U.S. should keep money at home

DELHI — As a finance expert, Jody Puffett is not impressed with the handling of tax dollars given to the United States government.

Her frustration has led her to run for the U.S. House in Iowa’s 2nd District, which includes Benton and Poweshiek Counties. Puffett, running under no party affiliation, is challenging Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Sarah Corkery.

Puffett was born in Edgewood and has lived in Iowa her entire life except for the years her husband was stationed in Florida. Jeff served in the Navy during the Gulf War, Puffett said.

The couple has been married for 36 years and has six children. Three are a sibling group they adopted from foster care.

Puffett graduated from West Delaware High School in Manchester, and attended the University of Northern Iowa where she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance. She also has a master’s degree in taxation.

Puffett spent most of her 30-year career at Transamerica Life Insurance Company in Cedar Rapids in finance. During those years, Puffett worked in the investment division, in audits and in corporate risk and tax and actuarial, she said.

“I retired from Transamerica in October of 2020, and then I spent the last four years doing consulting work.” She’s also served as the chief financial officer and chief risk officer for two private insurance companies.

“I’ve been frustrated with Ashley Hinson for a little over a year now,” said Puffett, formerly registered Republican. “I haven’s seen her as a true leader,” said Puffett. “She seems to be a follower.

“The final straw for me was when she voted yes for the $95 billion foreign aid package,” Puffett said.

“Our spending is out of control at the federal level. And what’s even more frustrating is we’re sending all this money to other countries.”

The United States is not taking care of its veterans or its mental health, foster care and education systems,” Puffett said.

“I’m fighting for fiscal responsibility … and to get the money back into the district,” said Puffett.

“We have vets here in the second district who are homeless, who don’t have enough food to eat,” Puffett said.

Puffett’s daughter is a teacher and buys school supplies with her own money. “We should be supplying all they need,” said Puffett.

And Iowa doesn’t have enough mental health facilities, Puffett said, especially for children.

“I never would have envisioned myself getting involved in politics,” said Puffett. “I just felt compelled to do it.

“There doesn’t ever seem to be any transparency or responsibility,” said Puffett. “No discipline in our spending whatsoever.”

Puffett also blasted the U.S. tax code.

“Our tax is too complicated,” said Puffett, who has a master’s degree in the subject. “If you have to hire an expert, it’s too complicated.

“I’m not in this to build a political career,” said Puffett. “I’ve had a career.

“I’m really in this to go out and make some noise and make a change.”

Puffett said she’ll donate her congressional salary to nonprofits in her district if she’s elected.

(“On the Ballot” is a Hometown Current series profiling candidates in Benton, Iowa and Poweshiek Counties. Articles will run as candidates are interviewed. Candidates who do not respond to requests for interviews will not be included in the series.)