By Joan Bolin Betts, Ames
When Kim Reynolds became the first woman governor of Iowa, I remembered that when I had run as a Republican candidate for state treasurer in 1998, some Republicans were admittedly unwilling to vote for a woman.
I wanted to vote for Kim Reynolds. Then she touted a financial boost from tax cuts for lower- and middle-income Iowa families which were no boost for them at all. Almost half was for high incomes — over $250,000. The Iowa Department of Revenue stated Iowa’s lower-income families would save $18, while those making $1 million would save $25,000! I was shocked. Reynolds misled Iowans in person, during debates and in her TV ads! Further, an average saving of $300 (not the $1,000 she misrepresented) would be obliterated when local governments’ budgets were affected by budget cuts.
Most disturbing was Reynolds’ false claim that Hubbell planned to eliminate all tax cuts. Reynolds’ ads used part of an edited taped interview out of context when Hubbell had honestly stated that if, in the future, the tariffs on agricultural products seriously damaged Iowa’s economy, tax cuts would have to be addressed. Reynolds reprehensibly called Hubbell a liar.
I had liked and respected Reynolds and Hubbell since the 1990s. I met the Hubbell family when their children and my child attended the same public schools. The Hubbells were reliable, caring volunteers who humbly contributed time as coaches and chaperones, and encouraged all children.
Fred Hubbell reminds me of Gov. Bob Ray — honest and concerned about every Iowan. I know that Fred Hubbell is truthful. So I am confident that Iowans will always be proud to have Fred Hubbell as their governor.
Kim Reynolds managed to shock me when she jumped in on Trumps racist trolling of the Latino community in the wake of the murder of Molly Tibbetts. It was an obvious backfire and so she just immediately lied about it and claimed she never said it. Just a low person and a disgrace to the state. She isn’t at all what we need right now.