Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 12, Peter Leo of Manning, has been busy campaigning throughout the three-counties of the district, and says it is going very well. He says he has enjoyed talking to people one-on-one, learning what issues they find important in this race and the things they want to see addressed at the statehouse. He has brought in Iowa Treasurer, Michael Fitzgerald, 2020 Presidential hopeful, John Delaney, and Oregon Senator, Jeff Merkley, to speak with area citizens. Leo says there was one standout issue—education—and the biggest lesson he learned from Treasurer Fitzgerald was that we need to invest in rural Iowa.
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Leo says he is proposing a change to our current model of public education.
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This would be built into the existing system, utilizing our great community colleges across the state and further helping prevent consolidation of our current schools, according to Leo.
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He points out that he is not advocating that every student will follow this path, or that every school will have stand-alone administration, but he says that he wants to see the schools and the students have the ability to make that choice. He says that being prepared for a career should be the right of every Iowa student.
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He also says government oversight of educational spending should allow more flexibility in funding silos. In rural Iowa, the tax base is simply not big enough for a small, fractional percentage increase to bring in millions of dollars needed to help fund the schools. Leo does agree that maybe we should not have so many silos, or allow districts to be able to move money to the areas of greatest need. The main thing, is that a discussion is opened and there is an ongoing dialog where everyone is part of the conversation. The districts need to have the ear of the legislature to say where they need funding to go, Leo says. We will bring you more from Leo on the Medicaid management structure, mental health care and the impact the changes on collective bargaining has had on state employees in upcoming broadcasts. Leo practices law in Denison and he and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children, Eric (7) and Samuel (5). He is running against two-term Republican, Brian Best, in the Nov. 6 mid-term general election.