Brent Siegrist
Occupation: Legislator
Email: siegristbrent2@gmail.com
Office Seeking: Iowa House District 19
Born and have lived in Council Bluffs area entire life. Was a public school teacher for 18 years. During my first service in the Iowa House of Representatives, I was House Majority Leader for 7 years and Speaker of the House for 3 years. When I retired from the Legislature, I was the Executive Director of Iowa's Area Education Agencies for 15 years. In 2020, I ran for the Iowa House representing Council Bluffs and I am currently running for reelection to a 4th term. I have served on numerous boards including 12 years on the Iowa PBS Board of Directors and 17 years on the Iowa Western Community College Board of Trustees. Married to Valerie (35 years) and have two children...son Robert Evan and daughter Harriet.
What are the two most important issues facing Council Bluffs/Pottawattamie County, and what will you do to address them?
Numerous important issues, but job creation and housing are very important. I have worked in the legislature to ensure that we have a better climate for job growth. That entails many things including the tax system, regulatory issues, education system and quality of life issues. I have voted to reduce the tax burden to encourage the creation of new jobs. I ran the bill that streamlined the rule making process. This has reduced the regulatory burden and has eliminated several thousand rules making it easier for businesses to expand and add jobs. I have been involved in creating grant programs from the state for developers to build new housing. I have been involved in making sure that our area in treated fairly in the competition for these funds. We can see the results of those efforts in the number of projects in Council Bluffs with new apartments and homes being built across our area.
What should be done to strengthen business climate, grow the workforce, and encourage economic and population growth?
The answer above addresses this question. We have to have a fair tax system, reduce the regulatory burden and provide state aid where it makes sense. If we are to grow the workforce, then we have to have adequate housing. Additionally, because of my lifetime of work in education, I work hard to ensure adequate funding for our K-12 schools and community colleges. I have been deeply involved in using the state infrastructure money to improve our state park system as well as a yearly appropriation (usually $2.5 million a year) for our biking and hiking trail system in Iowa. All of these things encourage economic and population growth.
What can be done to balance property tax relief with the needs for cities, counties, and schools to fund services, infrastructure, and future growth?
Everybody agrees that property taxes are too high. How to address the ever risings taxes is complicated. The property tax legislation passed last session was an attempt to provide more certainly for the property taxpayer. Schools were not affected by the 2% cap that has been placed on cities and counties. Cities and counties must now limit the increase in taxes levied to no more than 2% each year with some exceptions such as no limit on the levy used to pay insurance costs. Again, your property taxes will likely go up every year, but the increase will be limited by the new law. Will it force difficult decisions at the city and county level? Absolutely. Hopefully it will result in efficiencies being implemented so necessary services continue to be provided.
What would you like voters to know about you, beyond your positions on the issues?
I have the experience and proven results to make sure that the concerns of Council Bluffs are heard in Des Moines and statewide. I have a track record of working with anyone in the Legislature to get things done. Campaigning and talking is easy. Actually governing is hard. I have proven to be effective in getting things done, and I will continue that record of success if I am reelected.