Issues Facing Iowans
Learn Where Bill Gustoff Stands on Critical Issues Facing Iowa Families Today
Fighting for Faith, Family, and Freedom in Iowa
Reducing the Tax Burden
In 2021, Iowa started on a course to eliminate the Iowa "death tax" on heirs by 2025. In quick and decisive action during the 2022 legislative session, a new law tax law will move Iowa from the 13th highest in the nation for its state-local tax burden to the 4th lowest of states that impose an income tax! In the 2023 session, we passed legislation to reduce property taxes by over $100 million, with much of that targeted to benefit senior citizens and veterans. Governor Reynolds and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are making great strides to improve the tax climate in Iowa, yet we all agree there is room for improvement. Tax burdens need to be lower still. Iowa should reduce property taxes and join those states that actually had growing economies in the last recession because they have no state income tax. Just as Iowa led the nation economically into and out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can lead in relieving Iowans' tax burden.
Strengthening Iowa's Business Environment
Ronald Reagan once said, "You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.” Washington is not the only place that needs less government for small businesses and individuals to flourish--Iowa has room to cut the size of government, too. The 2023 legislative session passed the most comprehensive restructuring of Iowa government in decades, reducing 37 state agencies to 16 with a projected savings to Iowa taxpayers of at least $214 million over four years! Government programs, tax credits, and regulations should come with sunsets that require them to be reviewed and renewed if they prove useful. Those that overburden our people and businesses should be allowed to expire or changed to function as intended. Small business is the heartbeat of our economy, and Iowa needs to continue as a national leader while always looking to strengthen our small business culture.
Protecting Life, Liberty, and Freedom
“Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." No doubt you recognize that as our state motto, and a motto like that requires leadership that will pursue and protect individual freedom and limit the reach of government into our lives. Bill believes that it is essential to protect the unborn and vulnerable in society, parents should be empowered to make the best choices for their children, business owners should be left to determine how to run their businesses, and that any law impacting individual constitutional rights must be narrowly tailored to be the least burdensome approach to accomplish a compelling state interest. Iowa has proven itself to be one of the freest states in the nation during the pandemic, and we must be vigilant to protect our freedoms. Iowa families deserve no less.