Candidate Comparison

There are so many important issues, these are three of the ones I feel are most important. 1) Property Taxes - As a caucus we talked about property tax reform the last couple of years, I understand that it is a very complex issue and believe that this year we will be able to get something meaningful done to help Iowans who are struggling with their growing property tax bill. 2) Affordable Housing - I will advocate to protect Iowa's homebuilders and home buyers against increased government regulations and unnecessary code changes that drive up the cost of home ownership. 3) Education - I will advocate that we make the education funding even more flexible than we already have and allow local school boards decide what and where spending is best for their individual schools. We need to empower teachers in the classroom, giving them the disciplinary tools they need to allow for better learning environments. I will continue to advocate for the availability of mental health professionals in our schools to address the crisis that is happening with our children.

Education: I want to make sure that everyone in Iowa receives a quality education and an affordable education. I think that public education is vital to democracy, as it allows individuals to learn more about the history, literature, and art of their community; it also allows people to learn how to spot misinformation and how to combat it. I want to work to fully fund Iowa’s public schools and AEAs to ensure that every student gets the same opportunities. Reproductive Freedom: I believe in a woman’s right to choose her own health care. I think that choosing to be or not to be a mother is a hugely personal choice, and not one that should be forced on someone. The 6-week abortion ban is wrong for Iowa. We know that in states with similar bans, women have died because doctors feel like they can’t provide life-saving medical care to their patients. As a representative, I would vote to restore access to reproductive health care, including abortions. Mental Health Care Access: Like many people, I have friends and family who have experienced mental health crises. The lack of mental health care access is especially prevalent in rural areas like District 92 (Washington County and rural Johnson County). I want to promote access to mental health care at the county level so that all Iowans can receive care regardless of their zip code, but in order to do this, we need to have state funding allocated to such programs. As a representative, I will allocate funding to counties to implement mental health programs that make sense for their area, whether it’s building a crisis center, hiring mental health professionals, offering training to current health care professionals, investing in telehealth, or whatever else makes the most sense in that county.

We must maintain control over spending while we phase in tax cuts. Returning Iowa taxpayers' hard earned money should remain priority one while still meeting the priorities of the government. I believe we need to make government better, simpler and faster. There are always areas where we can improve efficiencies.

I believe that Iowa should spend more money on public education. Iowa used to be the best state for the quality of education, and I believe that we could reach that ranking again. I want to live in a state that prioritizes public education because I want all Iowa students to graduate from the K-12 system with the necessary skills to pursue further education or enter the workforce. I believe that the state should repeal the private school voucher program in order to use this spending on public education.

No, we need to have personal responsibility while driving.

Yes, Iowa should ban the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving. Statistics show the dangers of distracted driving, and laws to support drivers’ attention to the road can provide incentives for people to avoid using their devices while driving.

With Iowa’s aging population, we need to work diligently to ensure the appropriate and necessary elder care services will be available when Iowans need it. It’s important that we have discussions with different stakeholders, nurses, industry professionals, etc., and listen to their concerns for the future of long-term service support in Iowa — especially concerning Medicaid funding — and potential solutions to protect Iowans’ continued access to long-term care.

Inspections are currently inadequate, and nursing home patients are suffering for it. The legislature needs to make it a priority to fund timely inspections. Staffing issues need to be studied, as many nursing homes are complying with standards but still show negative effects due to inadequate hiring. To address pay, I support a higher minimum wage for direct care workers and increased Medicaid allowance for residents.

Unfortunately, I believe everyone knows someone who has fought cancer. I believe most know that early detection is key to many for survival. I think we need to identify what is leading to our increased cancer rates and find solutions to those findings. I also think we need to research what barriers exist to prevent timely access to detection and implement evidence-based solutions.

The high cancer rate in Iowa is certainly concerning to me, both as an Iowa resident and as a candidate for the house. I think that the state should work in conjunction with the federal government and Iowa’s Regent Universities to research causes of the high cancer rates and ways to mitigate them. I'm in favor of providing some funding for screenings and prevention programs for residents, with priority given to rural areas, as these areas are often hit the hardest and have less access to health care facilities.

I would continue with the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which is in its 11th year/ Studies have shown that it is working and Iowa's water quality is improving. We need to continue to reduce the nutrient loads discharged from the state's wastewater treatment plants as well as promoting cover crops and edge of field practices like saturated buffer strips and bioreactors. I would support incentivizing developing technologies and practices that help in nutrient utilization.

It’s obvious given the many closures of Iowa’s recreational waters that water quality has deteriorated. Legislators need to work to increase standards where appropriate and incentivize compliance with existing standards through measures such as wetlands, ponds, terraces, and buffers.

We have Iowans struggling in many different ways, across all age groups as it pertains to mental health. I feel we need to focus on prevention, early identification and access to quality care. We need to include mental health professionals, patients and patient families in the conversation on how best to determine effectiveness.

Every Iowan with mental health care needs should have access to routine as well as crisis care. This need is most felt in rural districts that can be hours away from a mental health professional or a bed in a mental health facility or crisis center. I’m in favor of state-funded, locally-run mental health programs, as each county has unique needs and should be able to determine what works best for their residents. I also propose that any state funding to include a research component to assess the efficacy of these programs.

Now that the Heartbeat Bill is in effect, I believe we should focus on fighting for policies that promote life and support strong families in Iowa. There is so much we can do in this regard. For example, we can work to improve our foster care and adoption systems, increase access to quality maternal health care, provide support for women suffering from postpartum depression, provide financial and educational support for new parents, particularly in the case of unplanned pregnancies, and expand access to quality and affordable childcare. I would support looking at ways we can address better access to contraception and support for families struggling with infertility.

Iowa lawmakers must reverse the 6-week abortion ban, which is too strict in many cases for a woman to even know she’s pregnant or for a girl to report rape or incest. It also places undue scrutiny on miscarriages, and prevents hospitals and doctors from providing timely, lifesaving care. I'm in favor of codifying the standard laid out in Roe v Wade of fetal viability and the life of the mother when determining the legality of abortions.

I would not support any bill without reading it first.

No, I would not support a bill that would define ‘life’ as ‘at conception.’ This definition is a religious rather than a scientific concept, and it is extremely problematic when it comes to issues such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and some forms of birth control such as the morning-after pill. Roe v Wade used fetal viability to determine the legality of abortions, typically permitting the procedure during the first two trimesters, and only allowing exceptions during the third trimester to protect the life and health of the mother. I am in favor of codifying this standard in Iowa law.

I served on the Education Committee last session where we met with numerous administrators, teachers and parents. One of the things we heard over and over was the amount of time that was spent on senseless data reporting and regulations. This is across the board in education, including the cooks and bus drivers. We need to focus on educational outcomes and that begins with a classroom environment where students can learn. We need to empower teachers, giving them the disciplinary tools they need in the classroom. We need to continue to make school funding more flexible so that individual school boards can spend available monies on what will be best for their individual school district. We need to look at the school lunch program and allow schools more flexibility in their menus and greater access to fresh and local food. I do believe it is the role of the Iowa Legislature along with the Department of Education to set the education standards to be taught across the state of Iowa.

First, I will increase funding for public schools and AEAs. In order to improve outcomes for teachers, students, and families, we have to provide enough funding for schools to retain teachers, develop curriculum, and offer necessary services. Our tax dollars should go to public schools, not get sent off to subsidize private education for the those who can already afford it. As a teaching assistant, I think that the curriculum standards should be left up to local schools, led by teachers who have the professional expertise necessary to develop curriculum, rather than determined by the legislators who have no training or experience in this field.

I believe that we need to continue to be pro-growth and pro taxpayer. We need to reduce the tax burden on families and businesses to position Iowa for long term success.

I’m a strong supporter of opportunity for younger Iowans like myself. I would be in favor of programs that incentivize people who wish to stay in Iowa and work, that encourage people to move to Iowa for remote work, and that support new businesses and small farms in rural communities. One way to encourage people to move to Iowa or to stay in Iowa is to increase affordable housing options, as the cost of rent or a mortgage is often a high burden on many Iowans.