House candidates debate economy

    The third debate at Monday?s forum in the United Presbyterian Church pitted three candidates against one another: Democrat Larry Marek, Republican Jarad Klein and Green Party member David Smithers. The three men are vying to fill the Iowa House District 89 seat, which Marek has held since 2008.

    Marek gave the first opening statement, in which he talked about his personal life and familial heritage, remarking that he lives within seven miles of where his ancestors settled 150 years ago. Marek also spoke about some of the work he has done in the state Legislature, such as serving as vice chairman of the Agricultural Committee.

    ?I?ve farmed for 50 years, so I know ag issues very well,? said Marek. ?I?m a huge supporter of agriculture and renewable energy.?

    Klein remarked that he is full of just as much enthusiasm as he was when he ran for the seat in the last election.

    ?When we first ran for this seat two years ago, we were concerned about the direction our state was headed,? said Klein. ?If anything, our convictions have only been solidified. We?ve passed the biggest budgets in state history. We have 114,000 Iowans out of work today. Our priorities in Des Moines are wrong. We need to cut taxes to allow our businesses to thrive.?

    Smithers talked about his career as an employee of the University of Iowa and his time working at the Iowa City VA Medical Clinic. He said he has been a lifelong advocate of an engaged citizenry.

    ?The most important politicians are not up here on stage ? they?re you,? said Smithers. ?What you do everyday, expressing your opinions to your neighbors, telling your legislators what you want, is what really counts. Real change has never come from lawmaking bodies. It comes from below. There has to be a social movement for real change to occur.?

    After the introductions, moderator Ed Raber asked the panelists for their assessment of the state?s economy and of current revenue projections.

    Klein answered, ?The problem in Des Moines is not a revenue problem ? it?s a spending problem. There has not been any change in our economic situation in the last two years. The legislators spend too much, save too little, and borrow our state into a generation of debt that my son has to suffer through.?

    To the same question, Smithers remarked, ?One of the reasons I?m a Green Party member is that I?m optimistic. If I weren?t, I?d be a member of one of the gloom-and-doom parties. The general spending of the state of Iowa has not changed substantially for the past 20 years. One thing we should do is rein in the research tax credits, which cost the state quite a bit of money.?

    Marek responded by saying, ?This is the same rhetoric you heard two years ago, that we were spending two billion dollars too much. Since then, we?ve had a $500 million to $600 million shortfall in revenue. Our economy is in better shape than most other states. We have the eighth or ninth lowest unemployment in the nation.?

     Raber then asked the candidates how the state should deal with the lingering impacts of the floods and natural disasters over the last few years, particularly the flood of 2008.

    Smithers said he has spent some time in Cedar Rapids, and that the real disaster occurred after the flood. He said the government prevented people from rebuilding after the flood.

    ?This is a case where representative democracy failed us,? said Smithers. ?The people in the community have no say over this decision. I?ve talked to Governor Culver about this. We?ve got to rebuild these workers? neighborhoods.?

For more, see our Oct. 19 print edition.