ITR Live: Conservative Iowa Politics

State Representative Bill Gustoff (R-Polk) is our in-studio guest on this episode of ITR Live. Rep. Gustoff is serving his first term in the Iowa House, representing Altoona, Saylor Township and a small part of Ankeny. Bill is a longtime friend and law partner of our host, ITR President Chris Hagenow, and shares his experiences after his first year at the Capitol and also what he's looking forward to in the future.

Rep. Gustoff and John Hendrickson each attended a Presidential campaign event this week. John shares his experiences at Westside Conservative Club where President Donald Trump spoke, while Bill gives a recount of a rally in Clive with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. While the substance of these speeches in important, we get down to the truly important questions. Specifically, which campaign has the best yard sign stakes?

After a much-too-long holiday weekend hiatus, Chris, John and Chris are back in Studio 130 to talk about the deal on raising the federal debt ceiling. The guys talk about how they might vote as members of Congress, and have some back and forth on whether or not this is a good deal for conservatives or taxpayers in general.

The reality is that the problem is so dire and the fiscal hole is so deep, that this bill probably won't have any meaningful impact on the future of the country. At some point, the bill will come due, and there will be real consequences. What might that mean for Iowa down the road when the federal government starts to back up on their promises?

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?

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.

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?

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.  

Recently, Governor Reynolds signed into law the fix to the calculation of residential rollback. During the debate over this bill, several local governments and legislators claimed that this technical fix would cause all sorts of budgets cuts, including police and fire protection.  

Now we know the rest of the story. Kudos to the Des Moines Register (yes, really), for digging into the aftermath of this legislation and asking local governments their actual plans going forward.  It will come as no surprise to ITR Live listeners that none of the cities surveyed said they would cut police and fire protection for their communities.

ITR revisits the conversation about what really needs to happen to give Iowa property taxpayers a break. 

Iowa's most inconsistently-scheduled conservative podcast is back with a roundup of what's going on in Iowa this week. The legislature has passed a fix for the residential property tax rollback calculation.  Several communities across Iowa have local ballot measures coming up on March 7th. ITR Foundation has details of major bond referendums in Iowa. John also has information on which companies are taking advantage of the Research Activities Credit, and is it a benefit to all Iowa taxpayers?

Who is the most loyal listener of the ITR Live podcast?  John knows who, and has a special message for this best friend of the show.  

We continue a series of conversations about property tax reforms and local government in Iowa. Did you know that there are over 30 different unique levies that cities in Iowa can assess?  Sarah Curry is on the the podcast today to help explain how to consolidate some of these levies and begin the process of making Iowa's property tax system more transparent and easier to understand.  

After the news that Iowa Caucuses will no longer be first in the nation for Democrats, John, Sarah and Chris share some thoughts and favorite stories of caucuses past.

When it comes to property taxes in Iowa, who is on the side of the local taxpayer? Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Dawson answers that question with a few choice words from the floor of the Iowa Senate about the work of local government and their taxpayer-funded lobbyists on a bill that would protect individual Iowans from over-taxation.  

But this wasn't Senator Dawson's best work this week. Several new bills in Senate Ways and Means would make huge new progress toward further reducing Iowans' overall income tax burden and begin to simply our dreadfully complicated property tax system.  

Join us on ITR Live for a look at the next step on Iowa's remarkable journey toward lower taxes.

Good news: The school choice movement in Iowa just saw the culmination of ten years worth of work on Educational Savings Accounts. On Tuesday, Governor Kim Reynolds signed HF 58 into law, which establishes universal ESAs in Iowa. After the bill signing ceremony in the Capitol rotunda, Chris Hagenow is back behind the microphone with a recap of the event.  

Bad News: Legendary conservative commentator Pat Buchanan has announced his retirement from writing. John Hendrickson credits Buchanan as his political inspiration and has many thoughts on Buchanan's contribution to the conservative movement over the years.

ITR Live begins this episode on location in Davos Switzerland for John's appearance at the World Economic Forum.  Not only do we kick things off with a special musical treat, but John's message for the globalist neo-liberal glitterati is sure to entertain as well.  

Once again, we are faced with another sky-is-falling bit of drama with the looming federal debt ceiling.  Chris Ingstad brings a brutally honest look at the real issue at hand which is much more perilous. 

But as usual, things are different here in Iowa. We are on the precipice of real school choice in Iowa with the approaching passage of the Students First Act, which will bring universal educational savings accounts to all Iowa students.   

Some Iowans rush to buy groceries before a major winter storm, while  Chris and John instead take to the microphones to discuss regulatory  reform.  Why does reducing government regulation really matter?  Was is  the impact on freedom and opportunity of a burdensome regulatory  climate?  Chris cracks open a cold Dr. Pepper Zero while John provides  some answers.

Iowa's property tax system is not only expensive, it is incredibly complicated as well. Assessments, millage rates, equalization, rollbacks, and the ag-tie - what does it all mean? Chris, John and Sarah are here to help makes some sense out of how we calculate property taxes in Iowa. 

More importantly, how does this inform the conversation about how to reform Iowa property taxes? Should the system be simplified or changed, and is that enough? Regular listeners can probably guess at our main conclusion: Iowa has too much government, and real property tax relief should begin with limiting what local governments can spend.

Chris and John are back to take a look at where conservatives are winning. In Washington DC the jury is still out on the deal struck between the freedom caucus holdouts and new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.  Is simply defunding the new IRS agents enough to satisfy?

In Iowa, conservatives have racked up win after win, and there is almost certainly more to come. What's in store for this legislative session?

We also return to our regular segment on John's new purchases, with a very interesting new book on Herbert Hoover.

After a holiday break, it's a new year and ITR Live is back to work.  Unfortunately, Congress is struggling to to do anything at all. Chris, John and Victoria bring their red-hot takes on Kevin McCarthy and the elusive Speaker's gavel.

Thankfully, it doesn't work like this in Iowa. The 90th Iowa General Assembly convenes on Monday and lawmakers are ready to hit the ground running. What is the first week of the legislature like in Iowa, and what can taxpayers look forward to in the coming session?

On this episode of ITR Live we discuss the recent forecast of the State Revenue Estimating Conference (REC).  The REC projects that the state will continue to collect far more in tax revenue that is needed for the state budget.  The REC estimate also reveals that the 2023 income tax cut is having less of an impact on state revenue collections than originally expected.  The most recent REC numbers are evidence that not only were the 2023 tax cuts responsible, there may be the opportunity to go even further.

One of the main issues of the upcoming 2023 legislative session will be Iowans' property tax burden. Sarah Curry and John Hendrickson have information on new ITR Foundation reports on several policy solutions available to legislators next year.

This fun-filled, action-packed episode of ITR Live is a free-wheeling trip that begins with current conflicts in European monarchies, travels to the end of an election contest in Davenport, Iowa and finishes with the battle between President Biden and Santa Claus.

The Democratic National Committee recent set its 2024 calendar for their presidential nominating process.  The DNC removed Iowa from the early part of the schedule, and putting Iowa's first-in-the-nation status in peril.  ITR Live takes a look at the recent history of the Iowa caucuses and what led to this decision.  Will this make the overall process of electing our President better?  Is this change good for the state of Iowa and what does it mean for the Iowa Democratic Party?

Looking ahead, what does this mean for Iowa Republicans and the contested 2024 nomination for President? 

ITR Live is ready for a big Thanksgiving and we have a free-wheeling, action-packed episode to help you get ready too.  The American Farm Bureau Federation released their annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, which shows a nearly 20% increase from last year in the cost of your thanksgiving dinner. To make ends meet, maybe it's time for American families to finally get rid of green bean casserole and cranberries.

There are still a few remaining recounts happening in Iowa legislative races, but that isn't slowing down preparations for the 2023 Iowa legislative session. Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs have been announced, and what might that mean for conservative reforms next year and beyond?

Following last week’s elections, ITR Live continues to look at what we have learned from the results. Among the many questions that are being posed around the country, we look at where the conservative movement should go from here. Fiscal conservatism clearly works in Iowa and in several other states across the country, and conservative governors in these states were handed convincing re-election victories. Should conservatively run states like Iowa continue on the same path, or should they change their governing philosophies?

Voters in Iowa made their voices hear clearly and decisively. Iowans want to continue on the path of fiscal restraint, lower taxes, and a defense of traditional cultural values. Iowa voters knew exactly what they were voting for when they re-elected Governor Kim Reynolds and expanded the majorities led by Senate Leader Jack Whitver and House Speaker Pat Grassley. This episode responds to a recently Des Moines Register editorial that argues the opposite – that these leaders should change course and no longer advance the conservative, pro-growth policies on which they recently won.

And what about the pending announcement from former President Donald Trump of his plan to seek re-election? Is this a good thing and is the timing right?

How can Iowa count votes so quickly and accurately, but in other states it takes weeks?  ITR takes one more look at election 2022, what is left to be decided in Iowa and across the country.

The ITR Foundation Poll had the most consistent and most accurate data in the 2022 Election. In five of our polls over the course of the last year, we knew what was coming. In every race we tested, we nailed it.

Governor Reynolds’ 19-point margin of victory was nearly identical to what was measured in the final October ITR Foundation Poll.  

Based on our polling data, we knew that Senator Grassley’s re-election was never in doubt.  The average margin in our three polls of this matchup (11.3) was less than one point different from Grassley’s final margin of victory (12.1).

When other polls tried to show Attorney General Tom Miller winning in a blowout, we had it right all along. In February, the ITR Foundation Poll was the first to show Brenna Bird with a lead over Attorney General Tom Miller. In every iteration of our poll, we had this as a very close race.

What time did you go to bed on election night?  The ITR Live crew stayed up way past their bedtimes to watch the election results roll in. On little sleep, Chris, Victoria and John get together to discuss what have we learned so far from the results of Election 2022 in Iowa.  Who won, who lost, and what is still left to be decided. Did anyone's crazy predictions come to pass?  

While the national results were not what many of us expected, the election here in Iowa was a different story. Today's episode of ITR Live takes a look at what happened and attempts to draw some early conclusions about what the election results might mean for the future of our state and our country.

Join ITR Live host Chris Hagenow, John Hendrickson and Victoria Sinclair for a breakdown of Election 2022, specifically what to expect in Iowa’s state legislative races. What are the issues that are behind these campaigns and do they have the right strategy?  Race by race we take a look at what to expect this coming Tuesday night, including each guest bring one big prediction.

ITR Live also has it's first regular segment where we find out what package John received today. It's the new unwrapping/unboxing show that you won't want to miss.  

Voters across Iowa and around the country are ready for a change from President Biden's America.  You can hear it in talking with your friends and neighbors, out in the community and you can clearly see it in public opinion polls. Chris, Chris and John share their own stories of what their experiences and discuss several recently released polls. Voters not only want a change in direction from Washington D.C's progressive liberal agenda, they are excited to re-elect strong conservative leaders like Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.  

Perhaps equally exciting in this episode is John Hendrickson announcing a new book for members of the ITR Live Book Club.

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver is our guest on this episode of ITR Live.  As Majority Leader, Whitver leads the Senate Republican caucus, not just through the legislative session, but during campaign season as well. Senator Whitver discusses the importance of tax policy to the future of our state and why it remains a top issue for the Senate Republican Caucus. 

With just four weeks left until Election Day, Senator Whitver previews the upcoming Iowa Senate elections and what tax issues could be in play when the legislature comes back in January 2023.

Why can't our federal government work more like Iowa?

ITR Live gets together to talk about Governor Reynolds joining other governors in a lawsuit challenging the Biden Administration's student loan forgiven plan.  The conversation then turns to our state's growing budget surplus, and how that stands in stark contrast to the exploding federal debt.  John has further thoughts on how our massive federal debt might impact our nation's future.  

The City of Des Moines plans to give 100% of the revenue from a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district to property developers.  The price tag for this development could reach $1 billion. Is that fair? ITR Foundation President is a student of TIF and has answers to some very basic questions: Is there any evidence to show that this will boost overall economic activity, and are these incentives really necessary?  Will individual taxpayers benefit in any way?

ITR Policy Director Sarah Curry is in studio to talk about how NOT to do property tax relief. Nebraska has a convoluted system of income tax credits meant to offset local property taxes.  Amazingly, the majority of Nebraskans don't even claim the credit.  When it comes to tax policy, simpler is better.  As Iowa looks at property tax relief, what lessons can we learn from our neighbors to the West?

Chris got a new microphone and talks about the event where he got to meet all 11 of our listeners. Chris Ingstad and Sarah Curry join the podcast to talk about the state's revenue outlook and continue the conversation about Iowa's overall economic outlook.

Sarah also provides a preview of her research on the history of Iowa's property tax system (Spoiler alert: It's always been frustrating).  Did you know that Iowa once had a property tax system which involved the use of "Tax Ferrets" whose job it was to investigate individual Iowans to ensure compliance?

You are read ITR Foundation's report on August revenue here: https://itrfoundation.org/state-revenue-in-august-paints-a-positive-picture/

Chris and John provide rapid response as President Biden signs what Washington DC liberals have named the "Inflation Reduction Act". In reality, it will do the opposite - Increasing inflation while trying to engineer our economy to fit their own agenda. And to rub salt in the wound, Democrats are hiring 87,000 new IRS agents to go along with their central planning.

Not everyone wants to or has the ability to purchase an electric vehicle. Some Americans may not want to pay more to heat their home or drive their car. And almost no one is excited at the new army of IRS agents soon to be deployed against the American people. 

From Iowa’s capitol city: “The Hendrickson Group”, an unrehearsed, hastily assembled program presenting inside opinions and forecasts on major (and sometimes minor) issues of the day.

ITR Foundation’s John Hendrickson and his panel of Chris’s come together to discuss Iowa’s ongoing efforts to cut taxes, specifically regarding Iowans’ skyrocketing property tax burden.

With Iowa's primary election in the rear view mirror, it is time to look ahead to the general election.  As part of a series on the upcoming November election, ITR's Chris Hagenow and Victoria Sinclair get together to talk about the battle for control of the Iowa House of Representatives.  While control of the chamber is not believed to be in play, there are undoubtedly several races that will be hotly contested.  Chris and Victoria have crunched the numbers and take an early look at which districts look to become battleground races.

ITR's Chris Hagenow, Chris Ingstad and Ernie Adkison get together to discuss chickens, bounce houses and pressure washers along with a few other random topics.

The results of Iowa's primary elections. Big wins for Republican United States Senator Chuck Grassley and his opponent Micheal Franken. State Senator Zach Nunn wins big and will now be the Republican nominee against Congresswoman Cindy Axne.

The guys spend much of their time on the show discussing several hotly contested primaries for the Iowa House of Representatives. Who are some of these future legislators and how did they win?  

Host Chris Hagenow was recently named President of Iowans for Tax Relief and is joined by new ITR Foundation President Chris Ingstad to discuss their new roles within the ITR family of organizations. The Chris's talk about why the future is bright not only for their organizations, but more importantly for the future of the state of Iowa.   

After explaining the importance of Iowa's upcoming Republican legislative primary elections, the conversation turns to why Iowa's immediate future may not be quite as "bright" as we first thought.