Six local political candidates offered their ideas in dealing with poverty in our area at a forum Tuesday at Marshalltown Community College.

The forum was hosted by Mid-Iowa Community Action and featured Iowa House District 71 candidates Jane Jech and Mark Smith, Iowa House District 72 candidates Dean Fisher and Ben Westphal and Marshall County Supervisor candidates Sue Blaisdell and Bill Patten.

The candidates weighed in on a wide range of topics including health care, the minimum wage, transportation, mental health and poverty in general. MICA surveyed many low-income families in the area and brought their concerns to the candidates.

Many are living with less than $15,000 a year in income and Westphal said raising the minimum wage would help.

“I think the best thing we can do is raise the minimum wage,” Westphal said. “$7.25 (an hour) is not cutting it.”

Fisher said people should look to better their own lives and not rely on government assistance.

He said in many cases people aren’t willing to do the job.

“We’ve got a problem with people being willing to work,” Fisher said.

On the topic of health, Blaisdell feels more people should take up proper nutrition to help with their overall health.

“The basis of good health is nutrition because you are what you eat,” Blaisdell said.

Patten said he’s conservative and he feels the government paying for food, schooling, health and transportation for those with low incomes is going too far.

“I’m not sure we can pay for everything,” Patten said.

Jech mentioned she’s talked to many business owners who have trouble finding reliable employees.

“In most cases business leaders are looking for individuals who are honest, they’ll show up for work and pass a drug test,” Jech said.

Smith agreed with Westphal in raising the minimum wage and he said the cost of higher education needs to be addressed.

Smith said when he went to college it was seen as a way out of poverty.

“Today, it is too often a way into poverty because of the high debt,” Smith said.

Supervisor candidate Dave Thompson did not attend the forum as he had a previous commitment.