Common Good Iowa

Posts by Sean Finn

Data snapshot: Iowa’s economy is losing ground

Posted on July 9, 2025 at 9:48 AM by Sean Finn

Iowa’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic has ground to a halt. The state’s May report on jobs and unemployment from Iowa Workforce Development shows Iowa heading the wrong direction and losing ground faster than the rest of the nation.

Categories: Jobs & labor

Tagged As: Employment, Unemployment insurance, Unemployment rate

Tax break for tips, overtime misses the mark

Posted on April 21, 2025 at 10:17 AM by Sean Finn

Let’s Help Workers the Right Way — Not With Gimmicks By Sean Finn, CGI Policy Analyst Let’s help workers the...

Categories: Budget & taxes, Jobs & labor

Tagged As: Income tax, Overtime and tipped wages

Standing up for Iowa workers

Posted on December 13, 2024 at 9:19 AM by Sean Finn

When the road is out, the roof is leaking or the trees are down, the construction and repair crews are...

Tagged As: Wage theft, Construction jobs, Workplace standards, Low bidding

Serving up just deserts on child labor

Posted on June 23, 2024 at 10:44 AM by Sean Finn

Experts warned from the beginning that Iowa’s child labor law changes violate federal statutes Decades ago, this country decided to...

Categories: Jobs & labor

Tagged As: Child labor, Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa jobs, Iowa Legislature, Workplace safety

Driving teens down Iowa's low road

Posted on April 30, 2024 at 11:27 AM by Sean Finn

Rolling back teen driver restrictions: dangerous to teens, just to benefit employers Iowa Republicans are rolling back child labor protections...

Categories: Jobs & labor

Tagged As: Child labor, Iowa jobs, traffic safety

Minimum wage ... for legislators only?

Posted on April 25, 2024 at 1:25 PM by Sean Finn

Republicans admit the need for minimum-wage hike – but only for themselves The Iowa House in the final week of...

Categories: Jobs & labor

Tagged As: Iowa Legislature, Minimum wage

Stifling innovative approaches to help lift Iowans from poverty

Posted on March 11, 2024 at 9:02 AM by Sean Finn

When economic forces lean hard against working families, streamlined public policy solutions can make a difference for those struggling to...

Categories: Safety net & work supports

Tagged As: Guaranteed Basic Income, Iowa Legislature, local control, Local government

Surplus nonsense with surplus rhetoric

Posted on October 9, 2023 at 8:00 AM by Sean Finn

Governor Reynolds’ recent announcement of a $1.83 billion surplus was accompanied by a promise to “return this surplus back to...

Abortion ban fails pro-child, pro-family agenda

Posted on July 18, 2023 at 11:58 AM by Sean Finn

By Sean Finn and Samantha Tamborski, Common Good Iowa Overwhelmingly, Iowans desire the freedom to determine if and when they...

Categories: Family support & well-being, Health

Tagged As: abortion law, children and families, Governor Kim Reynolds, health care, Iowa Legislature

Authors

Wrong time for property tax bill

Lawmakers look to cut Medicaid by ramping up administrative hurdles

Iowa's leadership for refugees at stake in Senate

Report shows runaway data center tax breaks by states

Tags

Budget cuts child care children and families CHIP corporate income taxes COVID-19 Data Economic development Energy Equity Federal budget Federal taxes Governor Kim Reynolds Governor Kim Reynolds Hawki Income tax Iowa Economy Iowa jobs iowa legislature Iowa Legislature Iowa Legislature Kids Count LGBTQ+ Medicaid Mental health Minimum wage Overtime and tipped wages Poverty Property tax Research Activities Credit Sales tax Schools shutdown SNAP State budget State taxes subsidies Supplemental State Aid Tax credits Tax fairness Unemployment insurance Unemployment rate Utilities Vouchers Workplace safety

Categories

Clean air & water

Clean energy & climate

Early childhood

Family support & well-being

Higher education

Safety net & work supports

Youth & young adults

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