Review candidates’ track record

When I began my job in the late 1980s as the director of Linn County's services for people with disabilities and people with mental illness and started going to Des Moines to talk to legislators about the need for support for our clients, one of the old guys in the legislature took me aside one day and asked what I thought about it all. I told him that I was amazed at how little the people who made the laws regarding these services actually knew about the services. He kind of chuckled and said, 'Son, take it from an old farmer that two of the worst things to watch being made are sausage and laws.”

Even though I am now retired, I am still concerned about the services for the people I served. I urge you to research candidates' track record on services before you go vote, and, if you care about people, vote for those who have historically supported services.

In the coming election, for example, I would support Jack Hatch for governor, since during my time in Des Moines I watched him serve on several committees that were working on how to improve services, while Gov. Terry Branstad did everything he could to reduce state support of these services. I would also support Sen. Rob Hogg, who went to bat time and time again for our services.

NAMI-Linn County is hosting an educational program on Monday beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library.

Craig E. Wood

Cedar Rapids