After 22 years of the same representative, District 92 Democratic candidate Ron Payne wants to take the region in a new direction.
"I cannot argue against the success he's (Rep. Phil Wise) had in 22 years, and he had a lot of time and a lot of work, but I want to go in a different direction than he did," Payne said. "My focus is going to be to make District 92 a leader in the state of Iowa."
He said he doesn't want to fight the direction Iowa is headed, but he wants to focus his concern on the district.
As Wise did, Payne said he will make economic development a key issue should he succeed in the primary and general elections.
"We will bend over backwards to bring in new industry ... but I think we need to work just as hard to keep the industries we already have," Payne said.
He said he doesn't believe there is near enough being done to protect the industries already in District 92.
"I think it has a ripple effect to keeping our young people here," Payne said.
As a middle school football and track coach -- and with two adult children who live outside the state -- Payne offers a unique experience on youth retention.
"I want to put the tools in the educators' hands so that they can better prepare our young people for the challenges they're going to face in the future," Payne said. "On the other side of the coin, those students who don't go on to higher education, what are they going to get?"
Payne, who has worked with TianCheng Steel Castings Co. for 44 years, said he would like to see more students being educated on the opportunities in trade fields.
Although Payne has come in contact with a lot of school employees after coaching for 20 years, he said he still would ask educators what more they need in order to teach Iowa's youth.
Payne said by improving awareness of the opportunities in industry, it will lead more people to stay in southeast Iowa.
Hot issues
Improving the quality of streets in southeast Iowa is one way Payne would like to attract industry and retain its people.
"I think the local leaders in TianCheng have done a tremendous job of going out and getting funds from the government to do some of that, but it needs to be expanded, and it needs to be more than just Main Street."
Payne said should he be elected, he would spend time after the legislative session meeting people of his district to learn their concerns.
"I'm not trying to change the world, but it would be nice, I think. From what I've heard from other people since I announced my candidacy, they want somebody who's going to Des Moines who's going to remember where they came from and who they're working for," Payne said.
Payne said another issue important to him is the tax burden placed on retirees and the elderly.
"They've worked all their lives to provide this home, and now they're retiring and they're faced with decisions, maybe they need to leave the state because it's cheaper to live somewhere else," Payne said.
When it comes to property taxes, Payne said there isn't a simple solution. He said his focus would be on eliminating waste in tax programs already in existence and making sure the taxpayers are getting their dollar's worth.
To that end, Payne questions whether the state should have bonded for the new prison in Fort Madison.
"I'm completely in favor of it being in Fort Madison," Payne said. "If I break it down to just the bare essentials, if we wanted a little flower garden in that back yard, we got that flower garden because we paid for it."
Payne, who served in the Navy during Vietnam and Desert Storm, has lived in southeast Iowa for 50 years, where he's lived with his wife, Suzan, and children.
At TianCheng Steel Castings, Payne held elected union positions, up to and included president. He worked in the bargaining unit for 33 of his 44 years, with 15 of them in the union committee.
"I've always like being in on the decision making, and in politics that's what they do," Payne said. "They affect the lives of everybody, and I want to be a representative of everybody, trying to make decisions for their betterment."
本文转自：China Industry News