DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Television Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Wednesday signed new income tax cuts into law. At the beginning of the year, Iowa will join 13 other states with a flat income tax. Right now, Iowa’s income tax rate ranges from 4.4% to 5.7%. Beginning Jan. 1, everyone’s tax rate will be 3.8%. Governor Kim Reynolds says that when she took office, Iowa’s income tax was the 6th highest in the nation with the highest bracket at nearly 9%. Now, with this new flat tax rate, Iowa’s overall income tax will be lower than all of the surrounding states except South Dakota, which has no income tax. Reynolds says even with previous tax cuts across the board, the state is still running a nearly $2 billion yearly surplus. Reynolds says there’s still room for the state to make more tax cuts in the future. This new tax cut speeds up existing tax cuts by one year and lowers it an additional one-tenth of a percent. Nearly a third of legislative Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the cuts. Democrat leaders, however, say the cuts won’t help the roughly half a million Iowans who don’t make enough to pay income taxes. They wanted a one cent sales tax cut but Republicans didn’t support that.
URBANDALE, Iowa (KCCI/KCRG) – A trucker was watching Netflix when he crashed into a car, killing a couple from Urbandale, prosecutors said. Matthew and Cimberly Hansen, of Urbandale, died in the crash in southern Minnesota in August 2023. Prosecutors said the truck driver, Billy Grimes, was watching a show on his phone while going nearly 70 mph when he approached a construction zone. Grimes, who has denied using his phone while driving, is facing two counts of vehicular homicide.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – A Dubuque man has died after being hit by a vehicle just before midnight Tuesday night. Police said it happened in the 3100 block of Highway 20, between Cedar Cross Road and University Avenue. Police identified the pedestrian as 47-year-old David Miller. Investigators said he walked into the roadway and was hit by an eastbound vehicle. The driver remained at the scene and met with police as they investigated the incident. No charges are pending at this time. The incident remains under investigation.
ANKENY, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Beef Industry Council announced JJ’s Tavern + Grill in Ankeny as the winner of the 2024 Iowa’s Best Burger contest on Wednesday. The restaurant’s owners Rick and Lilia Romero, Michael Roberts, and Liberty Van Genderen say they want their customers to recognize the family vibes of the restaurant. They highlighted the JJ’s Smash Burger, the jalapeño cheddar burger, and the Brock Curdy Burger, which is named after former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy. The announcement of the winner of the contest coincides with the start of Iowa’s May Beef Month.
