Candidate Hubbell fields questions from area voters Friday

0
1241
Candidate for the Democratic nomination for Iowa governor Fred Hubbell, standing, spoke to about 40 Perry-area voters Friday night.

Fred Hubbell of Des Moines, seeking the nomination for governor in the Democratic primary election in June, spoke to some 40 Perry-area voters Friday night at the home of Alan and Monica Peitz in Perry.

He gave his standard stump speech, arguing Gov. Kim Reynolds has mismanaged the state’s budget, cut Iowans’ health care, underfunded public education and given too much money away to corporate interests. Hubbell said former Gov. Terry Branstad and Reynolds have taken Iowa from million-dollar budget surpluses to million-dollar deficits.

The scion of a rich and famous Des Moines family, Hubbell, 66, is the former CEO of the Equitable Life Insurance Company and a well known Iowa philanthropist and donor to the Democratic party.

He followed his speech by fielding questions from local citizens. Local attorney Dan Spellman asked Hubbell about the effects on Iowa’s economy likely to follow from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The candidate said he would try to inform Trump about the way his tariffs would hurt Iowa farmers.

Retired Dallas County District Court Judge Bill Joy said he was concerned about the decline of the judicial system in Iowa and the way the legislature is cutting funding for the court system, including a plan recently offered to close 30 courthouses across the state in order to save money. Hubbell said he shared Joy’s concerns and said the straining of the state’s court system is further evidence of Reynolds’ mismanagement.

Swallow Yan, executive director of the Chinese Association of Iowa, said he was concerned about the decline of international students coming to Iowa. Hubbell told Wan he would encourage a good environment to attract more foreign students and better funding for education.

Extending his remarks on education, Hubbell would also seek more funding for Iowa’s three state universities and work to make college more affordable to Iowa students, he said.

Retired Perry public school science teacher and assistant commissioner on the Dallas County Soil and Water Conservation District Ray Harden ask where Hubbell stands on the call for a moratorium on CAFOs, the controversial confined animal feeding operations that more than 20 counties have asked the legislature to stop constructing. Hubbell said for more local input and control is needed, and he said he would want to take a closer look at the Master Matrix.

The Dallas County Democrats hold their county convention Saturday, March 24 at the Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Middle School Commons at 801 Nile Kinnick Dr. in Adel.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.