Iowa House District 38 Candidates Q&As - Michael Wood

Name: Michael Wood

City: Colfax

Office sought: Iowa House Representative for District 38

Occupation: (Not listed)

Education: HS diploma Colfax-Mingo High School 1990

Elected offices held: None

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

I am Michael Wood from Colfax and I am running for State House District 38. I am married to my wife Shelly and we have four children. Like many of you I am tired of the partisan politics putting special interests before people. As your representative I will always fight to protect your individual liberties and constitutional rights.

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?

I am a strong supporter of school choice and letting the parents choose where their children go to learn. What worries me the most about Iowa schools that there would be too much influence or pressure from the federal government or national groups and not local control. It is the local community, school board and parents that need to be guiding the school’s policies and curriculum.

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?

With the inflation we have I believe we should cut income taxes more. The state of Iowa took almost $2 billion away from Iowans this past year that it didn’t spend and should be given back to taxpayers. Let Iowan’s keep more of their paycheck to help them offset the increased prices of goods and services.

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?

I feel sorry for any woman that has to make a decision to get an abortion or not. I don’t think going to get an abortion is a happy or joyous event for a woman but more likely a terrifying and scary ordeal that doesn’t need to be made any more difficult by the state. I will always protect a woman’s right to choose. The state of Iowa needs to do the same.

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?

Iowa’s water quality needs to be addressed by holding accountable the upstream polluters. Although some progress has been made its going too slow. We need to increase buffer strips along rivers, creeks and other watersheds.

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?

With the nearly $2 billion surplus from last year’s budget it should be clear that Iowans are overtaxed. Eliminating personal income taxes would benefit all working Iowans. With a majority of Iowans favoring the legalization of recreational marijuana we could use the income from the sales tax on it to increase the funds for mental health care and addiction treatment programs.