(Iowa Governor's Mansion - KIWA Staff Photo)Cedar Rapids, Iowa (RI) — Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand met Tuesday night for their third and final debate before the Nov. 3rd election, discussing issues ranging from property taxes to mental health care.
One of the topics was property tax reform. Lahn said he believes Iowa could eventually eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes while maintaining funding for essential local services.
Lahn said such a move would create an economic boom for Iowa.
The topic came up when a moderator asked Sand about the law that sets new limits on property taxes. Sand said he’s heard a thousand different opinions of those changes, which start next year.
The candidates also discussed mental health care and access to treatment. Lahn said Iowa needs additional mental health facilities but emphasized the need to determine sustainable funding resources.
Sand says he continues to hear concerns from people who work in Iowa’s mental health system who are struggling financially or even closing clinics because they’re not being adequately paid for serving Medicaid patients.
Sand’s brother-in-law died earlier this month after being struck by a vehicle, and a statement from the family indicated Walter Lauridsen had lived with mental health complexities.
Sand has suggested the state ends its contracts with private Medicaid managed care organizations and return administration of the program to state government.
Lahn says he favors stronger oversight of the private companies that manage Medicaid benefits rather than having the state take over the program.
The 90-minute debate was sponsored by KCRG-TV and The Gazette in Cedar Rapids.
(Audio Courtesy of KCRG-TV and The Gazette in Cedar Rapids)
