The two candidates running for Iowa governor met for their third and final debate, discussing property taxes, mental health care access and the state’s Medicaid system.
Republican Zach Lahn said Iowa should consider eliminating property taxes on single-family homes used as primary residences. He suggested that increasing the state sales tax by approximately 2.5 cents could offset the lost property tax revenue. Lahn said the proposal could encourage homeownership and help attract and retain residents in Iowa.
Lahn also said the state would need to maintain funding for essential services, including fire and police departments and public schools.
Democrat Rob Sand discussed recently enacted changes to Iowa’s property tax laws, which are scheduled to begin taking effect next year. Sand said he wants to evaluate the effects of the law before determining whether additional changes are necessary. He said he has heard differing opinions about the legislation and wants to assess its results before making further decisions.
The candidates also addressed access to mental health treatment in Iowa.
Lahn said additional mental health facilities are needed but emphasized the importance of determining how they would be funded. He also discussed population changes and economic growth in rural communities as factors in the state’s decisions about health care access.
Sand said some mental health providers have reported financial difficulties and clinic closures related to payments for treating Medicaid patients. He also discussed the challenges families face when trying to find available mental health treatment beds.
Sand has proposed ending the state’s contracts with private companies that manage Medicaid services and returning oversight of the system to state employees. He said health care providers face administrative costs when attempting to resolve payment disputes with managed care organizations, commonly known as MCOs.
Lahn said the state could strengthen oversight of the private companies managing Medicaid payments. He also said he does not believe the government should directly run the state’s health care system.
The 90-minute debate was sponsored by KCRG-TV and The Gazette in Cedar Rapids.
