Who benefits from tax cuts?

For Iowa campaigns, we see ad after ad after ad pointing out the flaws of a candidate's opponent. Raising taxes is seen as a threat to our well-being while tax cuts are presented as something we all desire. A tax cut designed by the Iowa Republican legislators behind closed doors and without time for public comment in the 2019 legislative session, resulted in approximately 13 percent tax cut for Iowans earning $60,000. Paying less of our income in taxes sounds good, right? Iowan's earning $250,000 received 46% of the tax benefit of this legislation, according to the Iowa Department of Revenue. So, who really benefits from tax cuts? We see the president brag about his low tax bill and how he attributes it to his business acumen. It appears that wealthy Americans, including Iowans, gain the greatest financial benefits from tax cuts, while less affluent citizens share a greater tax responsibility for our public services. Taxes pay for our infrastructure, schools, police and fire services, which benefit us all. I guess the implication of this 2019 legislation is that those of us who received the lower tax reduction are not as smart as those who use their business acumen and political positions to benefit their bottom line. The next time a politician proposes a tax cut and tries to sell you on its merit, remember the 2019 Iowa Republicans who have seen fit to reward more wealthy Iowans and diminish their tax responsibility for the services we all depend on.

Carolyn Stephenson

Cedar Rapids