V-eekly Update

The County Budget & The State Legislature (I promise not to sound too nerdy!)

It is that time of year when my attention is pulled in two different directions: our values are on full display when formulating our county budget; and the state's values are on full display when they pass laws that deprive certain residents/natural resources (like water and soil) of protections.

County Budget- Here's a short video to provide a basic overview of the process-

We have been reviewing and combing through departmental budgets for several months, looking for ways to be efficient and effective, while also maintaining the excellent service and access to transportation and public lands, as well as a robust public health/social services/emergency response, to name a few. And it is not easy. This year, we are looking at the proposals that the state legislature and the governor have published, and essentially, urban counties are going to be punished for growing and our ability to retain funding in our own budgets will be limited. Therefore, we are proactively looking at what we can do to maintain the level of service that our residents have grown to expect (pun intended!). And I will continue to fight for our ability to fund rural libraries and road/bridge infrastructure, as well as our ability to protect our residents/natural resources.

Me testifying as a transgender elected official to keep gender in Iowa's Civil Rights Act.

Which brings me to the Iowa legislature and the shenanigans they are pushing through. I won't dwell on this, because I also don't want to uplift trauma, but we do need to be aware of what is going on over in Des Moines. So far there is legislation to extend through 12th grade, the Don't Say Gay bill (HF 2171) they passed in 2023 that restricts what can be taught about LGBTQ+ people, whether that is related to history or personal family make-up. Additionally, House File 2171 proposes eliminating immunization requirements for Iowa elementary and secondary school students. And House Study Bill 664, which restricts local governments from having stronger human rights ordinances.https://iowastartingline.com/2025/02/24/republican-transgender-civil-rights/

Essentially it all boils down to power and control and makes all of us unsafe. Whether it's vaccines or human rights- the Iowa Republicans are ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY.

So how can we keep each other safer?

Well, I would like to stay in office and continue to speak out like I did last year in the Senate hearing at the capital to RETRACT human rights protections from the Iowa CivIil Rights Act, introduce resolutions that demand that Congress defund ICE and restructure the Department of Homeland Security, to name a few.

If you would like to help me retain my seat on the Board of Supervisors, please sign up to volunteer/donate/write a letter to the editor/submit an endorsement/Host meet-and-greet!

https://www.vfo4joco.com/getinvolved

Maraming Salamat!