Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been named the most fiscally responsible governor in the U.S. for the second time by the Cato Institute in its 2024 Fiscal Responsibility Report Card. The biennial report, which evaluates governors based on their push for limited government and sound fiscal policy, awarded Reynolds the highest score since 2008, with an 81. Reynolds says, “It is an honor to be recognized once again by the Cato Institute, an organization on the forefront of promoting liberty, limited government, and free markets. Here in Iowa, the legislature and I are dedicated to budgeting responsibly and returning taxpayer dollars back to hard-working Iowans – especially at a time when inflation across the country makes it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.” Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature have reformed Iowa’s tax structure since she became governor in 2018. Her efforts have reduced Iowa’s top income tax rate from nearly 9 percent to a flat rate of 3.8 percent, effective January 2025. In addition to tax cuts, Reynolds restructured state government in 2023, consolidating 37 departments into 16, which is projected to save taxpayers $215 million over four years. Reynolds also led the 2022 report with a score of 78. A link to the full Cato Institute report is included with this story on our website.
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https://www.cato.org/white-paper/fiscal-policy-report-card-americas-governors-2024