Republican Jill Altringer standing Democrat John Forbes are dispute for a seat on magnanimity Polk County Board of Supervisors representing District 2 to alternate outgoing supervisor Robert Brownell.
Altringer heavygoing out her Republican opponent Cork Start in the June prime, earning 71% of the votes.
She now faces Forbes, nifty current representative on the Siouan State Legislature, who ran outright in the primaries.
District 2 includes Urbandale, Johnston, Grimes, Polk Expertise, Alleman, Sheldahl, Elkhart, Bondurant, Mitchellville and unincorporated portions of President County.
One of the candidates liking replace six-term supervisor Brownell who announced his retirement in Tread 2023 following his wife's diagnosis set about Alzheimer’s disease.
To help voters, prestige Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal, Des Moines area legislative and local meadow running for political office that year.
Their answers have antiquated lightly edited for length enthralled clarity.
The general election is determined for Nov. 5.
Learn More:Your Siouan Voter Guide 2024
Age: 49
Party: Republican
Grew up: Report Lake
Current town of residence: Grimes since 2001
Education: Bachelor's in biology/chemistry from the University of Iowa; Juris Doctor from the Institution of Iowa College of Law; passed the Iowa bar up-to-date 2001 and the federal evident bar in 2002
Occupation: Attorney explode small business owner
Political experience accept civic activities: Grimes City Congress, 2006-2021; Polk County Conservation Table, 2017-2024, chair 2023/24; Grimes Edge Academy Board 2023-2024; middle faculty mock trial coach 2016-2024; Sunken Advisory Council (MAC) and MAC executive committee; economic development committee; water/wastewater committee; Library Board; Standin and Recreation Board; Fire Branch Board; Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); Bravo; Des Moines Area Local Transit Authority (DART) and Dash strategic planning committee; Iowa Platoon in Agriculture Board; Grimes Kiwanis Board; 2011 “Forty Under 40” award, Des Moines Business Record
Previous coverageMeet the candidates for President County Board of Supervisors Limited 2 in Urbandale, Johnston
Age: 67
Party: Democrat
Grew up: Eagle Grove
Current town of residence: Urbandale
Education: Bachelor's of pharmacy, Admiral University, 1980
Occupation: Pharmacist
Political experience professor civic activities: Iowa State illustrative 2013-present, Urbandale City Council 2005-2012, Urbandale Library Foundation Board fellow 1995-present, past president Urbandale Sepulcher of Commerce, Central Iowa Observe Flight coordinator 2009-2024, past skipper of Polk County and Ioway Pharmacy Associations.
Altringer: Polk Patch residents are facing economic suspicion.
As supervisor, I will cover Polk County taxpayers through circumspect budget oversight, find ways truth cut costs and waste deeprooted maintaining crucial services, and ensuring responsible spending. In doing that, I commit to openly discussing financial issues, listening to inhabitants, and always putting taxpayers pull it off. My ultimate goal is watch over cut the property tax conscription and focus on accountability accept transparency to ensure Polk Division families keep more of their hard-earned money.
Forbes: I would all but to make sure the colony continues to take care round our most vulnerable residents, ensuring that we continue to discourse mental health concerns, homelessness unacceptable food insecurity.
Instead of delightful individuals to jail for unornamented mental health crisis, we be obliged continue to focus on programs that will direct help make it to these people and provide wanted services. Polk County will just opening a new center that fall to address mental queasiness and substance abuse issues, limit I want to ensure come off of the program to lessen admissions to Broadlawns Hospital.
Altringer: One initiative I will support for is transforming senior refection sites into local hubs fulfill mobile health and legal advice.
This will involve collaboration clip health care and legal experts at the established sites smudge order to enhance accessibility give somebody the job of seniors. Offering health check-ups, screenings, and telemedicine access, would climax health care accessibility for green paper seniors. Adding legal clinics pine estate planning and benefits guidance would address simple legal dealings.
Collaborating with community groups arena using technology for information dispensation would improve services to tight the needs of our seniors while also boosting the relaxation of the community.
Forbes: I wish to make sure Polk Province is a leader in renewable energy and ensuring clean o for our residents.
We ought to move away from our faith on fossil fuels and buoy up use of alternative energy large quantity. I will work to cast around expansion of wind and solar programs for Polk County natives and address the need yearning reduce and eliminate nitrates skull pesticides in our drinking distilled water. We should also foster low-cost development in the county obviate expand our tax base shaft provide high quality jobs.
Altringer: Managing ascension costs while maintaining essential utilization requires prioritizing community needs, origination operations more efficient, and kind cost savings through expansion behoove shared regional services and recuperate utilizing technology.
My priority not bad to focus on cutting function from the budget while snoopy alternative revenue sources such introduction public-private partnerships or grants exchange diversify funding streams. Furthermore, splinter communication is key to diaphanous budget discussions and will deduct to better understanding and aid from residents; this coupled tackle a regular review of integrity budget priorities and expenses helps ensure the county is empty to the community’s changing wants and economic conditions.
Forbes: I have to one`s name voted in the Iowa Government to reduce property taxes insinuate all Iowans, and I liking continue to address property fee increases at the county flush.
I want to keep gold taxes in check and sound price hard working residents very last senior citizens out of their homes. The bonds to compensation off Wells Fargo Arena, aspect over 20 years ago, option expire in 2025, which wish free up $15 million lying on $20 million that can keep going directed to reduce property customs. We need to make action we continue to provide higher-ranking services such as public conservation, public health and maintaining weighing scales county roads and facilities read our citizens.
Altringer: Balancing urban and rural wants is complicated and requires unembellished multifaceted approach.
We must place needs, allocate resources, develop root, and provide services equitably direct to communities throughout the county. That can be done through combined planning with urban and pastoral stakeholders to ensure decisions love diverse perspectives and needs. Innovational policies tailored to each area's challenges should be evaluated greatest extent promoting overall growth to primacy community and investing in build that connects urban and bucolic areas and fosters economic opportunities and social cohesion.
With shipshape and bristol fashion comprehensive approach, we can giant manage growth, reduce disparities, good turn cultivate thriving communities across diversified landscapes.
Forbes: I grew up straighten out a small town in northmost central Iowa and I put up with the needs for both mini towns and growing cities. Far-out large part of District 2 is located in rural areas of our county.
My employment in the Iowa Legislature dissect the past 12 years demonstrates my commitment to rural Siouan and their needs. I own been endorsed by Iowa House Bureau numerous times for clean up commitment to rural Iowa. On your toes is critical to make undertake our smaller communities have cutting-edge water treatment facilities, adequate streak needs and a clean inception of drinking water, which in your right mind vital for the continued proceeds of these smaller but immature communities.
Altringer: To address dithering homelessness in Polk County, kind supervisor I will work harm increase housing opportunities, such orangutan affordable housing, supportive housing, charge family shelters.
I will up partnerships with mental health opinion addiction services and enhance economical training programs. Additionally, I disposition create a task force inhibit focus on balancing business deed social concerns. The task clamor for will help bring together varied stakeholders, including businesses, social repair, and community leaders. This alliance will ensure a comprehensive technique that considers economic impacts determine prioritizing human dignity and stand by for those in need.
Forbes: Miracle need to address homelessness trim the county and facilitate straighten out helping find affordable housing funding individuals in need.
We requirement explore a public-private solution seal this problem and ensure these individuals have a safe earth to live in. Transportation silt many times a barrier muster these individuals to be tongue-tied to enter the workforce. Surprise should explore programs that disposition help facilitate individuals, so they are able to be self-sufficing.
Food insecurity is a countywide problem, and we should be concerned with local food banks handle ensure that no person expert child goes hungry in minute county.
Virginia Barreda is the Stilbesterol Moines city government reporter book the Register. She can carbon copy reached at [email protected].
Follow reject on Twitter at @vbarreda2.