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Candidates sound off on poverty

BY JORDAN LEVINE & MATT HOROWITZ

Republican State Representative Danny Carroll and his Democratic opponent Eric Palmer have disagreeds about a lot of issues over the past two elections. But for one hour Tuesday night, everything came down to one issue-poverty.

Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA), a non-profit group that addresses poverty in Poweshiek and surrounding counties, hosted a candidate forum at the Old Glove Factory Tuesday for several candidates, including Carroll and Palmer.

The two candidates both believe that poverty is a major issue facing both their district and the state, but disagree about how the state government should address it.

They clashed over Carroll's support of recent-and bipartisan-tax cuts for wealthy Iowa seniors. Carroll said that the tax cuts were designed to keep wealthy citizens in the state. "You'd like to keep those folks here and tax their money," Carroll said. "They also take a lot with them besides their tax dollars É You'd be surprised by the help that elderly citizens and retired people give to low-income families."

Palmer said that money should have been spent on education and health care. "The tax cuts É took away the opportunity the state had to fully fund reliable growth in Iowa," he said. "I don't think people are leaving Iowa in droves because of taxation. I think they go to Arizona and Texas because it's warm."

In one notable development, both candidates endorsed an increase in the minimum wage. For Palmer, this was nothing new. "I think we've got to set out priorities: help for people who're working hard," Palmer said, echoing a campaign theme.

Carroll, in contrast, has voted against several minimum wage increases in recent years. On Tuesday, Carroll surprised many by announcing that he agreed with his opponent. "I think a place to start is by increasing the minimum wage," he said.

Contacted the next day, Carroll affirmed that this was a change of position. He also said minimum wage increases should be accompanied by loosening business regulations.

Much of the night was devoted to discussions of particular welfare programs. Many of Iowa's 200,000 low-income households have difficulty paying heating bills. The federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps to defray that cost, but doesn't go far enough for many households. Both Carroll and Palmer agreed that the state does not provide enough LIHEAP money. Palmer said the federal government needed to raise its LIHEAP funding, but until then, the state could step in.

Carroll said that state LIHEAP funding was important, but the money should be acquired by cutting other welfare programs he labeled "duplication."

Carroll concluded his remarks by emphasizing education and taking a dig at Palmer for opposing the tax cut for senior citizens. Palmer just appealed for the audience's support.

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