Tony Amsler, State Representative, Dist. 66

     Personal history: Like many Iowans, I am concerned about the path the Iowa Legislature has taken the last few years.

   With one party in control of all three branches of government, we have seen legislation passed that disrespects the personal rights of Iowans, attacks on our public schools, and attempts to micromanage local governments by removing local control over important local decision-making, just to name a few.

   So, at the age of 69, this long time Monticello resident decided to run for office for the first time. Late to the political arena, it was in July that members of the Jackson and Jones County Democrats met for a special convention to unanimously nominate me as their candidate for the new Iowa House District 66.

   Why should voters vote for you? For years, the Iowa Legislature has failed to adequately fund our public schools, berated our teachers, and taken decision-making away from our local school boards. And now, they are close to dismantling public school funding by passing a voucher bill. I will work to support our schools and our teachers – Steve Bradley will not.

   Let’s be very clear on the issue of abortion. This very private and difficult decision should only be made by a woman, her physician, and her beliefs. I respect those who oppose abortion, but their personal beliefs should not be imposed on others. I would oppose any legislation that would unreasonably obstruct this right.

   Today, 53 percent of Iowa’s rivers and streams, and 67 percent of our lakes and reservoirs are considered IMPAIRED waters. IWILL (Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy), approved in 2010, has not been funded. Only 10 percent of Iowa farm land uses a cover crop, and 35 percent use no-till planting. Where is our plan? I support setting achievable and measurable goals to improve our land and water.

   Why are you seeking the office of State Representative, Dist. 66? Originally, there was not a Democratic candidate running for the Iowa House seat for the new District 66 (all of Jones County and most of Jackson County). However, after a particularly nasty campaign waged against Lee Hein and eventual primary win by Mr. Bradley, I could not sit idly by and let his extreme views on reproductive rights, funding public education, and partisan politics go unchallenged.

   In July of this year, I was unanimously nominated by convention by Jones and Jackson County Democrats to do just that. I am running to be the voice of everyone in District 66.

   How do your qualifications/skills prepare you to be an effective State Representative? I believe my life experiences will be an asset as your representative in Des Moines. I have experienced first-hand the struggle of families on welfare while growing up in Cedar Rapids. As a veteran, I understand the issues our nation’s veterans encounter when working with the VA in Iowa. As a public-school educator, I am well aware of the day-to-day challenges our teachers and administrators face. And, as a private sector employee, I understand the importance of fair competition and business opportunities for our small-town entrepreneurs. I view myself as a pragmatic problem solver, bringing people together to find common ground to move forward.

    Staffing shortages continue to impact businesses in Iowa, big and small. How can the state continue to address this? As Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.5 percent in July; we finally reached our pre-pandemic levels. So why are many employers finding it difficult to fill some positions?

   Is it that small towns are actually losing workers? According to the latest census, two-thirds of Iowa counties lost population between 2010 and 2020. What can we do to attract and keep workers and family in our small communities? Good schools and public services are two of the most important items on a family’s checklist to settle in a community. I would support legislation that brings state and local governments together to address this issue.

   Where do you stand on funding education for public schools? Iowa public schools, once number-one in the nation, have fallen behind after financial neglect for almost a decade.

   Here’s what we can do now:

   Use a minimum 4 percent Supplemental State Aid (SSA) to address achievement gaps, keep up with increased operational expenses, address unpredictable enrollment numbers and allow competitive wage.

   Iowa public schools should have an immediate infusion of $300 million from the budget surplus to drive innovation in 21^st Century learning and begin to reset the gross underfunding of our education system for years.

   Reinstate a loan forgiveness program for current and new educators who commit to stay and teach in the State of Iowa for five years.

   Increase compensation for public school educators, administrators, and support professionals to retain and attract the talent we need to keep our schools operating.

   What are some additional issues Iowans face in the upcoming legislative session? One piece of legislation that is top on the Governor’s list to pass is the school scholarship bill. Currently, non-public schools and homeschooling for grades K-12 make up only 5 percent of the students in the State of Iowa. Some state funds have already been carefully allocated to assist students of non-public schools and homeschoolers over the years such as tuition and textbook tax credit, teaching materials, transportation, school lunch aid, and students with special needs services to name a few. I would be opposed to taking any per pupil public school funding and diverting it to a non-public school. The funding of our public schools is based on the democratic principle that “everyone” in the community contributes to a free and public education, for the betterment of the community.

   Additional comments: Thank you for your consideration, and I would appreciate your vote on Nov. 8.