Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Tax Foundation, becoming the first sitting governor to earn the organization’s highest honor. She was recognized during the Tax Foundation’s annual Tax Prom on Thursday in Washington, D.C., for her transformative tax reforms in Iowa. Reynolds says, “I’m honored to be recognized by one of the nation’s premier economic policy think tanks and grateful to the many Iowans who have helped make our state’s tax transformation possible. Fundamentally, that transformation is the triumph of simplicity over complexity, growth over spending, and bottom-up energy over top-down management.” Under Reynolds’ leadership since 2018, Iowa has reduced its income tax rate from 9 percent, which ranked as the sixth highest in the country at the time, to a flat 3.8 percent beginning January 2025. She also eliminated taxes on retirement income and inheritance. Her reforms are projected to return $24 billion to Iowa taxpayers over the next decade. David P. Lewis, Chairman of the Tax Foundation’s Board, praised Reynolds, saying her efforts have made Iowa’s tax code “simpler, more neutral, and more competitive” and serve as a model for other states and federal policymakers. The Tax Foundation was established in 1941 and has honored well-known political figures with awards in the past, including Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and George W. Bush, for advancing lower tax policies.
Gov. Reynolds Honored With Distinguished Service Award From Tax Foundation
