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A little about myself

My name is Christian Goodman, and I am a lifelong Haverhill native. I grew up working alongside my dad on our family farm, learning early the value of hard work, responsibility, and community. After graduating from Marshalltown High School, I continued my education at Marshalltown Community College, the University of Northern Iowa, and ultimately Iowa State University, where I earned a degree in Agricultural Studies. In 2016, I married my high school sweetheart, Cassidy, and we have lived on the farm ever since. Following college, I continued working side by side with my father, Kevin, ...

Marshalltown’s abuse of TIF is like Robinhood in reverse

Marshalltown’s misuse and abuse of the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) program have contributed to the ruin of our streets. While TIF can aid economic development, its misuse and abuse must stop for the sake of our infrastructure. Boosting developer profits through TIF must end if we ever want to see our streets improved. Here’s how it works: when a city creates TIF districts and new development occurs, property values rise. The taxes generated from this increase (the increment) are then diverted away from schools, counties, and general city funds – think streets – and instead go ...

Tax season delivers real relief and certainty for seniors

As we enter tax season, I often hear from seniors that they have been worried about the policy fights here in Washington. After a lifetime in the workforce, raising families, serving their communities, and paying into the system, many retirees are now living on fixed incomes while tackling the cost for groceries, housing, health care, and energy. Seniors deserve results on bringing affordable solutions to the inflationary harms brought by the policies of former President Biden’s economic agenda. When President Trump returned to the White House, he promised to be a President for all ...

Mt. Pleasant’s Michelle Muffin Chaney wins big at Westminster!

For most dog lovers, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in Madison Square Garden, New York City, is the Super Bowl of dog shows. This year, since it was the 150th Anniversary, was a special draw. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second longest running sporting event in the United ...

The con consuming American politics

There is a growing sense of frustration coursing through American politics, and it is no longer confined to one party or ideology. That frustration has real roots. Major institutions badly damaged their credibility during the COVID-19 pandemic, the excesses of the Black Lives Matter movement, and years of breathless coverage of Russiagate. At the same time, artificial intelligence looms over the labor market with few clear answers about what comes next. Add to that a political class that often appears shamelessly corrupt, and the result is a public that feels misled, ignored and ...

Target needs to kick ICE out of its stores

For many families, Target is a familiar stop: a place to grab school supplies, home goods, snacks, or the latest entertainment device — all under one roof. It’s the kind of store woven into everyday life. But as footage of federal immigration agents brutalizing immigrants and citizen protestors alike spreads across the country, some shoppers are beginning to ask a hard question: what does it mean to shop at a company that is cooperating with ICE and Border Patrol? In Minnesota, where Target is based, Target isn’t just another retailer. It’s the fourth largest employer in the ...