The Watchdog
A weekly legislative update of Iowa Legislature activities, e-mailed and faxed to members during the Iowa legislative session.
Current Issue
2008 Session Ends with Unprecedented Spending Increases and Loss of Local Vote on School Infrastructure Tax - May 12, 2008
Previous Issues
- School Tax Increase (House File 2663) Hangs by a Thread: Senate Republicans to Offer Bipartisan Compromise on Monday - April 18, 2008
- House Rejects Constitutional Protection for School Building Funds: Votes to Raise Taxes on 13,000 Iowa Businesses by Over $40 Million - April 11, 2008
- Proposed Tax Legislation Would Bury Taxpayers with New Local Option Taxes and Massive Tax Shifts: Voter Approval Not Required - April 4, 2008
- Fate of Collective Bargaining Bill in the Balance: New Research Shows - March 28, 2008
- House Ways and Means Committee Votes to Make Local Option Sales Tax a Permanent State Tax and Rejects Constitutional Protection - March 21, 2008
- Rich States, Poor States: Iowa Ranks 27th in Economic Outlook Based on New Analysis by the American Legislative Exchange Council - March 14, 2008
- Voters in Scott and Muscatine Counties Approve Extensions of Local Option Tax for School Infrastructure: The Current System Works! - March 7, 2008
- State Auditor David Vaudt Says Governor Culver’s Proposed State Budget “Maxes Out” Iowa’s Charge Cards: Predicts Tough Times Ahead. - February 29, 2008
- Governor Culver Opens the Door to Spending Statewide Sales Tax Dollars on Teacher Salaries and Other Needs: Was There Ever Any Doubt? - February 22, 2008
- House Education Committee Votes to Make the Local Option Sales Tax a Permanent State Tax and to Raise Taxes on Car Purchases - February 15, 2008
- The Subprime Prison: Governor Culver Proposes New Prison at Fort Madison using Interest Only Revenue Bonds - February 8, 2008
- Iowans for Tax Relief Mourns the Passing of Senator Richard Drake: - February 1, 2008
- Battle Over Control of School Infrastructure Funds Renewed: Iowans for Tax Relief Works to Save Your Right to Vote! - January 25, 2008
- “Non refundable deposit”: Governor Culver invents new term to justify $40 million tax increase! - January 18, 2008
- 10% Across the Board Tax Cut Reaches 10 Year Anniversary: New Research Shows Tax Cut Worked to Grow Iowa - October 29, 2007
- OWE BACK TAXES TO THE STATE?: Take Advantage of Iowa’s Tax Amnesty Program from September 4th through October 31st. - August 27, 2007
- SCHOOLS IN: Do You Know Where Your Tax Dollars Are? Taxpayers Spent Nearly $10,000 Per Student for K-12 in 2007. - August 21, 2007
- Voters in Polk, Warren, and Dallas County Send a Message: Iowans Have No Stomach for Tax Increases - July 11, 2007
- WARNING: April Revenues Below Estimates for First Time in FY2007 — New Cigarette Tax NOT Raising Anticipated New Revenue - May 18, 2007
- Iowans for Tax Relief Thwarts Last Ditch Effort to Raise State Use Tax by $100 Million and Take Away Your Right to Vote on Local School Tax - May 1, 2007
- House Ways and Means Committee Strips New Tax on Personal Digital Downloads from Department of Revenue Legislation - April 20, 2007
- Taxpayers, Labor Unions, and Business Groups All Agree: Statewide Sales and Use Tax for Schools (HF 854) is BAD Public Policy! - April 13, 2007
- Second Funnel Means Little Action on Ways and Means Legislation. Fiscal Note Shows Government Union Membership Smaller Than Thought. - April 6, 2007
- Do You Have Delinquent Tax Liabilities to the State of Iowa? New Legislation Would Create Amnesty Period for Penalty Free Payment. - March 30, 2007
- State Revenue Continues to Grow Beyond Expectations: This is No Time for Tax Increases - March 23, 2007
- Governor Culver Signs Legislation to Increase Taxes on Cigarettes, Moist Snuff, and other Tobacco Products - March 16, 2007
- House Education Committee Votes to Make $390 Million Sales Tax Permanent: Eliminates Your Right to Vote on Local Option Tax - March 9, 2007
- Slow Week for Tax Issues as Legislative Funnel Nears: State Fact Book Sheds Light on Iowa’s Fiscal Picture - March 2, 2007
- BUDGET IMBALANCE!!: State Auditor David Vaudt Says Governor Culver’s Budget Out Spends State Revenue by Nearly $300 Million - February 23, 2007
- Steady Iowa Economy Shows Strength in State Revenue Growth: No Justification for Tax Increases in Governor’s Budget - February 16, 2007
- Iowans for Tax Relief Launched Program to Keep Federal Deductibility: Iowa Legislators Hear from Thousands of Iowans! - February 9, 2007
- Governor Culver’s Budget Increases Real Spending by 10.5% and Proposes nearly $180 Million in Tax Increases - February 2, 2007
- New Poll Shows Iowans Strongly Support Keeping Their Right to Deduct Federal Income Taxes on Their Iowa Returns - January 26, 2007
- Governor Culver’s Property Tax Commission Delays Approval of Final Report. Residential Rollback Freeze Still on the Table - January 19, 2007
- House and Senate Ways and Means Committees Welcome New Leaders: New Priorities Outlined - January 12, 2007