Candidate Q & A: Attorney Jacob Mason Seeks District 37 Nomination; Says Legislature Ducked Property Tax Reform

Ankeny voters will head to the polls June 5 to decide which Republican candidates will appear on the November ballot this year in a bid to serve in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Ankeny is represented by two districts, House District 37 and 38.

Today, we're introducing you to Jacob Mason, an Ankeny resident and lawyer who has lived in the district for five years. He is one of six candidates running for the District 37 GOP nomination.

Whoever wins the primary will face unopposed Democrat candidate Neal Tracy in November.

JACOB MASON

Age: 34

Address: 1702 N.W. Prairie Lakes Drive.

Employer: JL Mason Law, PLLC

Number of years lived in the district: 5 years in July

Summary of education: Bachelor of science degree in political science from Arizona State University, Juris Doctorate from Drake University Law School

Family: I have been married for 14 years. We have three children and one on the way. 

What do you see as the state government's role, what should it do for taxpayers and what should it stay out of?

Government is bound by a constitution. The constitution defines the role of government. Government should play a limited role in our lives. Government should protect life, liberty and property. Government should not ensure success, but it should protect our opportunity to succeed. Government protects our opportunity to succeed through the rule of law and protecting our individual freedoms. Government inhibits our ability to succeed by encroaching upon our freedoms. 

What were the top 3 successes of the most recent legislative session? 

A success from the most recent legislative session is the legislature’s inaction with respect to the gas tax. Increasing the gas tax is not a solution and the tax should not be increased.

The budget is a step in the right direction. The budget has a projected surplus, fully funds K-12 education, and does not use one-time money for ongoing expenses.

What were the 3 biggest failures? 

The biggest failure from the most recent legislative session was the inability of the Senate to address the commercial property tax issue.

The second-biggest issue is the inability of the Senate to address residential property taxes. 

A ban of traffic cameras should have been passed. Traffic cameras are revenue generators and serve no legitimate safety purpose.

How can the state restructure property taxes without shifting the burden to homeowners?

Property taxes increase because value of the property increases and/or government spends more money. The state can address these issues through the formulas used to determine the amount of tax.  n example of a factor used in the formula is the “rollback.” This is used when property values, averaged across the state, increase at a percentage greater than 4 percent. The increase in valuation is “rolled” back to average the cap of 4 percent. The maximum percentage increase can be reduced to a percentage less than 4 percent.  Primarily, the solution would be for state and local government to spend less money.

Is the current tax structure hurting the state's economy?

The current tax structure does harm economic activity because it puts us at a competitive disadvantage. When a business looks to expand or locate it has many factors to consider, including the cost of doing business in a state. Our property tax structure places an excessive burden on commercial enterprise when compared to other states.  

Should the next legislature take up the issue of same sex marriage? What would you propose?

I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I also believe in a limited role of government. As such, I would be in favor of legislation that removes the definition marriage. Government exercises too much control of our life. When we give jurisdiction to the state to control a segment of our life, it often leads to controls we did not anticipate or unintended consequences. 

Should the remaining Iowa Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of allowing same sex marriage be removed from the bench? Why or why not? 

I do not agree with the reasoning used in the Varnum decision. I believe the decision was incorrect, but again, when we allow government to act in our lives through law, we open ourselves to decisions made by judges. I believe the system by which our judges are appointed and either retained or removed is a preferred system. Ultimately, all voters can and will make the determination.  

Finally, we'll close on a lighter note. Tell voters one fun, random fact about you they probably don't know. 

I like to sing, mostly off key, to random words uttered by my children, much to their dismay. I also like to play guitar, but I can’t sing and play at the same time, so my kids feel at liberty to converse freely without fear of me breaking into song.