What do you feel are the three most important issues Iowa will be facing during your term as a state representative? How do you plan to address those issues?

We need to focus on job creation. By creating jobs, we will achieve economic growth. This can be realized by attracting new companies. We need to make that choice easy through reasonable property and corporate income taxes. We need to offer a workforce ready for these additional jobs. We can do that through expanded housing, lower property taxes and lower cost of living.

Housing development is important to Marshalltown after the 2018 tornado destroyed so much property. I will work to provide programs that could offer grants or low interest loans to people to repair properties after such events. We should find options to incentify development of stagnate property. We could provide incentives to develop properties into affordable housing. 

Keeping employers in Marshalltown, Albion, Green Mountain and Liscomb should be a focus. The labor world is competitive, we need to win this competition by providing the best option. We can do this through keeping taxes low and providing the labor force and housing.

We should retain youth after High School or College. We need to ensure there are good paying jobs for them. Young adults want recreational opportunities, we should focus resources to ensure these exist. 

I will provide necessary services needed by our community while working to lower taxes. People in government should act as though the money they are spending is their own. I have been the Executive Director of Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center for 24 years. We practice Fiscal Responsibility. In the past 24 years, we have saved Marshall County taxpayers over $1,200,000. We can implement some of those principles at the Capitol.

Iowa has a great educational system. We should make it better by funding to provide and update technology to keep students ahead of the curve. We need to support Early Intervention, Early Childhood Iowa initiatives to ensure children are ready for Kindergarten.

Some would say the Iowa Legislature has become too partisan and divided. How would you try to overcome that? 

I have worked with people that have opposing opinions. I work for a 30 person Board of Directors made up of County Supervisors. Some Board Members are Democrats, others are Republicans, but we work toward common causes and find solutions. I have served on the Iowa Juvenile Justice Advisory Council for 2 Democratic and 2 Republican Governors. I have worked with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for 25 years on legislative issues and bills. I have the ability to relate and communicate effectively with all.

Education funding continues to be a contentious issue in the Legislature. What steps will you take to ensure Iowa schools are adequately funded? 

We need to fund Career Technical Education to provide students with skills along with the knowledge base and training to ensure they are job ready. We should increase funding of Teacher Quality Programs. We should ensure pay and benefits can increase at a rate level with or higher than inflation for Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, Teachers, Staff Members and Administrators. We need to keep the best staff members in our schools.

What role do you think the state should play in economic development?   

We need to focus on creating a climate where companies want to stay in Iowa. If we can provide the opportunity for companies to come here while still remaining attractive to current companies and with lowering of taxes we will succeed in economic development. 

Why do you think voters should support your candidacy for state representative? 

Voters should support my candidacy based on my amount of experience working with the legislature, running successful business and my ability to work with people. I am a middle of the road person who can represent all, I am not an extreme polarizing person. People who have worked with me often refer to “Common Sense Leadership”, which has become our campaign slogan. I want to thank all who have and will support our campaign, it is truly appreciated. I look forward to serving you.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATE:

Age: 49

Residence: Marshalltown

Hometown: Independence, IA

Profession: Executive Director– Central Iowa Detention & Owner- All American Property Management LLC.

Education: BA University of Northern Iowa  

Family: Wife Sara, Children: Mariah-23, Haley-16, James-14, Max-12, Memphis-6.

Experience: Worked with the Iowa Legislature for 25 years, 30 Years Leadership/Administrative Experience, Managed over $130 million in past 25 years, Served on Iowa’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council since 2004, under 2 Democratic and 2 Republican Governors, Small Business Owner, Worked with Iowa’s Mental Health Regions since inception, Served on Marshall County’s Drug Court for Adults & Juveniles, Owner of 8 Solar Arrays in Marshalltown with over 600 Solar Panels, Worked with Development of Iowa’s Children’s Mental Health Network and Provided Housing for Homeless & Tenants with Disabilities for 25 years.

Website: Facebook — Tony Reed for Iowa House, Instagram — Tony Reed4IowaHouse, Email-TonyReed4IowaHouse@gmail.com