Berleen Wobeter (D-Toledo).

Berleen Wobeter, Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 53

Age: 69 Old enough to have witnessed much change in the state and consider if the change has been positive or negative and what was the cause for the change.

Education: Graduate of Dysart-Geneseo High School Earned a BS in Education from Iowa State University Masters of Christian Education from Loyola University, New Orleans, Extension Program

Occupation: My work away from the farm has revolved around education. I worked as a substitute and part-time teacher at all grade levels in the STC, Meskwaki, and other county school systems. I was employed by Iowa Valley Comm. College District for 15 years as a vocational trainer for adults with disabilities. I worked as a Christian education director and youth leader for a Toledo church. My most recent volunteer work has centered around farm/agricultural and education advocacy.

Family: My husband and I continue to live and farm north of Toledo where we raised our two children. Our daughter and her husband live in Ames and our son, wife and two grandchildren live in Verona, WI.

1. What would be your top three legislative priorities if elected?

My first priority is and will continue to be showing up and listening to the constituents in my district. There has been a break down in communication with the current elected office holder. Our job is to represent and that starts with listening.

Next is to focus the legislative process on the wide-ranging issues that impact people’s daily lives. It is a failure of government to spend time and money on such things as the U of I Center for Intellectual Freedom. This narrowly focused effort wasted 2 million dollars that could have gone to healthcare, schools, or emergency services.

Many concerns fall next in line so I will pick one final topic. The state budget is eating up 1 billion dollars in reserve funds a year. We just had a third year of declining revenue after 90 years of growth. The Republican trifecta says this is expected and will correct itself when revenues increase. But we have three head winds to counter that growth. The Federal Reserves’ move to raise interest rates, the impacts of tariffs and ag imports and input costs, and tax changes in the BBB which could negatively impact the state’s economy. Add to that the possibility of making it harder to pass income tax growth with the constitutional amendment. All of this is likely to fall on the shoulders of the middle class if we don’t course correct now.

2. What issues are you hearing most from voters currently?

So many issues. Briefly, the 2% limit on city and county growth is a budget nightmare. Public school funding and tax dollars going to private schools. Lack of support services for senior citizens. Water quality and rising cancer rates. Complete lack of trust and faith in government and politicians.

3. How will you address property taxes if elected?

Property taxes-I am an advocate for the beginning and family farmer. I would support the implementing of a graduated land tax as an effective way to preserve family farm agriculture. Less land or valuable land pays less and more land pays more. This serves to discourage land hording and speculative investment. This is a choice we make for the future of Iowa. What will we incentivize?

4. What do you propose should be done to improve water quality in the state? Do you support raising the state’s sales tax to fund Iowa’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund? Please explain.

The ice is broken and we are now talking about water quality. This is a multi-faceted issue. Two suggestions: first reinstate funding for water quality monitors. We can’t fix what we don’t know about. Second, listen to farmers like the Lobe Rangers from northcentral Iowa or Practical Farmers and others who promote farming and conservation practices that will improve water quality. We should financially support these practices. I support funding the IWILL Trust Fund. This will support clean water, productive ag soils, and thriving wildlife habitat so Iowans can enjoy the Iowa outdoors. This can have positive health impacts. Everything works together.

5. Rising cancer rates are a concern for many Iowans. What action should the legislature take to lower the rate?

We need to continue funding cancer risk factors and cancer research. The Iowa Environmental Council is holding sessions around the state to talk to citizens about risk factors. The discussion to find solutions must be honest and we need to avoid taking the word of biased special interests groups. Ultimately we will decide our future, so what do we want? I believe a new balance between economics and health concerns is needed.

6. With physicians leaving the state, medical facilities either closing or reducing services and rural EMS often struggling to recruit/retain volunteers, what will you do to repair the health care system in Iowa?

I would support a return to state controlled Medicaid services. Privatization has not served the state or our citizens well. Where are our priorities? Should we incentivize data centers and steel mills without adequate information or look at factors that attract people to the state and work on those. IWILL could be a start. We can support the training and education of medical professionals but if they walk into an understaffed stressful situation they may decide to leave for better circumstances. This is a very real problem that gets overlooked. We need to go directly to the people involved and ask them what they need. Too often this commonsense step is left out and legislative solutions fail.

7. Public school districts have said the amount of money received from the state each year needs to be increased. Do you agree with that stance? Please explain. How much money do you think districts should receive each year?

Can we support any number of random new private school start ups or should we focus on our public school system and excellence? I don’t think we can do both so I support funding public schools so all students have one great option. 5% would be a good place to start. The school choice and ESA’s movement in the state is an example of out of state influences having an outsized impact. There is no data to say this improves outcomes and in fact test data from private schools does not need to be reported for all to see. It makes little sense to say I want my child in a private school environment because of some perceived evil in the public school but it is then acceptable to send them to the public school for programs the private schools cannot support.

8. As agriculture becomes increasingly concentrated and consolidated, what should Iowa be doing to prioritize opportunities for independent and small family farms, as well as beginning farmers who don’t have inherited land or other significant assets? Are the current policies sufficient, and if not, what specific changes would you support?

I addressed the graduated land tax previously. I would propose prohibiting the feeding of livestock by packers and muti-national corporations and oppose contract arrangements by packers that result in unfair competition to family livestock producers. I support the development of infrastructure, processing, and reasonable regulations that promotes the production of food and sales locally. I believe we have young people ready to work hard and produce healthy food if we give them a chance. The state will benefit from these efforts.

9. In 2025, Iowa removed gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act (state code). Do you support that change? Please explain.

I oppose the targeting of a minority group for political gain.

10. Why should voters choose you in the race for Iowa House District 53?

If you are ready for change and want your voice heard, then I am your choice for change.