“We need to take action now, to turn Iowa around and ensure working Iowans can reach their full potential here.” - State Senator Nate Boulton
Des Moines, IA- State Senator Nate Boulton, candidate for governor, announced his Action for Iowa plan today, detailing his positive vision forward for the state of Iowa. As the first funnel week in the 2018 legislative session has come to a close, Republicans failed to take up Democratic policies that would lift up working Iowans, and have prioritized corporate tax credits, exemptions and giveaways over public education, DHS, and corrections. Boulton’s plan consists of bills he has introduced in the Senate during the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions, and policies he has consistently talked about on the campaign trail for the past ten months that will improve the quality of life for Iowans in small, midsize, and large communities. As the only legislator in the race for governor and the only candidate to release a full policy package, Iowans know where Boulton stands on the issues and can count on his willingness to fight for Iowans and the things in which he believes. During his first legislative session as Governor, Boulton will take action to enact this plan and reverse the direction Republicans have taken Iowa.
The following summaries highlight Boulton’s vision forward for Iowa. The full Action for Iowa plan can be found at www.boultonforiowa.com/2018/02/20/action-for-iowa/
Having grown in prominence fighting for workers’ rights during the 2017 legislative session, highlighted by the 26-hour debate on SF213, Boulton continues to be a leader in the Iowa Senate, in the courtroom, and on the campaign trail, defending the working families of Iowa. He believes in investing in the most educated, skilled, and productive workforce to create a strong economy, rather than giving away millions in tax credits to large companies and degrading hard-working Iowans.
See Boulton’s Workforce policies HERE.
Iowa has the most skilled, educated and productive workforce in the world, but to keep it, Iowa must invest in that workforce. Governor Reynolds and Republicans continue to hold back and take away from working Iowans while giving away over $600 million in corporate tax credits and exemptions in order to attract jobs by being the lowest bidder. These actions are throwing Iowa’s budget off balance, and Boulton is prepared to take action to address the root of the problem and end the cycle of off-balance budgets and mid-year cuts.The Republican solution is to ignore the problem and balance the budget by dipping into rainy day funds when the sun is shining, while cutting millions of dollars from education, corrections, DHS, and the judicial branch through mid-year budget cuts. This dangerous cycle is not good for Iowa’s economy or it’s people, but Boulton will take action that is desperately needed to address the artificial budget crisis created by Reynolds and the Republicans.
See Boulton’s Economy policies HERE.
For seven years in a row, Republicans have underfunded education, and this year, though Governor Reynolds said she planned to invest in education during her Condition of the State address, her administration has underfunded k-12 public schools for the eighth year in a row and proposed millions of dollars of cuts for community colleges and the Regents institutions in the most recent round of mid-year budget cuts. Boulton knows investing in Iowa’s future workforce is essential to the long-term future of the state and is dedicated to funding schools at a reasonable level so that school districts, community colleges and public universities can thrive instead of struggling to make ends meet and competing against each other for funds. As Governor, Nate would ensure Iowa once again values the profession of teaching by fighting to restore teachers’ rights and ensure we have the best and brightest teaching our children.
See Boulton’s Education policies HERE.
Iowa has often been a leader in the United States for civil justice, but under Republican leadership, Iowa has taken steps backwards regarding civil rights. Governor Reynolds has said that LGBTQ+ issues are a matter of local control, putting the rights of LGBTQ+ Iowans in danger, has underfunded the judicial branch of government, slowing down Iowa’s justice system, and supported the voter ID law passed in 2017, limiting access to the ballot for minority, young, elderly, and disabled Iowans. Boulton has been a long-time advocate for civil rights in the courthouse and now in the Senate. In a Boulton administration, civil rights would be strengthened, not infringed upon.
See Boulton’s Civil Rights policies HERE.
Environment
After failing to pass a meaningful water quality solution in the 2017 legislative session, Republicans passed weak legislation without accountability measures or a watershed approach in January, and once again refused to fund the Iowa Water and Land Legacy Trust Fund, which Iowans voted in support of by over 60% at the ballot box in 2011. To ensure Iowa’s environment is sustained for future generations, Boulton knows Iowa must take immediate action to clean up the waterways and protect topsoil across the state, as well as invest in wind and solar energy to combat climate change.
See Boulton’s Environment policies HERE.
Health Care
Boulton believes health care in a right, not a privilege, and is dedicated to ensuring Iowans in every county have access to quality, affordable, comprehensive health care. The privatized Medicaid system that Branstad initiated has failed Iowans since it began, but Governor Reynolds defends it every time a new shortcoming comes to light. Boulton has been a strong advocate for returning to the previous fee-for-service program and working to improve services across Iowa. When Republicans defunded Planned Parenthood in 2017, Boulton stood up for women’s rights and will take action as Governor to fill the health care void that Republicans have left. Iowa is facing a mental health and substance abuse crisis, and investing in mental health care across the state is essential to ensure Iowans receive the support they need to be contributing members of society, yet Republicans closed mental health institutes and are taking too long to address the issue. Boulton has already taken action in the courtroom to stand up for Iowans living with mental illness, and will continue to invest in Iowa’s mental health care as Governor.
See Boulton’s Health Care policies HERE.
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