’s simplify the tax code, cut rates and reduce the tax burden on everyone to ignite real economic growth across the state.

Step 4: Cut red tape to free entrepreneurs & unlock consumer choice.

Good government starts with making sure everyone has the opportunity to pursue their American dream. But here in Iowa, big government red tape and unnecessary regulations are stifling the entrepreneurial spirit, blocking job creation and creating artificial barriers to a better, more prosperous life.

Step 5: Reform state government to protect workers & taxpayers.

We have some great government employees here in Iowa, but Roosevelt’s words still ring true today. “The process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service.” We need to re-examine the relationship between government workers in our state and the taxpayers they serve.  We need greater equity between the public and private sectors of our economy.