On Monday, Sept. 26, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) organized a political forum at the Tama American Legion for Iowa House candidates running for District 53 which includes Clutier following redistricting.

Current state Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Montour) and challenger Sarah Smith (D-Grinnell), answered questions from Tama County citizens.

Do you support using public funds for charter schools or voucher systems?

Smith — No, I support our public schools. This isn’t something [people] want. Our rural public schools are the cornerstones of our smaller towns. I’m concerned about the future of our rural towns if we continue to take money out [and give] it to other areas. I support making sure our public funds go into our public schools so then we can support our teachers, make sure they’re paid a great wage, and support our local schools.

Rep. Fisher — Yes, there’s no such thing as public funds. They’re taxpayer funds. I support all of our education, whether it’s public, private, home, or religious schools. It’s clear that parents, families, and kids need options. Having one solution for them doesn’t work. It’s a changing landscape. That’s been borne out by the tremendous response we’ve had to the open enrollment. A lot of our rural schools have benefitted tremendously. As for its impact on the rural schools, I don’t think it’s going to amount to any[thing]. There aren’t many options for private and charter schools in rural areas. Frankly, studies I’ve seen show currently that it helps our public schools when we implement school choice because the students that go to a private school using those funds are the students that are struggling.

How will you work to improve public education, teachers’ salaries, adequate funding, teacher shortage, parental choice, and your top educational priorities?

Rep. Fisher — Over the last years, we’ve done a lot of things. One of the issues with our rural schools was the cost of transportation. I was a part of the group that supported the Transportation Equity Plan, which puts a ceiling on the amount of cost per pupil [the] school district would have to pay for transportation to help put more money in the classroom. We’ve been increasing the funding for public schools steadily [and] I think there’s more than adequate funding. We need to look at some ways we can save some of the money. I see some things that are done in our public schools that are questionable financially. The real issues at our schools are discipline [and] the deep concerns from parents about gender identity.

Smith — Top priorities would be to make sure we’re listening to our superintendents throughout the school districts. While there has been an increase recently, it’s not enough. We need to make sure we’re closer to Student Supplemental Aid (SSA) amount state experts are asking for. We haven’t been. There’s a different way we can think about rural school facilities. I would like to have it not be the current bond structure. For urban areas, I’m very jealous of their new tax base all the time. We don’t have that in rural areas at the rate of urban schools. I want our public schools to be the same no matter where you live in the state of Iowa. We need to circle back to supporting our teachers through wages and trusting them. We’ve lost that in the last couple [of] years. As someone who supports this and a candidate that is endorsed by the teacher’s union, I will fight for that.

Do you think there should be government-funded social programs for low-income families, immigrants, mental health, etc.?

Rep. Fisher — Yeah, there’s no end of programs now. There might be an issue with illegal immigrants, but for real immigrants, however, there should be some control so that they have some support coming in [to Iowa]. We shouldn’t just be the world’s welfare state. I really feel a lot of [social programs], especially at the federal level, need some significant changes. They need to be a hand-up, not a handout.

Smith — We should have programs for those who need help. I really feel mental health is incredibly important to make sure we have services available throughout the state for anyone. There shouldn’t be a gap in time between when someone needs help and when help is available, or they’re moved out quickly because that space is needed for the next person. We have good programs, but we need to make sure we continue them [and] listen to the concerns of those people who are a part of these programs. I’m someone who wants to help those that are struggling [and]I hope someone would do that for me if my life was ever in that state. I want to care for and help others as well.

What is your stance on gender identity issues and their civil rights?

Smith — I’m a coach for swimming and diving. I’ve coached many transgender individuals over the 15 years I’ve been a coach. I make sure there is a safe place on my team for them to feel welcome and accepted because my heart breaks when they don’t. I want them to feel included and have a place to belong. I feel I need to be a voice for those individuals to make sure they have rights, that they’re not cast aside, and that we care for every individual. We show that through programs, including team sports, and making sure they have rights in this state. Let’s make sure these people are included and not continuing to feel left out or isolated.

Rep. Fisher — The whole issue with gender identity is one that I’ve been focusing on in the last few years. I’ve filed a bill twice now to remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Code that the Democrats put in in 2007. The reason being is obvious; boys don’t belong in the girls’ restrooms or showers or sports. Girls don’t belong in the boys’ restroom and whatnot. I get the issue of making these folks who truly have these gender issues feel comfortable, but there are limits. When I walk into a bathroom that says men, I expect there to only be men in there, not women and girls. Birth certificates are [another] issue, [they] tell you if you’re a man or woman at birth, and that shouldn’t be changed. I’ll be filing legislation this session to make sure that is in the [Iowa] code.

Are you in favor of Iowa creating a law so surgeons or doctors cannot perform gender reassignment surgery on young people?

Rep. Fisher — The idea that 10 or 12-year-old could be started in a gender transition, that’s insane. That shouldn’t be allowed [and] we’re going to be working on that legislation this session.

Smith — The patient and the doctor should be able to make their own decisions based on what they feel is best for the patient. I’m not a doctor. I’m not the parent of that child. This isn’t my decision. It’s not for me to judge or say what they should and shouldn’t do. As a parent, that is their child, [and it’s] their decision on what they want to do as a family. While I’m not a parent of a transgender child, I’m listening to those around me, and [this is] something they need the protection of and the right to do if that’s what they as a family decide with their doctor.

Do you believe that private companies that want to place liquid carbon-capture pipelines on Iowa properties should be allowed to use eminent domain to take family farms and other private lands for their projects?

Smith — I don’t think that anyone should have the right to go through family farms and just put whatever they want in there without the land owners having an input. While you hear a lot of [Democrats] saying ‘that’s great, this will bring a lot of new jobs,’ I don’t want the pipeline coming through family farmlands, and I certainly don’t want them using eminent domain to do so. That should be a decision between the landowner and the company. We need to tweak [eminent domain] so that landowners have more rights.

Rep. Fisher — I get the need for eminent domain for things like power, gas, and oil pipelines because those are products we need and use. That’s what fuels our economy. Sometimes we have to accept that pipeline’s got to be run. But the carbon-capture pipeline isn’t a product we use. It’s simply for the benefit of a particular company. It may or may not help farmers if it helps the ethanol plants, but at the end of the day, the farmers can make their own decision if they want to help in that regard or not. The Farm Bureau just passed a policy calling for carbon-capture pipelines [to] have a 90% acceptance rate for the distance of the pipeline. I’m working on [this] a piece of legislation that might be a good compromise.

Do you feel all abortions should be illegal? If so, what should the punishment be, and how do we address unwanted pregnancies and STDs without Planned Parenthood?

Rep. Fisher — We can deal without a business called Planned Parenthood very easily. As far as abortions, it’s a baby. It has a right to life just like those of us have been born. I’ve supported the heartbeat bill. I certainly hope we get it reinstated. I really believe from the time of fertilization, it’s a human being. For the doctors [performing abortions], there should be prison time. If we believe it’s a life, then killing it is murder.

Smith — I believe that [abortion] decisions should be made between a doctor and the patient. That’s their business, and that shouldn’t be made at a state level. I don’t think that [doctors] should be serving jail time. I’m a candidate that’s proudly endorsed by Planned Parenthood, their doctors walk through with [the patient] all of their options. I serve on the Board of Trustees for Unity Point in Grinnell [and] I make sure everyone has access to confidential STI screenings and treatments. I want Planned Parenthood to stay open, but I do hope that people are building relationships with their local doctors.

How can the Iowa legislature reduce or maintain current rates of property taxes?

Rep. Fisher — It’s hard for us to dictate to the counties what they need to be doing. The counties and cities are the ones that get the property tax, not the state. It’s difficult for us to control that. You elect your supervisors and the city council. They’re the ones that are spending those funds. You need to be involved at that level to make sure they’re spending it wisely and appropriately. [We’ve] passed legislation that requires the county to hold public hearings if they increase the dollar amount over 2%. We’ve capped the per capita amount for mental health services in the county at $57. We took that on to the state budget to help lower property taxes.

Smith — Like you, I’m not thrilled about getting the letter in the mail [stating] your rates are going up, again. But I think we need to continue to work with our city and council boards to look at the high-priced dollar amounts that the state help with. We need to make sure we’re spending funds appropriately. Is there a way to re-imagine school funding and look at providing a better tax base and income to our schools and not [just] having that come out of our property taxes? That would be a really nice change, especially for rural areas. We need to keep those property taxes steady and not increase them a traumatic amount each year because [it’s] tough for everyone to afford a house and taxes. Let’s work together with our schools and our county [governmental bodies].