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I spent 32 years in law enforcement, including more than 13 years as Marshalltown’s police chief. I loved my career, and I learned a great deal about public safety, managing budgets and solving problems with limited resources.
Those are lessons I want to bring to the Iowa Legislature.
One thing I learned as police chief is that there’s a difference between talking about supporting law enforcement and actually giving officers the resources they need to do their jobs.
We hear a lot about backing the blue. Well, if we’re serious about backing the blue, let’s make sure our police departments have the staffing, equipment and community resources they need.
During my time as chief, Marshalltown had a budget for 42 police officers. I regularly told our city council we needed 50. That wasn’t because I wanted a bigger department for the sake of having one. It was because I understood what our officers were being asked to do and what it took to serve our community effectively.
That’s why I’m concerned about what’s happening with property taxes in Iowa.
Nobody likes paying property taxes. I don’t like paying them either. But we all want safe neighborhoods, good roads and emergency services that respond when we need them.
The Legislature passed a property tax package this year that limits local government revenue growth. Supporters say it will provide taxpayer relief and encourage responsible spending. I understand those goals.
But we also need to be honest about the consequences.
In Des Moines, city officials have reported a projected $12 million budget shortfall associated with the new property tax legislation. The City Council has approved approximately $11.5 million in staff and service reductions, including nearly $1 million affecting police and fire services.
Those aren’t hypothetical concerns. They’re real decisions affecting essential public services.
When state lawmakers limit local government revenue, it’s police chiefs, firefighters, city councils and county officials who have to figure out how to make everything work afterward.
I believe local governments deserve a meaningful voice in those discussions. We should be able to provide property tax relief without losing sight of the services our communities depend on.
The same practical approach applies to mental health and public safety.
Throughout my career, I encountered people who wanted mental health treatment but couldn’t get it. Sometimes services weren’t available. Sometimes there wasn’t a treatment bed. Too often, people ended up in the criminal justice system because they couldn’t get help earlier.
You shouldn’t have to be arrested to get help.
In Marshalltown, we worked with community partners to establish MPACT, which brings social workers and police officers together to respond to people in crisis.
I’m proud of that work. But the larger lesson isn’t about any one program. It’s about listening to the people doing the work and giving them the resources they need.
My opponent, Representative David Blom, has criticized my record as police chief during this campaign. I understand that candidates will disagree, and I’m willing to answer questions about my record.
But I also believe voters deserve a serious discussion about the challenges facing our communities, including how we support law enforcement, protect essential services and improve access to mental health care.
I’ve spent my career working on those issues. They’re not theoretical to me.
I was a registered Republican for much of my adult life. Today, I’m proudly running as a Democrat, but I still believe good ideas are good ideas, whether they have an R or a D behind them.
I consider myself a moderate. I’m fiscally conservative, and I believe government has a responsibility to spend taxpayer dollars wisely. I also believe we have a responsibility to provide the services people depend on.
Those beliefs aren’t contradictory.
After 32 years in public service, I’ve learned that problems aren’t solved by people yelling at each other. They’re solved when people listen, work together and find practical solutions.
If I’m elected to represent House District 52, I’ll represent everyone who lives here, whether they voted for me or not.
That’s the approach I took throughout my law enforcement career, and it’s the approach I’ll bring to Des Moines.
Mike Tupper is the former Marshalltown police chief and a Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 52.