Central Iowa Press/John Speer Candidates for Tama County and state offices are shown awaiting the beginning of the Farm Bureau Forum at the Tama Civic Center on Monday night, Oct. 3. They include (l-r) 3rd District Supervisor Dan Anderson (D-rural Tama), 2nd District Supervisor Kendall Jordan (D-Toledo), Jeff Edler (R-State Center) candidate for Iowa senate seat 36, State Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Garwin, seeking reelection to Iowa House seat 72, Nathan Wrage (D-Gladbrook) candidate for Iowa House seat 72, Bryan Ellebecker (D-Tama) candidate for Tama County Sheriff, State Senator Steve Sodders (D-State Center) seeking reelection to Iowa Senate seat 36 and Sheriff Dennis Kucera (R-Traer.)

A bit of disagreement over the method for providing 24-hour sheriff’s office protection and different views on state funding of programs highlighted the Tama County Farm Bureau Candidate Forum Monday night, Oct. 3, at the Tama Civic Center.

Candidates for almost all Tama County offices in the Nov. 8 General Election were on hand along with an audience of more than 40.

On hand were candidates State Senator Steve Sodders (D-State Center) and his challenger, Jeff Edler (R-State Center), State Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Garwin) and his opponent State Rep. Nathan Wrage (D-Gladbrook), Sheriff Dennis Kucera (R-Traer) and his challenger, Deputy Sheriff Bryan Ellenbecker (D-Tama) and 3rd District supervisor Dan Anderson (D-rural Tama) and 2nd District Supervisor Kendal Jordan (D-Toledo). The incumbent supervisors have no opposition on the November ballot.

Moderated by Randy Beichley, Gladbrook, Farm Bureau vice president, questions were submitted by the audience.

Legislative candidates were invited to respond to a state budget question to open the meeting- .

“Revenue will be short again as commodity prices fall. With rising expenses (resulting in a) smaller budget, what options are there to cover expenses?”

Fisher: Said he recognized the effect of the falling commodity prices, particularly corn- “We’re going to have to make do with what we’ve got. I Don’t see raising taxes- (it would) hurt growth even more.” He said he sees some opportunity from the roll back of property taxes.

Wrage- “We have to make hard decision due to commodity prices. Priority is to fund education – We’re shorting our people and society if we don’t need to continue to broaden state’s economy Iowa has always been a farm state, (we’ve) lost manufacturing in state which has also harmed our economy. I will press for more economic development for small towns and rural areas (so we) have more businesses to rely on.”

Sodders: cited a lack of “emerging markets” and said he is looking to trade for Iowa products outside the state. He related he was active in trade missions recently including to Taiwan and Cuba, earlier this year, and said (we need) to keep these trade avenues we now have open. He challenged the success of the property tax reduction – “I don’t see any revenue coming back.”

Edler: Definitely need to operate government as we do in our own lives – don’t have it, don’t spend it. My goal is bring common sense to government. May be simplifying it, but if you don’t have it, don’t spend it.”

Law Enforcement Coverage

Questions for the candidates for sheriff brought reaction about 24-hour protection.

Bryan Ellenbecker (D-Tama) said he had raised the issue of providing officers on duty 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week during the 2012 campaign when he also challenged incumbent Dennis Kucera (R-Traer.)

Ellenbecker, a Tama County deputy sheriff, said when he was on a five member (Tama Police) department they were able to provide this coverage and with the 13-member sheirffs’office, he would if elected.

Kucera maintained the sheriff’s office coverage almost attains that goal now with any gaps filled by on-call deputies or himself. He said “98 of 99 Iowa county sheriff departments” operate this way. He said the need for officers for court, prisoner transport, jail administration and investigations requires officers during daytime hours and vacation, compensatory time also are factors.

Minimum Wage

Sodders and Edler agreed on a raise in the state’s minimum wage is needed and Wrage also called for a rise on a graduated scale over a period of years.

Fisher maintained a hike to $15 an hours “is a real job killer” and noted many businesses are already advertising openings now at more than the current wage minimum.

Water Quality

Wrage made a pitch for water quality improvements citing approval by 63 percent of Iowans of a water initiative.

Edler agreed the water quality issue is important and said Iowa farmers had made great strides in efforts to improve it over the past 10 years but didn’t always receive credit for their work. He said the loss of nitrogen and other chemicals applied to fields hurt the farmers financially as well as the water they drink and provide for livestock and it is in their interest to stop it.