Larry Kruse (R-Houghton) says he is running for a seat in the Iowa Senate to help improve the state’s business climate.
Kruse is wrapping up his 2nd four-year term on the Lee County Board of Supervisors. During his time, he served as the lone Republican on the five-member panel, even being elected Chairman for one year.
Kruse says among his priorities, if elected, would be to reduce the commercial income tax rate and the commercial property tax rate in Iowa.
He says for the Iowa Legislature to do that properly, the state must make up the revenue that would be lost at the city/county/school district level.
“Cities, counties (and school districts) very much depend on those (property tax) revenues,” says Kruse. “So you have to make a transition so that you are protecting those revenues and so they are held whole. It is a matter of working out the details.”
Kruse says property taxes were a key point of discussion during the negotiations with Iowa Fertilizer Company. He served on the team that worked to bring IFC’s $1.4-billion fertilizer production plant to Lee County.
Kruse says the incentive package offered to IFC is also an example of a proper way to use state funding to leverage a major economic development project.
“None of the revenues or incentives they are being given exist without the company,” says Kruse. “That company has to be in Iowa for those revenues to be generated. Plus, with the turnover of the money, that is generated by (the company) being here that will generate additional revenue.”
Kruse says it is important that the money will not be provided upfront.
He says he would also address regulations if elected to the Iowa Senate.
“I would attempt to make sure we do a cost benefit analysis (for each regulation),” says Kruse. “The cost would be easy to get as far as the compliance, but we need to define the benefits and they must be substantially more than the cost.”
Kruse would also consider a plan to review regulations every five years to make sure they are doing the job the state expects them to do.
He says he would consider an increase in the gasoline tax only if the money generated goes to highways or roads, not to landscaping or non-road improvements.
Kruse says he would also push for a renewed focus on vocational technology to show students they are good, honorable careers.
He also supports a voter ID law in Iowa.
Larry Kruse (R-Hougton) is vying to replace Sen. Gene Fraise (D-Lee County), who is retiring after 3 decades in Des Moines.
The 42nd Senate District includes all of Lee and Henry Counties and portions of Jefferson and Washington Counties.