(Des Moines) District #23 State Representative Ray Sorensen of Greenfield defended the state’s new tax cut and budget figures this week. The 2026 Iowa Legislature gaveled in one week ago.
Representative Sorensen says they have delivered record funding for schools, nursing homes, and public safety, while cutting taxes and eliminating taxes on retirement income.
He said now that Iowa’s 3.8% flat income tax is fully in effect, some claim the state is in crisis. Sorensen says that is false. Sorensen says Iowa’s reserve funds are full, last year’s budget ended with a surplus of nearly $2 billion, and another $4 billion sits in the Taxpayer Relief Fund, which was created specifically to support tax reform. He said this is your money—not the government’s. Returning it to Iowa families strengthens the economy, just as it did after past tax cuts in 1997 and 2018.
Sorensen says he will vote in favor of protecting private property rights because no Iowan should have their land taken for a private project through eminent domain. At the same time, he said he understands the concerns of corn growers and ethanol producers and recognizes that only a thoughtful compromise will move through both chambers of the Legislature and ultimately be signed by the Governor. Sorensen says his focus is on finding a balanced solution that protects property rights, keeps Iowa competitive, and supports our agricultural economy.
