Candidate Profiles

1. Property taxes are hurting Iowans and this issue needs to be addressed. Bad policies by the Biden/Harris administration have been a big contributor to inflation the last 3.5 years. We passed some property tax reform in 2023. A maximum 3% increase on residential and agricultural property increases and 8% on industrial and commercial properties did not make it in 2023. This is one possiblility and should be revisited in the 2025 session. 2. Private property rights need to be defended to prevent the over-reaching use of eminent domain by private companies. The land-owners have the constituional right to say no to CO2 pipeline companies.

Mental health care needs continue to rise, and so does the need for mental health professionals. State education budgets for schools and teachers has been increased the last 16 years, I think, and will most likely be increased again next year. I would be in favor of increasing the funding for public safety, justice system, and the judiciary systems. There are many areas that will see funding increases, but these are a few that I would like to see happen.

It's very unfortunate that drivers need to be told something so common sense as to give 100% attention to the road while driving. There have been studies that show distracted driving accidents nationally have killed 2,841 and injured an additional 400,000 people in 2018. I would be inclined to vote for it if the bill made it to the Iowa House floor.

There needs to be more training and increased pay for nursing home staff in order to retain and attract more employees. There have been bills introduced into the Iowa House for the use of cameras in the rooms of nursing home residents, but it was not debated on the House floor. I would need more time to evaluate these electronic devices and constituent input in the event this would make it to the House floor for a vote.

It is concerning that Iowans have the second highest cancer rate. Iowa does have a wonderful institution that is doing incredible cancer research - the University of Iowa's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Research Center. It ranks 41st on the U.S. News & World Report rankings for best hospitals for cancer, and is one of 72 National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers, which means it's one of the anchors of the nation's cancer research effort. It has received more than $70 million in total funding from the NCI for research. I'm not opposed to more funding, but any additional funding must be grant based and has proper state oversight.

The Iowa Dept. of Agriculture & Land Stewardship (IDALS) has been working hard since 2013 on the program called the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. It has been launching projects such as improving watersheds, promoting cover crops, creating saturated buffers, and many other projects. I currently serve on the Agriculture Committee and would be in favor of promoting more of these conservation acts to continue to improve the water quality here in Iowa and on down the Mississippi River.

The Iowa legislature and Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law this year an increase of $2.1 million for mental health Medicaid rates, which brings the total for the last two years to $15 million. We also increased funding for mental health centers this year. Even though I am not on the Health & Human Services committee, I will continue to support increasing mental health care for Iowans.

I'm not aware of any future legislation for any of these at this time.

I think that life does begin at conception. I'm not aware of any bills that are intending to make this definition.

I'm confident the the Iowa legislature will continue to improve public education, as the legislature has increased the budget for approximately the last 16 years. The last time the Education budget was cut was under the Governor Culver administration, by 10%.

In order to make Iowa more attractive for people to invest or to attract more people and businesses here, government burdens need to be lessened, such as taxes and regulations. In the 2024 session, for example, Senate File 461 was signed into law, which added veterans to be eligible for small business linked investments program. Republicans have been very conscientious of the budgets and surpluses. As the tax revenues have increased to the state treasury, we have lowered income taxes to the hard workers. Afterall, it's their money and they can manage it better and as they see fit.