Five people will appear on the Dallas Center City Council ballot.
There are two candidates for the office of Dallas Center Mayor and three candidates, including an incumbent, running for two open seats on the city council.
The election is on November 2nd. The polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Editor’s note: Candidates’ responses have been edited slightly for clarity and length.
Who Is Running for Mayor and City Council of Dallas Center?
Julie Becker
Age: 60
Office wanted: Mayor
Where you currently live: Dallas Center, Iowa
Previous political experience: I have faithfully attended the Dallas Center City Council meetings for more than 4 years without actually holding an elected office. I did this as a citizen because the Dallas Center is close to my heart and because I want to “bring America back” to those who would move us towards socialism with their extremely liberal ideology!
Danny Beyer
Age: 39
Office wanted: Mayor of Dallas Center
Where they grew up: Monroe, Iowa
Where you currently live: Dallas Center, Iowa
Previous political experience: 6 years on the Dallas Center City Council
Robert Haxton
Age: 74
Office wanted: Dallas Center City Council
Where they grew up: On a farm south of Dexter
Where you currently live: Dallas Center for 16 years
Previous political experience: I’ve never held an office, but I’ve run three times for the seat on the Council. I also helped campaign for candidates in Madison and Dallas Counties, Iowa. For the past four and a half years I have regularly attended council meetings and made public comments about our city’s problems.
Amy Strutt (incumbent)
Age: 38
Office wanted: Dallas Center City Council
Where they grew up: St. Joseph, Michigan
Where you currently live: Dallas Center, Iowa
Previous political experience: Dallas Center City Council June 2020-Present
Daniel Willrich
Age: 48
Office wanted: Dallas Center City Council
Where they grew up: Grimes, Iowa
Where you currently live: Dallas Center, Iowa
Previous political experience: 9 years Dallas Center Council Member, 1 year Dallas Center Mayor
What are the key topics addressed by the Dallas Center mayor and city council candidates in this cycle?
Julie Becker
My main concern as Mayor will be to promote transparency in the Dallas Center City government. The lack of TRANSPARENCY in the operation of our city administration has fueled rampant CRONYISM in the operation of our city administration, resulting in excessive spending and ultimately a 46.9% increase in city property taxes collected by taxpayers over the past 4 years, with virtually no accountability ! If I am elected Mayor the TRANSPARENCY of the city will increase significantly, KRONYISM will cease, EXCESSIVE TAXES will cease and the city council will be held accountable to the taxpayers they serve! I will also take the Earlham Savings Bank to the Dallas Center.
Danny Beyer
Managing the continued growth of the Dallas Center. Suburban sprawl continues west and many in the Dallas Center want to maintain the small town charm of our city while accommodating the growth to come. We will continue to watch out for spending and ensure that projects with an adequate quality of life accompany ongoing infrastructure maintenance and expansion.
Robert Haxton
Reduce growth in urban property taxes. Over the past 4 years, Dallas Center City property taxes have increased 46%. This is exaggerated and places a heavy burden on older people with steady incomes and young families with children. Possible remedial measures include the introduction of “zero-based budgeting” and city spending should focus on essential infrastructure rather than negligible. The Dallas Center must end the practice of “over-budgeting,” which results in more funds being raised than necessary, which means “over-taxation”. As Dallas Center grows, we need to stop giving tax breaks on new homes before new developments take place.
Amy Strutt
Responsible growth and future orientation. Dallas County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country, and Dallas Center is and will continue to grow. My focus is on future planning to maintain the small community feel of the Dallas Center through infrastructure improvements, business support and growth on our “Main Street,” and connecting within our community through community events and services.
Daniel Willrich
Dallas Center is about to experience significant growth as the suburbs expand towards our community. My background in architecture and planning can help the Dallas Center accept this growth in a way that doesn’t detract from the loving experience here.
What should the Dallas Center City Council do to manage the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in Iowa?
Julie Becker
The most important thing I will do as the Dallas Center City Mayor to address the effects of the Biden coronavirus pandemic tyranny in Iowa is to protect the FREEDOM of all Dallas Center citizens by NOT instituting any vaccine or mask mandates; I will also do everything I can to ensure that the local seat of government remains public and accessible. It showed a lack of GUIDANCE and TRANSPARENCY by our current city council that our town hall would be closed for 14 months to those who care for it and to those who pay its bills during a crisis!
Danny Beyer
At this point, work on bringing people together through projects and ideas that can benefit the entire community. We need to work to bring the community together through all the good, rather than focusing on our differences and ways of separating ourselves.
Robert Haxton
Both my wife and eldest son contracted COVID, luckily they recovered. However, I don’t think the government’s right role is to force individuals to wear masks or to vaccinate. I agree with Governor Kim Reynolds on this matter that Iovans are responsible and Iovans should make their own decisions on this matter. This pandemic is global and there is little the Dallas Center can do to stop it. The Dallas Center should contact the Iowa Health Department on this matter. These instructions should be passed on to our residents.
Amy Strutt
As people spend more and more time at home, both working and playing, the Dallas Center City Council needs to focus on maintaining and improving infrastructure, including ensuring that all residents have affordable and reliable high-speed Internet access.
Daniel Willrich
Comment declined.
[ad_1]
