Tax time reveals how much government takes

Coming off Tax Day last week, it’s always a glaring reminder of just how much the government takes.

This year, it has been even more frustrating as DOGE has uncovered egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars. And it's no secret the Biden Administration’s mismanaged priorities and failed economic policies crippled a once-thriving economy under Trump.

Millions of Americans working in restaurants, salons and hotels rely on tips to make ends meet — and they shouldn’t be punished for it come tax season. That is why I’m cosponsoring the No Tax on Tips Act, which would eliminate the federal income tax on qualified tips through a deduction at filing.

The No Tax on Tips Act is about fairness. It’s targeted relief that helps lower and middle class families keep more of what they earn — money they’ve already worked hard for.

President Trump proposed this common sense, pro-worker policy before taking office last June, and the idea was so good that VP Harris tried to claim it as her own a couple months later.

  Buy Photo

My philosophy is simple. It’s your money, not the government’s money, and I’m looking forward to working with President Trump to make sure you can keep as much of your hard-earned money as possible.

This week, I held an in-person town hall meeting in Cerro Gordo County with almost 200 constituents in attendance. I answered questions about cutting taxes for Iowans, strengthening Medicaid, rooting out government waste and more.

Ensuring I’m transparent and accessible to Iowans has always been a priority for me, and I look forward to traveling every corner of Iowa to continue hearing from Iowans and telling your stories in Washington.

I kicked off this week’s visits at Exceptional Persons, Inc., where they do incredible work providing community-based services for Iowans. I enjoyed learning more about the support EPI provides to those with disabilities and discussing our shared goal of improving access and resources to help Iowans live independently.

I visited MercyOne’s facility in Waterloo and was blown away by their Maternal Transport Team. This team delivers critical, coordinated care to Iowa’s expecting moms facing high-risk labor — combining the expertise of NICU, maternal, flight and EMT teams.

Their service is so vital for rural families, and I’m thankful for the compassionate care they provide across the state.

Just over a year ago, I joined the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gilbertville Emergency Services Building, and this week, I was thrilled to participate in the ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of this project.

This space will give the brave police, firefighters and EMS teams of Gilbertville the tools they need to do their jobs effectively — and to keep Iowans safe in the moments when it matters most.

I’m proud to have helped secure federal funding to bring this critical project across the finish line.

On Wednesday, I joined a group of Farm Bureau members for a roundtable discussion in Cresco. We discussed tariffs, supporting family farms, the importance of expanding market access, reversing radical policies like Prop 12 and more.

For lunch, I stopped by The Market in Osage for a delicious lunch. I had the chance to see all the local products they carry and loved hearing the inspiring story behind their business.

Their passion, hard work, and love for their community are exactly what make Iowa’s local economies so strong.

Later in the day, I had a great stop at ADA Enterprises — a proud veteran-owned company — to see the expansions made since my last visit. Farmers and Iowans across the state rely on the great products made right here at ADA Enterprises.