“Taxes, spending spark differences at (Ames, IA) forum”

According to The Tribune article about the League of Women Voters/Chamber of Commerce Forum held in Ames it must have been quite interesting. Reading between the lines it must have been us verses them. You can read and decide- 3 women vs. 3 men or 3 Liberal, ready to spend Democrats vs. 2 Republicans and 1 Libertarian, standing firm about taxes and pork barrel spending.

Ryan Rhodes (Republican from District 45) scored points with me when I read that he would do away with pork spending for an Amtrak station. It sounds to me like the project “may” bring Amtrak to the Des Moines area. Leave it to Democrats to have a $300,000. project (an Amtrak  station)  for something still in the study phase.

To assist voters I share The Tribune article as printed. Draw your own conclusions. I can and will vote for Ryan Rhodes, but given the opportunity I would also vote for Dave Deyoe and Eric Cooper. These men seem to be clear thinkers. How refreshing in politics!

http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=20171979&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554432&rfi=6

Taxes, spending spark differences at forum

By: Bob Zientara

10/21/2008

Updated 10/21/2008 12:00:46 PM CDT

“The state’s approaching budget crunch dominated conversation Monday night as local political candidates listed what they would cut to balance the books and predicted how they thought the state could cope with declining revenue.

Six candidates competing for three Mid-Iowa state legislative offices traded opinions on the issues in a forum at Ames City Hall, cosponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Chamber of Commerce.

Besides money, talk turned to public funding for elections, education, crime sentencing guidelines and the statewide smoking ban.

An Amtrak station at Dubuque became a bone of contention when questioner Sandy Hoenig wanted to know what the candidates would cut from the budget.

Republican Ryan Rhodes, challenging Democrat Beth Wessel-Kroeschell in House District 45, said he would do away with the $300,000 project. Wessel-Kroeschell, who said she will chair a committee to study the idea next month, defended the project because it may bring Amtrak back to the Des Moines metro area.

Dave Deyoe, Republican incumbent in House District 10, likened the Amtrak station to pork and said the same about the Legislature’s support for the Des Moines River Walk.

His challenger, Democrat Susan Radke, said a proposed new state office building may have to be postponed.

House District 46 incumbent Democrat Lisa Heddens said the state might have to put off some spending, but she added that priorities such as teacher pay and health coverage for children should remain. She said a reserve fund of “well over $600 million” would help the situation.

Libertarian Eric Cooper, Heddens’ challenger, said he would cut spending by “get(ting) nonviolent drug offenders out of jail,” and he suggested church-based networks to help the poor.

Tax policy came up when questioner Bernie Gerstein wanted to know what the candidates thought of sales taxes.

Heddens, Radke and Wessel-Kroeschell all said they thought sales taxes were regressive.

“But I haven’t seen a list of (budget items) not to support,” Heddens said.

Cooper disagreed, saying the “sales tax is one that you choose to pay,” while property taxes don’t focus on ability to pay and income taxes penalize productivity.

“The better question is which taxes will be increased,” Deyoe said. “Assuming the Medicaid (projections) are accurate, we are running a deficit as we speak. We’ll have a difficult problem when we get back (to the next session).”

Dean Prestemon asked how the candidates stood on the Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections law, which would fund elections with public money.

Deyoe, Rhodes and Cooper opposed the idea.

“Every donation is a personal stake in the election,” Rhodes said, adding that public money would keep officials from being accountable.

Wessel-Kroeschell, Radke and Heddens said they would support the idea.

“We need to take special interests out of politics,” said Wessel-Kroeschell, who said she sponsored the bill.

She cited the defeat of a bottle deposit bill as evidence of powerful groups working against beneficial legislation.”