Don’t Illinois my Iowa

Seven years ago, my family made the move from Illinois to Iowa — and we’ve never looked back. We left behind crushing taxes, overregulation, and a state government more focused on bloated bureaucracy than on everyday working families. We came to Iowa looking for common sense, fiscal responsibility, and a place where families could thrive. Iowa delivered.

That’s why I’m especially grateful for the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill — a measure that helps keep Iowa strong, competitive, and protected from the creeping policies that continue to burden our neighbors in Illinois. This bill is more than just legislation; it’s a firewall that helps preserve Iowa values: low taxes, streamlined government, and freedom for families and small businesses to prosper.

Our friends back in Illinois constantly tell us they wish they had left when we did. I feel for them, but I’m also reminded why we must remain vigilant. The policies that have driven Illinois into fiscal chaos don’t stop at the border — they spread unless we push back.

I’d like to personally thank Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Sen. Chuck Grassley, and Sen. Joni Ernst for championing Eastern Iowa through their support of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Their votes sent a clear message: Iowa will not become Illinois.

Please … don’t Illinois my Iowa.

Cindi Zahniser

Davenport