Creating Jobs and Lowering Taxes
As a former small business owner, president of the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce, and mayor of a city that underwent substantial economic growth under my leadership, I have experienced firsthand the struggles of business owners when the government stands in their way and keeps them from creating quality jobs.
That is why economic growth has been a key focus for me long before I began my tenure in the Senate. As Mayor of Urbandale, I led efforts to reduce taxes and cut red tape, allowing it to become one of the fastest growing communities in Iowa.
In the State Senate, I helped to pass the largest tax cut in Iowa’s history. This tax cut affected all taxpayers. It helped low-to-middle income families get ahead while allowing businesses to grow and create more quality jobs.
That’s great news to Iowans, but we’ve got more work to do! When I’m re-elected, I will continue what I started in 2018 to greatly reduce the income tax burden to lift all Iowans out of a punishing tax climate and into a thriving economy where businesses create more jobs and Iowans keep more of their money.
Public Health
Monitoring and addressing the public health of our community is more important now than ever before. I have been on the frontlines pushing legislation through the Senate that betters our healthcare system like House File 2456 which increases access to mental health services like preventative treatment, House File 2356 which allows families and primary care providers to agree on a set cost for a few essential services, rather than having to pay expensive premiums, and House File 2305 which prohibits insurance companies from discriminating between coverage benefits for telehealth versus in-person services – a very important update to the law that allows telehealth to grow in our rural communities. I have also worked to curb the spread of deadly HIV outbreaks by advocating for effective clean-needle sharing programs to protect the community and save our hospitals and taxpayers money.
Over the last couple of years, I have driven the conversation to lift restrictive regulations on alternative treatment methods like cannabidiol (CBD) used for pain relief. We have medical experts and doctors across the state who should be able to sit down with each patient and decide amongst themselves what treatment plan is best.
Most recently, my office has made coronavirus response a top priority to ensure we keep our citizens healthy and get them back to work in a responsible manner. I will keep actively monitoring our state’s coronavirus response, as well as continuing to prioritize affordable healthcare and quality jobs for Iowans as we navigate the state through these historic times.
Healthcare and Pre-existing Conditions Coverage
I was elected to be the voice for Iowans and make decisions in their best interest. This includes making sure Iowans have health insurance, even if they have pre-existing conditions. Under a bill I introduced in the Senate, Iowans with individual or small-group insurance under the state’s jurisdiction would be protected and get to keep their plans, even if the Affordable Care Act is deemed unconstitutional. This is not only important to individuals who want to keep their health insurance, but also to small business employers.
Animal Cruelty
Animal cruelty has progressively become a great issue of concern in this state. I took on the fight to bring Iowa up from the bottom of the national rankings on animal abuse laws. As the floor manager leading the charge, the Senate passed a bill that establishes animal cruelty on the first offense as an aggravated misdemeanor with a sentence of one-to-three years of supervision and counseling. I am proud to have played a role in updating our laws for better treatment of animals, while also protecting the integrity of our agriculture and livestock industry.
