Another Linn County Democratic lawmaker is heading for the exit

CEDAR RAPIDS — Another Linn County Democratic state lawmaker is heading for the exit, looking to trade being in the minority in the Iowa Legislature for local office.

Sen. Todd Taylor, D-Cedar Rapids, will announce his campaign Tuesday for Linn County Auditor. Incumbent Auditor Joel Miller, a Democrat, has said he will not run for re-election in 2024.

Taylor's departure comes just weeks after fellow Cedar Rapids Democratic state Sen. Molly Donahue announced she is running for the Linn County Board of Supervisors.

Looking to leave behind Iowa’s Republican trifecta control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature, Donahue told The Gazette, “I can do a lot more for my community” serving in a local seat.

Taylor was re-elected last year to a two-year — rather than the usual four-year — term due to redistricting, and will serve the remainder of his term.

State Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, plans to run for Taylor's Senate seat that includes Hiawatha, Robins and parts of Cedar Rapids.

Staed currently is serving his seventh term in the Iowa House representing a district that encompasses northeast Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Robins.

Taylor has served nearly 30 years in the Iowa Legislature, making him the second-longest serving Democratic state lawmaker in the Capitol, behind Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque. He was elected in 2018 to his first term in the Iowa Senate, after serving 12 terms in the Iowa House.

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“I’m not super happy about what’s going on up there (at the Capitol), but I can basically say that I’ve had my turn at lawmaking and policymaking,” Taylor told The Gazette ahead of his public announcement. “I’m away from home 110 days a year … and it is time to be at home in Linn County and focus on the things where I can continue to make a difference and continuing to serve the public.”

While the “tenor and tone is different” as Iowa Republicans have felt empowered to push a more conservative agenda with expanded majorities, Taylor added: “I’m not quitting or leaving early. … I’ve had my turn.”

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Asked about his legislative accomplishments, he pointed to passage of Iowa’s law banning smoking in most public indoor spaces, including businesses such as bars and restaurants, and legislation allowing same-day voter registration and making improvements to Iowa’s voting systems and voter access.

Taylor, who served as a union representative with AFSCME for 28 years, said his biggest legislative disappointment was the Legislature's 2017 rewrite of the state's collective bargaining law for public employee unions.

The law said government agencies were not required to negotiate with some public employee unions on any topic besides base wages. It also requires that unions recertify every time they face a new contract negotiation — typically every two or three years. Previously, unions remained certified unless a member called for a decertification vote.

“Collective bargaining was something that was functioning and worked well, so I regret that that changed,” Taylor said. “I hope that we would get a new governor and a new Legislature and that law comes back, because for public employees that was valuable.”

Given the political contours of the state — Republicans now occupy all six seats in the state's congressional delegation, the governor's office, all statewide offices save for one and historically large majorities in the Legislature — Iowa Democrats face a daunting task to grow their majorities in the House and Senate. And Taylor’s and Donahue’s departures could make it more difficult for Democrats to retain seats they already hold.

“That is a fair question,” Taylor said. “My answer is, again, I’ve had my turn and this is actually a challenge for somebody else.”

Staed, a former educator and small business owner, said Taylor’s retirement “leaves an open seat where we need a strong Democrat capable of bringing local voter’s voices to the Iowa Senate.”

“I fully intend to continue the work that Senator Taylor has pioneered in the areas of education, labor, worker rights, justice and the well-being of Iowa families,” Staed said. “I want to help rebuild a stronger Iowa, with broader prosperity.”

That, he said, includes supporting early childhood education, a well-funded public education system with well-trained teachers, affordable quality health care and mental health services, a cleaner and safer environment, creating good-paying jobs and making sure the tax burden is spread in a fair and equitable way for all Iowans.

Taylor said he believes Staed would “do a good job” in the Iowa Senate, but is not endorsing in the race.

The Linn County Auditor serves as the commissioner of elections, in addition to preparing and certifying tax levies to all taxing entities in the county. The auditor also issues payment for services, materials and payroll charged to the county, maintains financial records, keeps records of all property ownership in the county and acts as clerk to the Board of Supervisors. The position pays nearly $125,000 a year.

Taylor said he intends to promote transparency, open dialogue, financial integrity, collaboration and increased public awareness of the work of the auditor’s office.

“The most critical role of the auditor is documenting, delivering the voice of the people through their vote,” he said.

As elections have become more contentious across the nation, Taylor said it is important for Iowans to know more about the voting process, including security measures Iowa has put in place to protect elections. If elected, he said he would work to foster trust and confidence in Iowa’s election process, continue state and county efforts to bolster election cybersecurity and expand outreach to high school students to encourage them to vote.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com