Cal Busch enters District 3 race; it's a crowded one with two current council members and two others

The City Council race in District 3 has attracted its fourth candidate.

Cal Busch, who identifies himself as a 52-year union carpenter and contractor whose specialty is working at nuclear power plants when they shut down for refueling, says he is running for City Council to cut property taxes and to help bring more jobs to town.

Busch, of 1334 C St. SW, also is a flood victim and landlord, and each of his three rental properties - the four-plex he is living in and houses in the Time Check and Rompot neighborhoods - all took on water in the June 2008 flood.

He thinks the city has focused enough on the downtown, and it's time now to pay more attention to the flood victims and to residents elsewhere in the city. Many people don't enjoy coming downtown and it's time to think about their needs and not just those of the downtown, he says.

Busch is calling on the City Council to request that the city's department heads prepare budgets that would cut spending by 15 percent across the board. Cuts can be made without jeopardizing basic services, he says. The 15-percent cut, he adds, ought to come first to the paychecks of the part-time council.

Busch also thinks City Hall needs to stop hiring out-of-state consultants and needs to look at experts inside the city and state.

“We need an Iowa first attitude instilled in the council,” he says.

Busch has been attending City Council meetings, and he has come away thinking that the city needs a stronger mayor than its current form of government of nine, part-time council members allows. He says the current setup is “the many hands all pointing at each other.”

Busch also wants the city to encourage and promote small business as a way to help increase the number of jobs in the city.

As he has knocked on doors in council District 3 - the only council district that has precincts on both sides the Cedar River - people have told him the council needs some new faces, he says.

“I'm new blood. I'm fresh meat,” he says.

Busch, who has long family ties to Iowa, moved from California to Iowa in 1991. His wife's name is Novem, and he has two adult children.

Already in the District 3 race is District 3 incumbent Jerry McGrane; at-large incumbent Pat Shey; and Kathy Potts, a past candidate for the Iowa House of Representatives.