Art Staed, Iowa House District 66

The Gazette sent a questionnaire to Iowa Legislature candidates representing Linn, Johnson and surrounding counties. The responses are unedited, unless to correct spelling or punctuation. 

To see other candidates' responses, visit our Election 2020 Candidates page. 

Rep. Art Staed faces Republican Barrett Hubbard in the election for Iowa House District 66. Click here to read Hubbard's responses.

What are the three biggest issues facing the state? How would you address them?

COVID-19 recovery. By working with our federal partners in coordinating a bipartisan plan to rebuild and strengthen Iowa's economy. Employers and employees are struggling with economic hardships and the pandemic, simultaneously. We must take action that strengthens our economy by: getting Iowans back to work with good-paying jobs; assisting families needing housing, food, child care and other needs; helping businesses recover from their losses; and ensuring that the spread of COVID-19 is contained.

Improve our health care system by providing effective oversight of our MCOs and stopping them from denying care and delaying payments – to both care recipients and providers. Require the state to take ownership for its health care and mental health responsibilities – making sure that Iowans are able to receive the medical and mental health care they need.

Make public schools a priority again – preparing Iowa children to lead happy and successful lives and to meet the future demands of our economy. This means providing the resources early to help schools prepare and plan their educational programs. It also begins with guaranteeing every child access to quality preschool so they enter school ready to learn. This also means supporting our Area Education Associations, our Community Colleges and our Regents Universities.

What, if anything, needs to change about the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic?

Allow local communities, school districts and health departments to issue their own COVID-19 responses instead of prohibiting them. Continue testing and create a more effective tracing system in order to track the virus spread. Use tracing to focus needed resources efficiently, making the best use of our limited medical capacity.

What do you consider as budget priorities? What would you do to ensure these see funding? Which areas would you target funding reductions?

Priorities are education, health/mental health and jobs. I will support policies and budgeting that ensures they receive the resources they need. One way we can guarantee funding is by closing tax loopholes and discontinuing tax credits that are ineffective and are no longing working as they were intended.

What, if any, changes would you make to the way the state funds its K-12 education system?

Set supplemental aid in the first 30 days and guarantee that percentage for several years rather than one - saving school districts money and giving them more stability in hiring and planning. Close the gap between what the state and local property tax provide – making district expenditure per student more equitable. Resolve the transportation cost inequities so that schools with heavier transportation costs can direct more resources to the classroom.

What should the state do to further address water quality issues? What, if anything, should the state do to increase funding for water quality improvements?

Establish a timeline for water pollution reduction goals that require watershed planning with monitoring and benchmarks to measure progress on both non-point and point sources.

Provide sustainable funding for Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) and the Natural Resources and Recreation Trust Fund approved by voters in 2010.

Incentivize science-based farm conservation programs, at the farm level and in each endangered watershed, to support widespread adoption of effective conservation practices on agricultural land. Then monitor and publish progress.

What should the state do to address the availability of safe and affordable child care across Iowa?

Pass the Child Care Center and Child Development Home Grant Fund which would provide startup or expansion assistance to daycare providers to offset the costs of establishing a new licensed child care center.

Partner with small businesses to provide child care by encouraging more small businesses to provide child care benefits to their employees through tax credits. The benefits could include building or fixing an existing structure at or near the small business or operating or leasing a building to operate a child care center for employees.

Expand child care assistance to low-income families - provide twice as much total tax relief to lower income Iowans by making the state's credit 100% of the federal credit and eliminating the 'cliff effect' by expanding the credit to more families.

What is your response to recent protests calling for racial justice? What changes to law enforcement policy or budgeting do you support? 

Recent protests have been more than justified. Racism and injustices must be confronted wherever they exist. After taking a first step, unanimously passing the Plan for a More Perfect Union, the legislature must continue to review the law's implementation and focus on providing adequate funding so that the state's academy is supported in training law enforcement officers on de-escalation and bias prevention. We also must look closely into what is happening in our prison incarceration rates, and the inequities in our system of justice – working to address and resolve these issues, reducing costs and making our communities safer as a result.

Will you support a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons?

Yes. The Iowa Legislature should pass a constitutional amendment. Without this, any future Governor could rescind the current executive order. This should not include a requirement that Iowans pay off restitution or any other court debt before eligibility is restored.

This does not serve any government interest or public safety. Restoring voting eligibility would not change an individual's obligation to pay off outstanding debt. The duty to pay would remain.

We also should not exclude those with particular convictions from eligibility. The criminal justice system already accounts for severity of a crime and the subsequent sentencing. The additional punishment of a lifetime ban on voting, serves no public safety purpose.

Will you approve the governor's IWILL tax relief/mental health plan?

No. I support the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund as approved by voters in 2010 and I support state funding for a successful statewide mental health program. But the Governor's convoluted plan is seriously flawed and I cannot support it.

Will you seek voter approval of a constitutional amendment on abortion (SJR2001/HJR2004)?

No. A constitutional amendment is not necessary. Iowa women are capable of making their own decisions regarding their families and their reproductive health. Our efforts should be directed toward providing every Iowan with access to quality, affordable health care, pre and post-natal health, and family planning services.

Will you support a ban hand-held electronic devices while driving (SF2248/HF2375)?

Yes. After seeing studies showing that the practice is extremely dangerous I support a ban.

Will you support allowing financial compensation for college athletes (SF2330/HF2282)?

Undecided. To me this is a 'whole new ball game.' The topic, and its implications, needs further discussion and research. I would also like to hear the input from the conferences and the NCAA.

Will you support making daylight saving time permanent (SF2077/HF2059)?

Undecided. This would mean an extra hour of evening sunlight for most of the year in exchange for a delayed sunrise in winter. The coordination with other states is still an issue: Iowa, along with other states, would still need approval from the federal government to enact this change. For coordination and uniformity, Congress should revisit the DST issue.

Will you support allowing end-of-life options for patients with terminal conditions (SF2156/HF2302)?

No. I am aware that there are states that have taken this path but I am not comfortable with this direction. Iowa has an excellent system of hospices and medical alternatives for treating pain and suffering. I am hopeful that we will soon complement these with additional effective and compassionate treatments like medical marijuana.

Will you support closing loopholes to protect mobile home occupants/tenants (HF2351/SF2238)?

Yes. We should help protect the livelihood of folks who have few economic options for moving. They deserve choices and reasonable compensation and we can make the process fairer for them.

Will you support increasing the state minimum hourly wage from $7.25?

Yes. Several bills been introduced to increase minimum wage, from $7.25 to $10.10 over a three-year period. Other bills would move that to $15 an hour. Some 200,00 to 400,000 working Iowans would be affected by an increase. This would also boost the overall Iowa economy. The current minimum was established in 2007.

Will you support raising the state tobacco tax by $1 to $2.36 per pack?

Yes Increasing the cost of tobacco is the most effective means of reducing smoking and the associated health costs. Annual health care costs in Iowa directly caused by smoking are estimated to be $1.28 billion. A $1.00 increase could prevent some 38,600 Iowa kids from becoming smokers and save 17,600 from smoking caused deaths. (from Tobacco Free Kids) o Undecided

Will you support modifying or repealing Iowa's bottle bill law?

No. YES to modify and expand. And NO to repeal. The bottle deposit law has been a success, recycling more than 70% of deposit containers, providing jobs, reusing containers for new products, keeping beverage bottles and cans out of our roadsides, streams and public places, and reducing waste. 

Will you support requiring helmets for minors operating motorcycles/motorized bikes?

Yes. Motorcycle crash deaths are costly, and preventable. The single most effective way to save lives, save money and reduce injuries is a helmet law. Helmets reduce the risk of death by 37%.

Will you support eliminating criminal penalties for possessing marijuana?

Yes. For small amounts.

Will you support establishing a moratorium on constructing large-scale animal feeding facilities?

Yes. I support a moratorium until our Iowa water-quality issues are addressed effectively and the current Matrix, intended to protect our fragile environment, is revisited and improved.

Will you support creating an 'extreme risk' or 'red flag' firearms protective order?

Yes. Extreme Risk Protection Orders in other states, while protecting due process rights, have been effective in reducing gun-related suicides by temporarily removing weapons from those threatening to harm themselves and others.