Whose Budget Comes First? Iowa's Property Tax Debate

Vote Yes: The Campaign to Protect Iowa Taxpayers Is Official

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library — John rolls in with a red solo cup of cream soda, and the energy is right. This one's worth tuning in for. The big news: ITR officially launched its campaign yesterday. The website is live at MakeTaxHikesHarder.com. The mission is straightforward — make sure Iowans know the constitutional amendment is on the ballot this fall, and know to vote yes. Chris walks through what the amendment does and why it matters. From there, New Jersey's admission that over 6,000 noncitizens were added to its voter rolls — and 400 of them voted — gives Chris and John an opportunity to revisit the election integrity debate. Governor Reynolds was asked about it at the same press conference where she signaled support for the amendment, and her answer hits the right notes. The episode closes with two Chicago Tribune editorials on tax policy that John flagged — both making the case that Illinois is falling behind its neighbors on property tax and income tax reform, and that spending is the root of the problem. When the Tribune editorial board starts sounding like ITR, something might actually be changing. 0:13 Red solo cup 2:31 Campaign launch: MakeTaxHikesHarder.com 3:08 What the amendment does 5:59 16 states already have this — including blue ones 7:48 Washington state: what happens without it 9:39 History: this was on the ballot in 1999 10:14 What the amendment doesn't do 11:35 Public support 12:16 Two things Iowans need to know before November 14:41 Iowa's decade of income tax progress 15:08 New Jersey: 6,000 noncitizens on the voter rolls 17:11 The case for voter roll integrity 18:05 Chris's University of Iowa panel story 20:07 Chicago Tribune on property taxes and Illinois 22:13 Tribune on income taxes: Iowa as the model 26:03 Sign off & vote yes

Faith, Patriotism, and the Fight Over Iowa's Ballot

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library — Dr. Pepper Zero firmly in hand — for a wide-ranging episode covering American patriotism, election integrity, faith in politics, and Iowa voter registration trends. The episode opens with a reflection on America's 250th birthday. Chris wanted more. The fireworks, the parades, the national moment — it didn't feel commensurate with what 250 years of the greatest experiment in self-government deserves. John connects the muted celebration to decades of failure to teach American history, and the two discuss why the left's framework for America — defined by grievance rather than gratitude — is increasingly out of step with how the rest of the world sees this country. From there, a Des Moines Register story catches their attention: a coalition of faith leaders warning that voting integrity laws are "the moral issue of our time." Chris and John take that claim seriously — and find it wanting. The conversation gets at something deeper than any specific piece of legislation: when social justice becomes the gospel, what happens to the actual gospel? The back half covers Iowa's new voter registration numbers — Democrats and Republicans both added voters coming out of the primaries, while independents declined — and what that tells us about Rob Sand's argument for a jungle primary. Spoiler: it doesn't hold up. The episode closes with a clear distinction between what conservatives mean when they talk about election law versus what the left is actually proposing, and a reminder to flip your ballot over this fall and vote yes on the constitutional amendment. 0:10 Welcome 1:09 Trivia 3:16 Smithsonian: correcting the American history narrative 5:23 Fourth of July rhetoric from the left 9:10 America at 250 16:48 Faith leaders and voting rights 18:35 The Save Act and voter ID 22:21 When social justice becomes the gospel 26:53 Iowa voter registration numbers 28:39 Sand's jungle primary argument falls apart 30:45 Election law reform vs. what the left actually wants 34:07 Reform vs. revolution 35:06 Candidates on taxes — next episode 35:32 Vote yes & sign off

New ITR Foundation Poll: Iowa's Races, Issues, and a Big Amendment Number

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library for a special episode: the first public look at the ITR Foundation's June 2026 general election poll. These are, as far as Chris knows, the first published numbers of the cycle on Iowa's major statewide races — and the results are worth paying attention to. The poll covers the generic ballot, issue priorities, candidate matchups in all three major statewide races, and — most importantly for ITR — the constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds legislative supermajority to raise income taxes. Chris and John walk through what the numbers say, what they mean, and what they don't. The headline from the amendment question: 74% of Iowans support it — higher than in any previous poll — including 72% of independents and 60% of Democrats. Chris makes the case that whatever the margin of error, whatever the exact sample, the underlying message is unambiguous: Iowans want protection from future tax increases, and they want it written into the constitution. Tune in for the full breakdown of the governor's race numbers (closer than most Republicans assume), the Senate and AG matchups, and what the issue priority data says about the environment heading into November.0:14 Welcome & housekeeping1:46 Trivia: Coolidge answer & new Civil War question3:25 Iowa Dept. of Revenue income tax report4:55 About the ITR Foundation poll & Cygnal methodology9:17 Right track / wrong track & generic ballot10:55 Top voter issues: economy, taxes, immigration14:35 US Senate: Hinson vs. Turek15:27 Governor: Lahn vs. Sand15:47 Attorney General: Bird vs. Williams17:00 Sand's name ID advantage — and its limits20:38 The constitutional amendment explained22:13 74% support — breaking down the numbers24:00 Why the amendment resonates across party lines28:25 ESA / school choice numbers31:45 What it all means heading into November34:31 Sign off

Week in Review: Opening Attacks, ESA "Audits", and the Electoral College

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library for a week-in-review episode — Chris flying without his Dr. Pepper Zero. Trivia wraps last week's Smoot-Hawley question and a new one goes out just in time for Independence Day: what president was born on July 4th? The episode opens on the Ian Roberts saga — the KCCI interview, the body cam arrest footage, and the stubborn contingent of Iowa liberals still defending him. From there, a quick take on the Iran ceasefire deal: $300 billion, sanctions relief, and a memorandum of understanding that raises more questions than it answers. Senator Joni Ernst wants to know where the money is coming from, and Chris and John share the concern. The back half turns to Iowa. Rob Sand's residency hit on Zach Lahn gets dissected — Chris sees it as an act of desperation that wastes the political capital Sand needs to actually define his candidacy. Sand's self-described "audit" of the Iowa Students First (ESA) program draws an equally pointed response: it's a partisan press conference, not an audit, and private school families across Iowa are paying attention. John closes with a piece he authored on the Electoral College and its importance to rural states — prompted by Virginia's governor signing on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The episode ends with a preview of what will become a regular theme between now and November: vote yes on the constitutional amendment to make it harder to raise taxes in Iowa. 0:12 Welcome & housekeeping 1:44 Trivia: Smoot-Hawley answer & July 4th question 4:36 Ian Roberts KCCI interview and arrest footage 7:11 Liberals still defending Roberts 9:17 Iran ceasefire deal 12:46 DOGE: what happened to the savings? 14:16 Sand's residency hit on Lahn 18:10 Sand's ESA "audit" 23:35 ESA, private schools, and taxpayer dollars 25:31 ITR poll coming soon 26:05 John's Electoral College article 27:26 Virginia joins National Popular Vote Compact 30:35 Jungle primaries and left-wing election changes 33:28 Constitutional amendment — vote yes this fall

Lahn and Sand Pick Their VP — What the Picks Say

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library with a packed episode covering Iowa's fast-moving post-primary political landscape. Both gubernatorial candidates have now selected their running mates: Rob Sand tapped Dave Muhlbauer, a farmer from western Iowa, while Zach Lahn chose State Representative Derek Wulf of Black Hawk County, also a farmer. Chris and John break down the strategy behind each pick, why Wulf stands out as a particularly strong choice for Lahn, and what the selection of two agricultural running mates signals about where both campaigns think the race will be won. The conversation turns to the broader general election dynamics shaping up between Lahn and Sand. Chris and John assess how quickly the Republican Party has consolidated around Lahn, the head start Sand's campaign has built toward a general election operation, and how the scrutiny of a real general election contest may complicate Sand's carefully constructed moderate image. A Republican Party audio drop this week — featuring Sand openly calling for political retribution on judicial nominations — gives the Lahn campaign exactly the kind of contrast material it needs to make the "governor for all Iowans" sell a harder one for Sand. The second half of the episode takes up two policy-driven stories. First, the final report on Iowa's Universal Basic Income pilot — a project run through several central Iowa cities that distributed $500 monthly stipends to participants. The report's conclusions, citing reduced stress and improved "sense of mattering," prompt a pointed exchange about what government is actually for, who's paying, and why local governments have no business engineering social outcomes with taxpayer dollars. Chris and John connect this directly to Iowa's property tax problem and the fiscal absurdity of local governments playing philanthropist. Finally, a Des Moines Register story on the city of Des Moines reconsidering its tax incentive programs — including TIF and property tax abatements — gives Chris and John a chance to explore when these tools have merit and when they're simply political ribbon-cutting at taxpayer expense. 0:13 Welcome & housekeeping 2:24 Trivia: Laddie Boy & Smoot-Hawley 5:01 Correction & running mate announcements 5:52 Sand picks Muhlbauer, Lahn picks Derek Wulf 8:22 Why Wulf is a strong pick for Lahn 10:32 GOP consolidation & Lahn's general election ramp-up 12:22 Sand's media advantage and the contrast campaign ahead 13:37 Sand audio drop & turning him into a generic Democrat 14:34 Andy Beshear visits Iowa — 2028 implications 15:32 Iowa's UBI pilot: background and ITR's role 18:15 Dissecting the report — who pays for "feeling mattered"? 21:22 UBI, local government overreach, and property taxes 25:59 Des Moines reconsiders TIF and tax incentives 28:05 When incentives work — and when they're ribbon-cutting 30:33 Free market vs. government-directed development 33:28 Sign off