2014 Iowa Senate Debates: on Tax Reform


Joni Ernst: Make tax code fairer, flatter and simpler: but not FairTax

Ernst said she did not actually embrace the FairTax. Braley accused Ernst of wanting to install a 23% flat sales tax, which she firmly denied. "I have not endorsed any tax plan, so I want to make that very clear," she responded. She said that she supports reform if it makes the tax code "fairer, flatter and simpler." Democrats circulated the transcript of a radio interview in the summer of 2013 in which she seemed to say that she backs the controversial tax.
Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2014

Doug Butzier: Higher taxes on the wealthy are counterproductive to economy

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Higher taxes on the wealthy"?

A: Absolutely not. Counter productive to the economy.

Source: E-mail interview: 2014 Iowa Senate race with OnTheIssues.org Sep 17, 2014

Joni Ernst: Signed Grover Norquist tax pledge: never raise taxes

Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer stepped into Iowa's Senate race Wednesday with an advertisement that accuses Joni Ernst of supporting companies that send jobs overseas. The television ad released by Steyer's NextGen Climate group featuring two men discussing the fact that Ernst has pledged never to vote to raise taxes. The pledge is part of an ongoing campaign by Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, and NextGen says it protects tax breaks for moving jobs out of the country.

"The tax breaks that thing protects are gold," one man says in the first ad. "More outsourcing. China, Mexico, all the way." The men later confirm that Ernst "doesn't care about Iowa jobs."

"The ad urges Iowans to demand Ernst take back her pledge to protect special interests and start putting Iowa's families first," NextGen said in a statement.

Source: The Hill weblog AdWatch on 2014 Iowa Senate race Jul 30, 2014

Joni Ernst: Passed the largest tax cut in Iowa history

Ernst's status as the only elected official in the race can be both an asset and a detriment. During the first debate, it was an asset. The state senator from Red Oak highlighted some of her more conservative votes and pointed to Iowa's ability to get things accomplished, like passing the largest tax cut in state history.
Source: Kevin Hall in Iowa Republican on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Oct 24, 2013

  • The above quotations are from 2014 Iowa Senate Debates.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Tax Reform.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Matt Whitaker on Tax Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Joni Ernst on Tax Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Tax Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 06, 2018