Horn to seek another term, fifth decade in Senate

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Sen. Wally Horn, the dean of the Iowa Legislature, will run for re-election this fall.

Horn, who this year will complete 38 years in the Legislature – more than any current member, will seek another term from Senate 17 that covers the west side of Cedar Rapids and a downtown precinct on the east side of the river. First elected in 1972, Horn served 10 years in the House before moving to the Senate 28 years ago.

“Helping the residents of Cedar Rapids continue to recover from the 2008 floods is important work-and we aren't yet finished,” Horn said. “We've got to responsibly manage the Cedar River watershed to mitigate this type of flood event in the future.”

Horn also expressed concern about District 17 residents recovering from the national economic recession.

“Not only has the flooding of 2008 hit our community particularly hard, but the national economic recession is making life difficult for Iowans and business owners in Senate District 17,” said Senator Horn.

Horn, 76, a former teacher, also pledged to work to improve state government accountability and transparency. He wants to analyze the state's tax credit system.

“We've got to look at these tax incentives and determine whether they're helping create the jobs they promised or bringing the positive economic growth to our communities that they intended,” he said. “If they're not, we need to restructure them or eliminate them.”

It's also important to maintain critical services without raising taxes,” Horn said. “We won't add to the economic burden of responsible Iowans and business owners as they are struggling to balance their own budgets.”

An Army veteran, Horn is a member of the VFW and the American Legion. He also belongs to the Elks and Moose clubs, is a lifetime member of ISEA, former president of the Cedar Rapids Metro Kiwanis club and former member of the Linn County Chamber of Commerce.

He taught high school, coached and served as an information and job training facilitator in the Cedar Rapids schools for 30 years. He has also taught and coached in the Washington and Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock school districts.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Truman State University and attended Texas A&M for post-graduate work.

Horn and his wife, Phyllis, have two children.

Senators are elected for four-year terms. They are paid $25,000 a year plus expenses.