Dawn Driscoll, Iowa Senate District 38

The Gazette sent a questionnaire to Iowa Legislature candidates representing Linn, Johnson and surrounding counties. The responses are unedited, unless to correct spelling or punctuation. 

To see other candidates' responses, visit our Election 2020 Candidates page. 

Dawn Driscoll faces Democrat Ivy Schuster in the election for Iowa Senate District 38. Click here for Schuster's responses. 

What are the three biggest issues facing the state? How would you address them?

The most important issues facing the state are economic recovery and getting businesses and families struggling this past year because of the pandemic back to work. Also important are supporting farmers, who have had an especially rough year this year amid all the uncertainty, and passing a common-sense budget that responsibly addresses the areas most important to Iowans and still allows the state to give back tax dollars to those who earned it.

What, if anything, needs to change about the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic?

I think our state has done a good job trying to find a balance to protect people's health and protect people's livelihoods. Iowans are certainly concerned about the coronavirus. However, extraordinary mandates from the government create real stress on Iowans who have worked their entire lives to build their small business, students who can't fall behind academically, and the real mental health consequences of prolonged isolation. Iowans have always stepped up when faced with difficulties and challenge, and I believe this pandemic has been no different. Everybody has stepped up to help each other, and be there for each other, and I'm proud of how our state has responded.

What do you consider as budget priorities? What would you do to ensure these see funding? Which areas would you target funding reductions?

The state's budget is made up of taxpayer dollars, and we need to make sure those dollars are being well-managed and spent wisely, so that we can provide tax relief and get that money back to the taxpayers. Sustainable funding for education is very important, is as is funding for our law enforcement and those who protect our communities. 

What, if any, changes would you make to the way the state funds its K-12 education system?

The state dedicates a sizable amount of the budget to K-12 education, with the goal of ensuring every student is prepared to be successful and pursue whatever career they choose. We should make sure that the taxpayer money that is being spent here is going into the classrooms so teachers have the tools and resources they need to teaching students the skills they need to succeed.

What should the state do to further address water quality issues? What, if anything, should the state do to increase funding for water quality improvements?

As a farmer myself, and as someone who has spent many years advocating for agriculture and for farmers, I know farmers care a lot about the land and conservation, and do what they can to take care of it and address water quality without the government having to tell them to do so. I support continued investments in water quality and implementation of the current Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

What should the state do to address the availability of safe and affordable child care across Iowa?

It is important to stop creating more hurdles to providing child care. I would like to see if some regulations can be reviewed to make sure kids can still be safely looked after in homes, and make it more affordable for the families that need it and available in areas that need it, like rural Iowa.

What is your response to recent protests calling for racial justice? What changes to law enforcement policy or budgeting do you support? 

The conversations our state and our country are having are really important, and we should look at how we can make Iowa safe for everyone who lives in it. Public safety is very important to me, and I fully support our law enforcement and ensuring they have everything they need to keep our communities and our families safe.

Editor's note: Responses were not provided to a section of the questionnaire that sought candidates' stances on specific legislation.