One of ITR's Five Principles of Sound Tax Policy states that Iowa’s tax code should be fair and not favor one group of taxpayers at the expense of another. But, this principle does not mean taxpayers should not take advantage of every opportunity to reduce their tax bill. The property tax reform legislation recently signed by Governor Reynolds will directly cut tax bills for seniors and veterans. Below are details of who qualifies and what they need to do: https://itrfoundation.org/seniors-dont-miss-out-on-your-new-property-tax-relief/ ITR Live also comes back to our regular feature "What Did John See on KCCI?" with a special report on a recent town hall meeting with the State Auditor. And topping off this wide-ranging episode is a classic John Hendrickson rebuke of free trade.

The "Gold Standard" of Iowa political podcasts is live from Studio 130 for another action-packed fun-filled episode. The big issue we examine today is "What did John see last night on the KCCI news?" Should Iowa students be recognized for their achievement, and do merit-based rewards matter? We also learn that construction of the Des Moines Buccaneers' new home is delayed despite being fueled by tens of millions of dollars in public tax incentives. What cautionary tale should be learned? Because there is simply too much to cover, we tackle it all in our lightning round segment, including Ron DeSantis vs. Nikki Haley, the IRS investigation over Hunter Biden, Trump promising to release the JFK files, and President Biden finally drawing a larger crowd than Donald Trump.

ITR Live revisits the issue of whether or not Iowa is the "Florida of the North." Maybe it should instead be asked if Florida is the "Iowa of the South?" Which state has a better record of conservative reform over the past several years? This week, special counsel John Durham released his report on the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Much of what had been accepted as true on the Trump/Russia collusion is now shown to have been completely fabricated.

Chris is on the microphone in this episode to help John work through his disappointment at not being invited on the Greater Des Moines Partnership's trip to Washington DC. Did any aspiring Presidential candidates speak to this group of central Iowa local officials? Chris and John move on to with a look at some of the early Republican Presidential television ads. If these ads are the candidate's opening arguments, how are they positioning themselves?

Another round of drama with the federal debt ceiling, and ITR Live is here to try and make some sense out of the situation. Or maybe it's simply a therapy session for how terrible things might get from here. https://itrfoundation.org/bidens-budget-battles/ But things work a lot better here in Iowa. John Hendrickson has written about the fiscal responsibility of how Iowa budgeted this year. Finally, what about the looming Presidential election? We take a trip through a recent ABC News/Washington Post Poll which has some very dire numbers for President Biden as he begins his campaign for re-election.

Alan Ostergren from the Kirkwood Institute is back in studio to give his own take on the legislature's property tax bill this year, and a not-too-early look at what he sees as further conservative reform opportunities next year.

We're with the Ace Tomato Company, with an update on the construction taking place in the courtyard outside the ITR Live studio. Is it a new patio, or a secret underground military installation? The legislature has also finished constructing their property tax bill for this year. What is in the bill, what is thankfully omitted from the final agreement, and what do we really wish they would have added in the end?

ITR Live has discussed the need for a direct notification system of pending hearings that impact our property tax bills. Now we take a deeper look at what these hearings should look like and when they should be held. The current system is a bit of a mess, and Sarah Curry is in studio with the results of her research in the current system. Chris and Chris also engage in an in-depth analysis of Texas Roadhouse's dinner rolls.

President Joe Biden made his Presidential reelection announcement today, and ITR Live is here with a rapid reaction. Biden says repeatedly that he wants to "finish the job", but what exactly does he mean? Based on his policy agenda over the first part of his Presidency, would it be more accurate to say Biden wants a second term to "finish us off?" Chris, Chris and John also take a look at a couple of significant changes in the media, with the departure here in Iowa of Dave Price from WHO-TV in Des Moines, and Fox News Channel parting ways with Tucker Carlson.

The Iowa House and Iowa Senate have passed their separate bills addressing the issue of property taxes in the state of Iowa. Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back to help bring some understanding to these two different proposals. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each plan and what are the prospects for reaching an agreement between the two chambers? A key difference that Chris and John explore is the House's plan to shift money out of the Taxpayer Relief Fund into the School Foundation Aid formula.

With just eight days left on the calendar until the scheduled adjournment date of the 2023 legislative session, House Republicans and Senate Republicans each have new bills dealing with the issue of property taxes. ITR Live is here to help make sense of one new component in each proposal: Direct Notification. This concept would help Iowa taxpayers get property-specific information about their property tax bill, and also provide details on when and where to show up for their local public budget hearing. We also take a look at the budget differences between the two chambers, and what it might take take to wrap up the session. Are the two sides all that far apart? Here is the link to the full article on Truth-in-Taxation: https://itrfoundation.org/truth-in-taxation-would-benefit-iowa-taxpayers/

The ITR Foundation Poll reveals that Iowans support limitations on what local governments can spend as a way to reduce property taxes. Iowans overwhelmingly understand that our country is off on the wrong track. Iowa taxpayers and small businesses have struggled to recover from the pandemic and the impact of high inflation. President Biden’s tax increases would be especially harmful to Iowa’s Main Street businesses and compound an already fragile economy. Read John Hendrickson and Matt Everson's recent article here: https://itrfoundation.org/president-bidens-budget-threatens-main-street/

The latest edition of the ITR Foundation Poll is here. Chris and Chris go through some of the more interesting results, which contain a way-too-early look at the 2024 Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus and the 2024 general election. This latest poll contains a hypothetical rematch between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump. Also, this installment of the ITR Foundation Poll has the first look at a potential matchup between President Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Iowans are becoming increasingly frustrated at their property tax burden, which was put into overdrive this week as property tax assessment notices are landing in mailboxes across Iowa. John has a quick look at results results from truth-in-taxation efforts in other states, and Chris wants to have a chat about what is really driving your property tax bill (hint: it's not the assessed value).

Equipment upgrades, construction updates and inexplicable laughter on this episode of ITR Live. Chris, Chris and John have a free-wheeling look at a new tax ranking for Iowa (spoiler alert: Property taxes are too high). The guys also have an update on what's going on with the "entertainment district" bill which is a straight-up tax increase and moving quickly through the Iowa House. Finally, does the indictment of President Trump help or hurt him? Is this the beginning of the end for Trump, or does it help him solidify a third Republican nomination for President?

Alan Ostergren from the Kirkwood Institute is back on the program, becoming ITR Live’s first three-time guest. Alan has in-depth analysis of the Iowa Supreme Court’s recent decision in LC Power v. State of Iowa, which could have wide-reaching implications for how the Legislature conducts business, and possibly for the separation of powers between the branches of government.

Chris, John and John are back to discuss two new bills running through legislature that could provide meaningful new protections for Iowa taxpayers. SSB1207 and HSB232 are identical bills that each contain two new proposed Iowa constitutional amendments. The first proposal is a requirement for a 2/3rds vote of the legislature for any new income tax increase. The second proposal would constitutionally protect the Taxpayer Relief Fund to make sure it could only be used to cut taxes. These both seem like good ideas, but John has a few lingering questions that should be considered. In part 2 of this episode, Chris has an in-studio interview with Daniel Dew of Pacific Legal Foundation who was in Iowa this week to help advance a bill that brings fairness to individual Iowans when they challenge the administrative branch's rule-making. You can learn more about PLF here: https://pacificlegal.org/

A recent article in the Washington Post laments Iowa's recent shift to the right politically, and claims that Iowa is now the "Florida of the North." The ITR Live Crew of uneducated hillbillies from flyover country discuss whether or not that is the insult it was intended to be. John walks through numbers from the recent Revenue Estimating Conference, and how the stage is set for even more work on tax relief. Maybe liberal states should think about becoming the coastal version of Iowa. John's recent Op-Ed on Iowa's fiscal strength: https://www.thecentersquare.com/iowa/article_712540dc-c7f4-11ed-93fa-d7340c564699.html More from ITR Foundation on the March REC estimate: https://itrfoundation.org/state-revenue-projections-are-growing/

After the first legislative funnel, ITR Live has an update on the status of major tax issues in this year's legislative session.  The Des Moines Register has new polling which indicates that property tax cuts and elimination of the income tax are both favored by a majority of Iowans. What should taxpayers expect in the remaining weeks of session? ITR's Director of Government Relations, Victoria Sinclair is in studio to give her thoughts on major pieces of legislation still alive for the 2023 session.  She also brings insight on some less appealing bills, and why they merit attention as well.

ITR Live is back with a roundup of this week in Iowa politics, including a review of Tuesday's elections, with ballot measures that failed in Urbandale and Bettendorf. Specifically, we take a look at how ITR information made a difference in the Urbandale election and what happens when voters are given clear information about what these proposals mean to individual property tax bills.   The Iowa caucuses are underway, with multiple candidates visiting Iowa. President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are all in Iowa. The Des Moines Register is out with their first look at the Republican caucus field as well.   John's star continues to rise, as he is taking his podcast celebrity on the national stage.  You can learn more about John's recent appearance on the "Overton Window" here: https://itrfoundation.org/they-delivered-on-what-they-said-they-were-going-to-do/