I offer a platform for our current and aspiring legislators below, I call it the Iowa Competitiveness Initiative. We are competing for people, talent and capital with other states, I hope this stimulates good thinking. This platform is compatible with millennial views, but its value crosses all generations and people who want to embrace a stronger economy, better education, civil liberties and good government. With Iowa values, ethics and ingenuity, anything is possible. I would love to hear your thoughts.

IOWA COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE

ECONOMY - EDUCATION - LIBERTIES - GOVERNANCE

Economic Prosperity

• Implement Tax Reform –flat tax, low corporate tax, property tax equity.  
  • Flatten income tax, eliminate loopholes
  • Eliminate Corporate taxation
  • Shift to consumption taxes
• Rationalize regulations, maintain right-to-work, foster entrepreneurship, end crony capitalism
• Invest in prudent public infrastructure to move people, products and information

World-Class Education

• Encourage school choice, fund the student
• Return curriculum and programming control to local levels that encourages innovation, leadership, merit pay and fiscal accountability
• Re-balance funding for Regent institutions - commit to making UNI the preeminent PK-12 institution for teacher training in US.

Civil Liberties

• Preserve, expand and celebrate individual liberty and rights, defend the constitution.
• End the war on drugs, implement sensible solutions for decriminalization
• Stop legislating morality - embrace inclusiveness, choice and social tolerance

Effective Governance

• Properly fund justice department, implement tort reform
• Right-size state spending, drive efficiencies
  • Reduce number of counties, eliminate non-essential programs, institute cost-benefit measures for program justification)
• Strategic regional investments, proven QoL investments
• Environment – institute environmental policies protecting shared resources (water, air, and soil
  • Make polluters pay a lot
• Restore home rule doctrine for all political subdivisions (local versus state control) for labor management, budgets, pensions, intergovernmental cooperation