Murphy, Vernon show differences on minimum wage, Social Security in 2nd debate

MONTICELLO — Pressed again by Pat Murphy on her past support for Republican candidates and organizations, Monica Vernon told her rival for the Democratic nomination in Iowa's U.S. House 1st District it's time to quit 'looking in the rearview mirror.'

In their second debate, Murphy said it's important that voters in the June 7 Democratic primary election know that while he was leading efforts as Iowa House speaker to expand access to education and health care, expand family planning services and civil rights for the LGBT community, Vernon was writing checks to GOP candidates and organizations.

'She wasn't supporting Barack Obama, she wasn't supporting Tom Harkin, she wasn't supporting the rest of the ticket,' Murphy said Saturday at a debate sponsored by the Jones County Democratic Party and the Journal-Eureka newspaper.

While it's true she hasn't always been a Democrat, Vernon responded that 'I'm a very, very proud Democrat today.'

So it's time for Murphy to 'stop lecturing all of the rest of us' about what it means to be a progressive Democrat,' Vernon said.

'I'm a lifetime progressive,' she told about 45 people at the Monticello City Hall. 'This is what I've been doing all of my life: Not looking in rearview mirror at what life used to be like, but looking at what it can be for all of us if we work together.'

Vernon, a former small business owner from Cedar Rapids, and Murphy, a 26-year Dubuque legislator, also sparred over the minimum wage and Social Security during the hourlong debate. The winner of the primary will face first-term Republican Rep. Rod Blum of Dubuque.

Murphy favors a $15-an-hour minimum wage while Vernon has supported an increase from $7.25 to $12.

Addressing Social Security, Murphy called for eliminating the $118,000 cap on payroll taxes to extend the retirement program's solvency to about 2067. The current cap means 'Donald Trump stops paying into Social Security taxes Jan. 1.'

Vernon agreed lifting the cap would extend the life of Social Security, but rather than eliminate it, she would raise the cap for people making more than $250,000 so they are paying their fair share.

'How many in here make over $118,000 a year?' Murphy asked. 'Everyone should be paying into it. We all benefit by this program.'

The candidates found more agreement when asked who should be paying to make sure Iowa's water is clean.

Vernon's philosophy is 'if you make the mess you clean up the mess.'

'I don't think those who profit by dirtying up water should be pushing that cleanup job on the rest of us,' the former Cedar Rapids City Council member said. 'If you pollute the water to create a profit, then you need to solve that problem.'

'If you're making money off the land,' Murphy agreed, 'you need to be a good steward of the land, you need to make sure you protect your environment as well as the environment of the people downstream of you.'

However, he disagreed with Vernon about creating jobs by building the infrastructure to treat water and wastewater. She noted about 300 Iowa communities lack the facilities to adequately treat their water and wastewater.

'Bottom line is that this isn't about putting people to work,' he said. 'It's not the responsibility for the rest of us to put people to work to clean that water.'

Vernon and Murphy will debate again April 29, the night before the 1st District Democratic convention. The forum will be at 7 p.m. at the Iowa Braille School Auditorium, 1002 G Ave., Vinton. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

A fourth debate is planned May 13 at the Tama Ballroom.