Iowa is on a prosperous pathway

Thomas Gerhold | Iowa House District 84

My name is Thomas Gerhold and I’m running for re-election for state representative for Iowa House District 84. This district includes most of Benton County, except for the northwest townships of Bruce, Cedar, and Monroe. It does include the Linn County townships of Grant, Spring Grove, Clinton, and Fairfax townships.

I was first elected to the Iowa House of Representatives District 75 in 2018 and I’m currently completing my second term and have had many fulfilling and rewarding experiences.

As a member of the Republican majority party, we have been able to bring fiscal stability to the state budget for several years now by not spending more than 99 percent of the revenues collected. Iowa’s rainy-day fund and the Taxpayer Relief Fund are full. Because of this, we lowered Iowa’s income tax rates for everyone, and Iowa went from one of the highest income tax rates in the nation to one of the lowest income tax rates! I look at the state budget revenues and expenses the same as almost all farmers or anyone else trying to make ends meet — if you don’t have the money, don’t spend it!

I voted to eliminate the inheritance taxes — that money and investments were already taxed many times and to tax it again just because someone passes away is wrong. People save all their lives to be able to support themselves in their golden years and shouldn’t have to worry about the Department of Revenue taking what’s not theirs.

I was raised on our 240-acre farm that my great-grandfather started, and after my father passed away at the young age of 48, my family survived many hardships. We worked hard to keep the farm even through the tough farming times of the late 1970s and early 80s. I learned valuable lessons that if you work hard, you can make it.

I am running for re-election again because we can make this great state of Iowa even better! I will work to lessen the sting of property tax rate hikes. Large increases in property taxes can be very hard on retired people with fixed incomes and is not right. I also will work to attract more mental health care workers and help parents to have more of a voice with their children’s education.

I humbly ask for your support to continue the current successful and prosperous pathway the state is on.

Thomas Gerhold is the Republican candidate in House District 84. Democrat Sara Yedlik has not submitted a column.