Iowa House District 38 Candidates Q&As - Jon Dunwell

Name: Jon Dunwell

City: Newton

Office sought: Iowa House, District 38

Occupation: Financial advisor and speaker, trainer and coach

Education: BA degree

Elected offices held: Iowa House

1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to Jasper County voters and explain why you want to be the representative of Iowa House District 38.

It has been a privilege to serve Jasper County as your representative in the Iowa House. Christie, Addison (21), Bryce (18) and I love calling Newton and Jasper County our home. My professional career consists of 25 years of serving in the non-profit world as a pastor, nine years as a vice president in a national financial services firm and two years as founder and owner of Legacy Park Wealth. I have a history of community involvement and volunteerism with the YMCA, community councils, Meals-On-Wheels, Seniors First, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Main Street, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and other organizations.

I want to bring my passion, diverse experience, and leadership to Jasper County to address its current challenges and future opportunities. I will continue to focus upon representing Jasper County’s values, preserving our freedoms, cutting taxes with fiscal responsibility and pursuing the priorities of Iowans.

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?

Education is an Iowa priority. It’s reflected in our discussions, our funding and the central role it plays in our communities. We face challenges in declining enrollment in our rural communities, increasing demands upon our teachers in the classroom and slipping educational performance.

I want to empower teachers as impactful professionals that deserve our commensurate respect and support. Their knowledge, creativity, and insight need to balance the current top-down approach in bringing solutions to current challenges.

I want to open the door for greater creativity and flexibility on the local level in addressing declining enrollment, staffing and funding needs.

I want to give parents high quality educational options with the freedom to pursue what’s best for their family. In Iowa, all parents, regardless of their financial capability, should be afforded educational choice for their children.

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?

Cutting taxes, conservative fiscal management, and reduction of unnecessary regulation are all ways we as a state can lead in addressing inflation.

1. The implementation of our 3.9 percent Flat Tax brings tax relief to all Iowans.

2. The elimination of state taxes on retirement income gives Iowa retirees a pay raise Jan. 1.

3. Conservative fiscal management of the state budget aligned with established priorities allows Iowans to keep more of their money.

4. We need to bring Truth in Taxation to property taxes and remove the phantom tax increases created through property assessment increases. Our property tax process needs reform.

5. Eliminating unnecessary regulation creates opportunity for any Iowan who wants to start a business.

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?

The recent decision by the Supreme Court has afforded Iowans a tremendous opportunity for an important discussion about when we believe life begins, when it should be valued and when it should be protected. This discussion rightly belongs to Iowans and not to the courts.

I will bring to the discussion what science and medicine continue to reveal, the mystery of life. We know at conception a unique DNA identity is created. At six weeks a heartbeat is present and within a short period of time individual organs begin to form with response to stimuli becoming detectable. I look forward to wrestling through these hard issues with my fellow Iowans. It’s an important discussion that requires more than slogans and catchy phrases. It requires a real discussion about the real issues.

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?

I disagree with the premise of the question. Significant progress has been made. Consider the following. Since 2014, nitrate levels are 77 percent lower in the Racoon River and 83 percent lower in the Des Moines River while soybean and corn yields continue to rise . The number of Iowa streams with self-supporting trout populations is up twelve-fold over the past 36 years due in part to farmers’ conservation efforts. Iowa has more water quality wetlands than any other state. 416,383 acres have been restored to wetlands, with more on the way. Research shows that wetlands prevent on average, 52 percent of nitrates (with some wetlands preventing up to 90 percent of nitrates) from reaching our water. From 1982-2017, Iowa farmers reduced erosion on cropland by 47 percent. Significant progress is being made and we need to continue to invest and work with our farmers in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. It’s making a difference.

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?

In 2011 (with some adaptation in 2018), the State Legislature created the Iowa Tax Relief Fund to collect excess tax revenues for the expressed purpose of providing tax relief. Bottomline, excess tax revenue needs to be utilized to reduce future taxes. Afterall, it’s your money and not the state’s. Currently, the Iowa Tax Relief Fund will be utilized to…

1. Continue to fund Iowa’s priorities as we fully transition to the 3.9 percent Flat Tax. Our Flat Tax Plan utilizes some of these dollars in the next few years.

2. Buy down our excessively high Iowa corporate tax rate when certain corporate tax collection points are reached. This continues our march toward Iowa being the best place to live, work and play.

3. Protect Iowa’s priorities during this historic high inflationary period and uncertain economy. Our budget and tax planning utilizes this fund to provide a greater moat of safety for our state from the economic uncertainty created by the Federal Government’s reckless spending and indebtedness.