One Democrat and one Libertarian are vying for an open House of Representatives seat in Urbandale, which will become vacant following the retirement of incumbent Rep. John Forbes.
Iowa House District 44 covers Urbandale and parts of Des Moines.
Libertarian attorney Jake Heard and Democratic Urbandale City Council member Larry McBurney are vying for the seat. There is no Republican on the ballot.
To help voters, the Des Moines Register has sent questions to all federal and Des Moines County legislative candidates running for political office this year. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Early voting begins on October 16 for the November 5 general election.
More information: Your Iowa 2024 Voter Guide
Who is Jake Heard?
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Age: 34.
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Party: Libertarian.
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Where did you grow up: Urbandale.
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Current place of residence: Urbandale.
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Education: Juris doctorate.
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Occupation: Lawyer (mainly criminal defense, trial and appeal).
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Political experience and social activities: First candidate. I served in the Iowa Senate for a total of six years. Four years as a caucus worker for the Iowa Senate Republicans. Two years as Chief of Staff to the Senate President (Jake Chapman) during the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions. Volunteered for several statewide and presidential campaigns.
Who is Larry McBurney?
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Age: 38.
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Party: Democrat.
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Where did you grow up: Des Moines.
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Current place of residence: Urbandale.
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Education: Some university.
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Occupation: Executive Director, Filipino American Society.
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Political experience and social activities: Urbandale City Council (2021 to present); Urbandale Civil Rights Commission (2019-2021); Vice Chairman of the Urbandale Committee on July 4 (2021 to present); Urbandale/Johnston VFW Trustee (2021 to present); Board Member of Bravo Greater Des Moines (2022 to present); Urbandale Lions Club Member; Urbandale Community Action Network Volunteer; Urbandale American Legion member; and member of the Urbandale Historical Society.
What would be your most important issue if elected?
Heard: Freedom and less government intrusion into the lives of Iowans across the board. On a specific policy issue, my priority will be eliminating the income tax in Iowa.
McBurney: Mental health reform. As a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate mental health care in the state of Iowa. Access to resources should not be kept in silos; Iowans seeking help should be able to easily identify options for care from any provider in the state. Expanding telehealth in rural Iowa, including expanding broadband access to broadband deserts, and working to mirror mental health care demands in neighboring states to give mental health professionals the flexibility to move across state lines are two things we could work on from day one.
What policies would you support to improve Iowa’s education system?
Heard: Increase competition in the education system and more opportunities for parents to send their children to increase the effectiveness and overall educational value of Iowa schools.
McBurney: Properly financing public education through additional state aid that at least keeps pace with inflation. Returning government money to public schools by abolishing the education savings plan. Separate the AEA from the Department of Education and return it to a separate entity that serves all regions of Iowa. Restore collective bargaining powers to the Iowa State Education Association and their local chapters so that teachers can negotiate for better and safer working conditions. Restore local control for school boards to determine what literature is considered appropriate for their districts, rather than mandating it at the state level.
What do you think Iowa’s tax policy should be? Do you believe the state’s priority should be lowering rates or spending services on Iowans?
Heard: Iowa should eliminate the income tax completely. Eliminate excess and wasteful government spending and, if necessary, increase sales or other use taxes to fill any gaps in revenue. This question presents a false choice that the only two options are lower rates or higher expenses. It is possible to reduce state income taxes and maintain or increase the services provided by the government.
McBurney: As a current member of the Urbandale City Council, I recognize the importance that taxes play in our daily lives. Taxes are an investment in our communities. Investments such as strong public schools to create a skilled workforce; good streets and reliable public safety to attract new residents; strengthened infrastructure such as bridges to keep America’s transportation system running smoothly. These are all essential to ensuring a high quality of life for our residents and it is our responsibility to ensure that our investments continue to improve the lives of all Iowans.
What policies would you support to improve school safety in Iowa?
Heard: Let schools and parents of students decide what type of security they want. Whether that be metal detectors, arming teachers, having an auxiliary officer, locking buildings during school hours or any other security measure chosen by the school and the parents of students at that school.
McBurney: Given the most recent laws passed by our state legislature, guns in schools are unfortunately unavoidable. We should support school districts in establishing public records of what staff are carrying, what they are carrying, and their associated serial numbers. Here’s what we need to do in the short term as we continue to work to undo this dangerous law of arming school staff, which has been shown to be historically dangerous and ineffective due to accidental layoffs, inadequate staff training, and increased safety risks with more guns on school grounds.
Iowa’s six-week “fetal heartbeat” abortion ban is now in effect. What next steps do you think the Iowa Legislature should take when it comes to abortion?
Heard: The Legislature should somehow propose a constitutional amendment and let the people decide whether or not there is a constitutional right to abortion, and if so, what limitation or limitations should be placed on that right. The issue of abortion is such an important and personal issue that I wish the people of Iowa would decide at the constitutional level what the basis should be if someone can or cannot get an abortion in the state of Iowa. The General Assembly would only have the power to legislate within the parameters/baselines established by the people.
McBurney: The Legislature should work to enshrine Roe v. Wade in the state constitution, because everyone has the right to full bodily autonomy and the ability to make their own decisions about health care and reproductive care. Additionally, Medicare/Medicaid should not have restrictions based on an individual’s reproductive health care as a physician and their patient determine what care best suits the patient’s needs.
This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register: Jake Heard, Larry McBurney running for Iowa House District 44 in Urbandale
