Third-party hopeful would end entitlement spending

HIAWATHA - As he's been door-knocking in Iowa Senate 18, Jon Tack is learning that people are fed up with government - at all levels.

“Some people bring up specific issues with the federal government, but on the whole, they are just fed up with every government from the city, county, state and federal,” Tack said Monday.

As the Constitution Party candidate running in the Nov. 8 special election to fill a vacancy in the Linn County district, Tack says he can provide an alternative.

Although the state constitution requires a balanced budget, Tack, 42, sees a lot of spending that isn't called for in the Constitution. That would include most entitlement programs.

Tack joins Democrat Liz Mathis and Republican Cindy Golding in the race to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Swati Dandekar, a Marion Democrat, who took a post on the Iowa Utilities Board. Senate 18 includes parts of Marion and Walford as well as Fairfax, Palo, Hiawatha, Robins, Alburnett, Center Point, Walker, Central City, Coggon and Prairieburg.

Tack, who previously ran for the U.S. House 2nd District seat, would like to end most welfare programs, including Hawk-i health insurance for children and unemployment benefits.

“These are programs that are nowhere in our constitution,” he said.

However, he wouldn't end those services abruptly.

“I'm not a heartless guy,” Tack said. “I know people have issues come up, but by saying government has to provide these services when Iowans are one of top leaders in volunteerism, they are telling Iowans, ‘You don't know how to help your neighbors.' I think that's wrong.”

Tack's plan calls for lower taxes and less regulation so businesses have the certainty they need to invest and create jobs. That would reduce the need for welfare assistance, he said.

Tack, vice chairman of the Constitution Party of Iowa, is a senior lab tech at Schneider Electric in Cedar Rapids. He's a high school graduate who received technical and leadership training during his 14-year Navy career.

He and his wife, Rani, have three children and live in Hiawatha.