Stephen Gruber-Miller

Iowa's Top Political Donors Play On The National Level

Iowans with deep pockets when it comes to making campaign donations are sending some of their money out of state, even to places where their contributions may seem like a drop in the bucket.

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 4 Nov 2014

Iowa's Top Political Donors Play On The National Level

Iowa's Voter Fraud Probe Becomes A Numbers Game

One vote can determine an election, Republicans intent on fighting voter fraud say consistently. That thought drives a controversial investigation ordered by Secretary of State Matt Schultz and carried out

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 11 Feb 2014

Iowa's Voter Fraud Probe Becomes A Numbers Game

Blacks, Latinos Struggle To Raise Homeownership Rates in Iowa

Home ownership is taken for granted as the default standard of living for many Iowans. But black and Latino homeownership rates have dropped since 1960, an analysis of census data shows. The reasons are explored in the conclusion of the series, "Iowa's Opportunity Gap," an IowaWatch collaboration wi

By Stephen Gruber-Miller, Gregg Hennigan/The Gazette and Joe Sutter/Fort Dodge Messenger

/ 13 Oct 2013

Blacks, Latinos Struggle To Raise Homeownership Rates in Iowa

Moves In Iowa Are Aimed At Reducing The State's Black Imprisonment Rate

Dave Selmon says there is no right way to do wrong. “It will catch up with you sooner or later,” the 56-year-old Burlington man said, tapping a lifetime

By Stephen Gruber-Miller and Jermaine Pigee/The Hawk Eye (Burlington)

/ 6 Oct 2013

Moves In Iowa Are Aimed At Reducing The State's Black Imprisonment Rate

Graduation Rates For Iowa Blacks, Latinos Not Keeping Up During The Past Half-Century

Only 10 percent of Latino Iowans graduated college in 2010 compared to 16 percent of black and 25 percent of white Iowans, all below the national averages. Perhaps more alarming because how important a high school diploma is, a gap in high school graduation rates for white, black and Latino Iowans c

By Stephen Gruber-Miller, Gregg Hennigan/The Gazette, Jermaine Pigee/The Hawk Eye (Burlington) and Joe Sutter/Fort Dodge Messenger

/ 29 Sep 2013

Graduation Rates For Iowa Blacks, Latinos Not Keeping Up During The Past Half-Century

Black and Latino Rising Poverty Rates, Dropping Median Pay Are Strongly Linked

Two of every five black Iowans didn’t always live in poverty. In the 1970 and 1980 censuses, for example, their poverty rate was 28 percent. It jumped to 37

By Stephen Gruber-Miller and Joe Sutter/Fort Dodge Messenger

/ 22 Sep 2013

Black and Latino Rising Poverty Rates, Dropping Median Pay Are Strongly Linked

Blacks, Latinos Falling Behind When It Comes To Opportunities In Iowa

White Iowans have made strong gains in high school and college graduation rates, lowering poverty levels, median family income and home ownership since 1960. But black and Latino achievements have grown far more slowly, or in some cases declined, widening an opportunity gap among the races, an IowaW

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 15 Sep 2013

Community Leader: It's All Linked

Virgil Gooding sees a link when it comes to the difficulties black Iowans have had obtaining home ownership, higher income, jobs, and high school and college degrees. “It has to

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 15 Sep 2013

Wind Producers Seek Equal Treatment in Fight for Tax Credits

Wind producers in Iowa say they want a level playing field when it comes to tax breaks. They would go so far as to push for cutting tax breaks for other energy producers, like oil and gas. The current tax break wind production gets ends Dec. 31.

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 22 Aug 2013

Wind Producers Seek Equal Treatment in Fight for Tax Credits

Branstad: Increased Gas Tax Unlikely, Need New Way to Raise Road Construction Funds

Don’t expect to see a gas tax increase in Iowa next year. While Iowa’s roads and bridges are in desperate need of repair, Gov. Terry Branstad does not see the sense in raising a tax which he said lacks public support. “It’s very unpopular,” he said in an interview with IowaWatch on Tuesday, “and fra

By Stephen Gruber-Miller

/ 2 Jul 2013