Union: Olson has best vision for Iowa’s future

By Danny Homan

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As president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, representing 40,000 employees across the state, I was proud to announce our organization's endorsement of Tyler Olson in his candidacy for governor.

After carefully reviewing the gubernatorial candidates, we are pleased to support a candidate with such a compelling vision for Iowa's future. With members in every county in the state, we anticipate that our support will give a major organizational boost to Olson's campaign.

In making our decision, AFSCME members were impressed by candidate Olson's commitment to strengthen and grow Iowa's middle class. Much like our members who work to keep our communities safe from violent criminals, ensure our children arrive safely to school and plow our roads during dangerous weather, Olson is committed to making Iowa a better place to live and work. We are confident that he will bring Iowans together and focus on making sure that all Iowans have the opportunity to achieve and maintain the American dream.

Unfortunately, our current governor has sought to turn Iowans against one another for political gain. He has sought to vilify hardworking public employees and has refused to develop a positive relationship with our organization in order to improve our state and its services to every citizen. Iowa can do better.

In his quest to attack public employees and slash the services they provide, the governor has acted as if he were above the law. He has used unconstitutional line-item vetoes and issued an executive order that violated collective bargaining law. We know that Iowa can do better.

Iowa's economy is built on the foundation of its middle class. When the middle class is strong, Iowa is strong. Olson knows that even in good times, many middle class Iowans are hanging by a thread, doing everything they can to hold onto the American dream. He understands that many parents worry about whether their children will still have the same opportunities they have had. Olson has talked with Iowans who are struggling to get by and desperately trying to get ahead in life and join the middle class, and has committed his campaign vision to investing in education, health care, and economic opportunities that create good middle-class jobs.

Gov. Terry Branstad has made a long career for himself vilifying his opponents and dividing Iowans for political gain. And he will spend millions more in this campaign to further extend his political career.

Conversely, Olson is building a strong campaign organization focused on positive change. We are confident that he will be able to raise the resources necessary to ensure that Iowans will hear a fair debate on the future of our state, and put an end to the cynical divide-and-conquer politics of Branstad by winning on Election Day.

Danny Homan is the president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61. Comments: dhoman@afscmeiowa.org