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Name: Jon Dunwell
City: Newton
Office sought: Iowa House District 29
Occupation: Financial Representative & Speaker, Trainer, Coach
Education: Bachelor of Arts
Elected offices held:
Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to voters and explain why you want to be a representative of the Iowa Legislature.
I am seeking my first term in the Iowa House as a Republican.
My wife, Christie (Lauterbach) and I, have two sons, Addison and Bryce, and two dogs named Roo and Remy. For 25 years, I pastored churches in Minnesota and Florida. 10 years ago, longing to live closer to family and get back to our midwestern roots, we made the decision to return to Christie’s hometown of Newton, IA.
Until my decision to run for office, I served as a Vice President with two financial services companies. I’m currently a founder and partner of Legacy Park Wealth.
I am a pastor, a certified speaker, trainer, coach with John Maxwell, and a registered representative with International Assets Advisory. I have a history of community involvement and volunteerism with the YMCA, community councils, Meals-On-Wheels, Seniors First, Orange County Sheriff’s office, Main Street and other organizations.
I want to bring my experience and leadership to Jasper County to address its current challenges and future opportunities. I will focus upon representing Jasper County values, preserving our freedoms, healthy growth, fiscal responsibility, and healthcare accessibility.
COVID-19 has driven a wedge into the lives of all Iowans, and yet it continues to be a divisive topic. What are your thoughts on this virus? What do you think should be the proper response from Iowa leaders regarding COVID-19? Do you disagree with any of the practices or habits that people are “encouraged” to use to help mitigate spread?
Covid-19 is a highly contagious virus that can be deadly for the medically vulnerable. As we move forward, we need to learn to live with the virus. And that means…
• Continue to learn and adapt our response.
• Provide focused protection for the vulnerable
• Practice good healthy habits
• Open up our community/economy
Learning to live with the virus means not over-selling solutions. We cannot afford to pin all of our hopes on single elements. There is a danger in over-selling mask wearing and a potential vaccine. It leads to a focus on compliance and control rather than on over-all health benefit. People need to be engaged rather than coerced.
Living in a free community, means we respect the health decisions of others. As we move beyond the crisis of the immediate to more of a long-term issue, we need less of the “few telling the many” what they can and cannot do and more community discussion and dialogue, employing our diversity to discover solutions. I grieve the orchestrated suppression of ideas that differ from the accepted narrative. Regrettably, it not only silences what may be untrue but as well the creativity we need. Freedom recognizes and embraces this reality.
In addition to the health concerns, COVID-19 did a number on the state’s economy, unemployment rate and small businesses. How important is it to create jobs in a post-pandemic Jasper County? From a legislative perspective, what are some ways you would better the job market in the area? How are small businesses expected to thrive?
Creating jobs, growing the Iowa economy, and generating healthy growth are crucial for Jasper County’s future. We need to continue to look at taxes, removing restrictive and unnecessary barriers to starting a business, enhancing highspeed broadband access, and creating a skilled work force.
We always need to be looking at taxes in Iowa. We have the culture, the emphasis on education, and the values attractive to many. Our taxes are not.
We often hear that the shortage of skilled workers is the biggest barrier to growing Iowa’s economy. Continued investment in programs such as Future Ready Iowa, the Last Dollar Scholarship and additional funding towards career and technical education programs, will ensure Iowa/Jasper County employers have a skilled workforce ready to take on rewarding, 21st century careers.
We need to look for ways to come along side and support our small businesses in the short-term recovery from Covid-19. In the long-term, we need to continue to look at removing barriers to starting a business in Iowa. Bottomline, healthy growing communities create healthy opportunities for small businesses.
Health care continues to be a strong issue in District 29. If there are fewer jobs, that could mean there are more uninsured people, which could have an effect on rural hospitals or other care facilities. What needs to be done in the Iowa Legislature in order for people to have access to affordable health care? How would you approach this complicated issue?
Healthcare is an area where we need to be constantly listening, learning, and adapting. Significant changes have been made over the last number of years. And, as we listen to the residents of Jasper County, more will probably be made in the future.
Ensuring every Iowan has access to affordable healthcare and protecting our rural critical access hospitals is a top priority. We need to…
• Continue to fund and evaluate increasing the student loan repayment/forgiveness for doctors and other healthcare providers that work in our rural communities.
• Continue to invest in rural residency programs that give preference to those with Iowa connections.
• Continue to encourage and support telemedicine.
• Monitor the over regulating and reporting burden upon our rural hospitals.
• Work on a common claims process for Medicaid and consistent credentialing for providers across institutions.
• Closely monitor our Medicaid program to ensure that patients get the services they need and providers are paid in a timely manner. Transparency is a key.
• Work on filling the “holes” in our mental health services and continue to evaluate our funding models and levels.
Earlier this year, there were a number of demonstrations throughout the state — and even in Jasper County — regarding social issues. These were peaceful protests mourning the unjust deaths of Black people at the hands of police officers. Do you think there needs to be a change in the way police are trained? Do you think there any legislative means to addressing minority populations’ concerns?
The conversation has begun. We cannot afford to let it fade away. We must continue to listen, learn, and seek to understand. Issues raised within our communities cannot reside solely on the shoulders of law enforcement. We have community issues that call for community solutions.
Having served as the Senior Chaplain for a large metropolitan law enforcement agency in a diverse and underserved community, I know the value of training and adaptation of methods. I also know that law enforcement cannot do it alone and needs the support and involvement of other disciplines/services. Our conversation needs to focus on adding and not subtracting. The sacrifice and commitment of our law enforcement officers call for investment as we continue to address the abuses of individuals and the larger issues of racism.
As we listen and attempt to gain greater understanding, it’s imperative we view legislation, new laws, and funding from what we learn. Care needs to be exercised in not merely doing symbolic actions. The hurt and pain expressed by many in our country call for serious and meaningful responses. We must not only listen but engage a broader representation of our communities in the discovery and implementation of change.