Candidate Q & A: Kevin Koester Faces Primary Challenger in Re-Election Bid

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

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

Today, we're giving you a chance to get to know Kevin Koester, one of two candidates vying for the chance to be elected as the District 38 representative. Koester is the incumbent for this seat and faces Brett Nelson in the primary.

KEVIN KOESTER

Age: 57

Address: 3514 S.W. Edgewood Lane, Ankeny

Employer: State of Iowa and an independent consultant for

Number of Years Lived in the District: 33

Summary of Education: B.A. in math from the University of Iowa, graduate studies in school administration and adult education also at UI.

Family: Married to Linda for 37 years; three grown children, Chris, Erin and Ryan; four grandchildren.

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

State of Iowa government is responsible to serve Iowans by balancing its state budget, guarding the constitutional rights of citizens and the state regarding federal regulations, and providing services to meet the public will within the revenue capacity. Among these many services, the state should place emphasis on education, public safety and state roads, health and human services, the court system, and, through its executive branch departments, manage limited regulations of local government, business, industry and preservation of our economic and natural resources.

Our government should stay out of matters which inhibit the fundamental principles within our long standing motto, "Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain."

State government must be responsive to taxpayers and its citizens of ALL ages regarding its open and fair delivery of services, budgets and operations. The state must provide a ready response to disasters or emergencies at the state and local levels. My most treasured moments as a representative have been occasional successes with intervention when someone has seemingly been mistreated by an agency of government and my advocacy results in satisfactory, proper resolution. This role is also a fundamental feature of good government.

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

1. Conservative state budgeting to again underspend, as we cut spending to less than 97 percent of Iowa's ongoing state income for 2012 and 2013.
2. Increased support to community colleges, especially workforce training and skills toward job shortages.
3. Mental health reform to eliminate wait lists (over 700 persons in Polk County alone in 2011) and to convert the fragmented county system into a statewide core service plan.

What were the 3 biggest failures?

1. The Senate failed to pass any property tax reform or to even vote upon any of the four separate bills sent by the Iowa House that reduced commercial and residential tax increases (growth limits).
2. Education reform was "milk toast," too little impact regarding clearer measures of student learning and too much delay of action to instead do further "study" by task forces.
3. Failure to allow Iowans to vote to define marriage or protect the right to bear arms.

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

I suggest two easy methods:

1. Provide clear LIMITS (2 percent or less) to the growth per year of any rate increase that does not have local voter approval by public referendum.
2. Commit existing state revenues to backfill portions of county and city loss through property tax decreases. Schools are essentially protected from local tax revenue decreases due to "spending authority" set by the state.

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

Yes, here are two separate and painful truths that paint a poor picture and describe how our tax law hurts our economy. Iowa is rated the second highest of 50 states regarding excessive commercial property taxes. Also, the current, outdated state formula ties residential rates to agriculture rates that will automatically push up both property rates (homes and farms) for each of the next five years.

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

Yes. I cosponsored HJR 6 and supported it through four voting opportunities in the Iowa House. I propose that Iowa legislators will pass this referendum, much like HJR 6, to simply allow Iowans to vote on the marriage issue.

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?

Yes. Iowans will have statewide voting opportunities this year and in 2014 to vote on these and other judges on the same ballot with the many candidates for other public offices. I personally voted to oust the three Supreme Court justices on the 2010 ballot.

And to end things on a lighter note, tell voters one fun, random fact about you they probably don't know.

I am the oldest of seven sons, all of who stayed in Polk County. When Linda and I were finally blessed with a daughter, Erin, became the first baby girl in 77 years of Koester births spanning four generations.