Iowa Senate District 19 Candidates Q&As - Ken Rozenboom

Name: Ken Rozenboom

City: Pella

Office sought: Iowa Senate District 19

Occupation: Retired farmer/ag businessman

Education: Graduated high school, some college

Elected offices held: Two years as a Mahaska County Supervisor and 10 years in the State Senate.

1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to Jasper County voters and explain why you want to be the representative of Iowa Senate District 19.

My goal for Iowa public policy 10 years ago, and for today, is to help Iowa grow.That means we must create an environment in Iowa where families thrive, where the Iowa economy is strong, and where our public state institutions serve Iowans effectively and efficiently. The legislature, working with Gov. Reynolds, has made tremendous progress to achieve that goal.

We have funded K-12 education at historically high levels, and have reduced the state income tax to a flat 3.9%. Beginning in 2023 our seniors will be exempt from paying state income tax on their retirement income. We have reduced financial and regulatory barriers to get more people back into the workforce, protected the unborn child and protected athletic opportunities for Iowa girls.

Our cash reserve and emergency funds are full, and our state will have a $1.9 billion ending cash balance at the end of this fiscal year. We have delivered outstanding results for Iowa, and I look forward to more good work in the years ahead.

2. Public education funding, educational savings accounts/vouchers and school choice were at the center of political discourse this pasty year. What is your overall vision for public education in Iowa? What worries you?

Iowa has always made public education the highest priority as evidenced by the fact that K-12 education receives around 44% of our entire state budget, a level of funding that has remained steady for many years. In 1993, total spending (federal, state and local) for K-12 schools was $5,440 per child. Total spending has now increased to $15,745 per child, a number that far exceeds the rate of inflation over the last 29 years. Reasonable and sustainable funding for our K-12 public students will continue to be a priority for me.

Today many parents are demanding more educational opportunities for their children. I believe that school district boundaries have kept low and middle-income families in low-performing schools for too long, and that families should be able to choose a different educational path if they want. Therefore, I believe we should provide scholarships for K-12 students who choose other education options much the same as we do for Iowa students that attend our private colleges.

3. Inflation is high. Iowans are feeling the effects of increased cost of living expenses in addition to supply chain issues and rising energy prices. How would you address this issue? Is cutting taxes enough to relieve this pressure?

By definition, inflation is too much money following too few goods.There is little state legislators can do to combat 40-year high inflation as long as Washington and the Biden administration continue to print money and borrow from the next generations.

In Iowa we have reduced taxes for everyone, and we have eliminated retirement income tax for our fixed-income seniors.That will help mitigate inflation effects to some degree but it will not offset the out-of-control spending in Washington. I would encourage readers to vote only for fiscally responsible candidates up and down the ballot on Nov. 8.

4. Abortion has been debated more frequently in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this past summer. What are your views on abortion? What is the state’s role when it comes to abortion?

My 10-year track record speaks for itself. I have been a staunch defender of life for the innocent unborn child, and I will continue to be that voice at the Capitol.

The Supreme Court reversed an egregious decision that the same court made 49 years ago. The Roe v. Wade decision was constitutionally wrong then, and I am gratified that the current Court reversed that decision.

Because the U.S. Constitution is silent on abortion, it is the responsibility of the states to create public policy relative to abortion. During my tenure in the Senate we have established laws that protect life, and we have asked Iowa courts to re-consider those existing Iowa laws in light of the recent Dobbs decision.

In recent years we have made improvements in Iowa law to support those families that choose to adopt a child, and in 2022 we made provisions to promote healthy pregnancies and childbirth through non-profit organizations that provide pregnancy support services. I am committed to searching for new ways to support those that experience unwanted pregnancies.

5. Water quality in Iowa continues to make no real improvements. More than half of the state’s lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams have impairments. What should the state do to protect its waters?

With all due respect, I don’t accept the premise of this question.First, using “impairments” as a measure is flawed from the outset.Most Iowans aren’t aware of the technical data that define impairments.

Beyond that, the Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) that was introduced in 2013 has provided a scientific blueprint to achieve water quality improvements.Since then, Iowa has utilized the tools identified in the NRS very effectively to make great progress in improving water quality.

In 2017 and 2018 I led the effort to pass Senate File 512 that provides dedicated, long-term funding for those water quality improvement practices identified in the NRS.Iowa now has hundreds of thousands of acres utilizing cover crops, and many wetlands have been restored.We are installing bio-reactors, saturated buffers and other edge-of-field practices that will significantly reduce nutrient run-off in the years ahead.

These efforts are paying dividends now, and over time will significantly improve water quality in Iowa.

6. In September, the governor announced Iowa has an almost $2 billion budget surplus from fiscal year 2022. This can be used to pay debt, reduce taxes or start or fund existing programs? Do you think the surplus should be used in any particular way?

As a 10-year member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am aware of how many people are willing to help spend other peoples’ money.We have that budget surplus because of our commitment to responsible budgeting practices, tax relief for all Iowans, and pro-growth policies.

I will continue to advocate for those same budgeting concepts in the future because I understand that the $1.9 billion is not the state’s money … it belongs to the citizens of Iowa. We’re not going to change the responsible budgeting practices that have served Iowans so well.

Yes, we will continue to fund K-12 education in a responsible and sustainable way. The legislature and the governor have put ourselves in a position to provide significant funding to those parents that want more educational opportunities, and we need to make that a reality. We also need to continue to prioritize tax relief for all Iowans.