Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter to support David Weaver in House District 47.  I am impressed with his knowledge of issues facing Iowans, especially the need for strong support of Education funding.  I have had several opportunities to personally visit with him about his views and I'm confident he is the best person for this job.  He impresses me that he has NOT run a negative campaign.  He has a very strong background in farming and from information that I have researched he is a good steward of the land.  His hard work for Iowa families will be a strength.  Something that has been missing for some time in this district.  David Weaver has made it a priority to help to straighten out the mess created around Medicaid here in Iowa.  Please get out and support David Weaver for House District 47.

Brian C. Reimers

226 SW 9th St.

Ogden, IA 50212

Dear Editor:

This letter is one to support Stephen Swanson for Boone County Attorney. I met Mr. Swanson four years ago when he was running for the same position. He reached out to me, and we found time to set a meeting. I immediately liked him because he was a down to earth person and not just a politician looking for support, willing to tell me just what I wanted to hear. At this meeting, I asked for references from police officers that he had worked with, where he had been an Assistant County Attorney. He provided me with several of them and I took time and contacted them. I received 100% positive feed back from the officers and many stated they had wished they had him back, I had a second meeting with him, with some follow up questions, and I was sold on him. I then endorsed him but it was late in the election. Swanson ended up losing by just over 200 swing votes. I feel if I would have met Mr. Swanson earlier in his campaign that information could have been shared, and he would have won the election. Mr. Swanson is now back once again running for Boone County Attorney and is, in my opinion, the best candidate for the job.
      The past couple of months, I have really gotten to know Mr. Swanson as a person. Stephan is honest, professional, and always takes time for law enforcement. I have also gotten to know the current County Attorney more recently and I can not say the same for him. The current County Attorney has refused to work with the City of Madrid. He made this decision because we chose unanimously to support his opponent in this election. This is not only unethical and unprofessional, but it puts our great city in a very bad situation, all for political reasons. We have hired a great City Attorney and he has went above and beyond to assist the city and all departments. We have also reached out to Swanson for advice and he has given us Iowa Code information to assist us. This shows the professionalism between the two candidates. One is elected, being paid to do his job and isn't, another is assisting for free.
     For those that do not know, our current County Attorney applied for the Webster County Attorney position. He was offered the job but turned it down after the Webster County Supervisors would not meet the salary raise that he requested. Swanson has four generations of family in Boone County and will be taking a pay cut if elected to this position. This also shows the kind of man Swanson is since he is willing to take a pay cut to make sure that his family is safe.
      Swanson has several endorsements that need announced. Two of the three supervisors who hired Kolacia have admitted that they made the wrong choice when they hired him and have both openly endorsed Swanson for Boone County Attorney. One of them being a life long retired law enforcement officer in the county, also a Democrat. This election is not a political party vote, it is a vote for the right candidate. We need a trail attorney, not a politician. Also current Supervisor Chad Behn is stated in an open meeting, that he does not trust the judgement of the current county attorney. The supervisors work with the County Attorney day in and day out and are the best source of information on this. I encourage all voters to reach out to them and ask their opinions on this election and the candidates. I would also recommend speaking to the local attorneys and ask their opinion on the current County Attorney.
     Recently, a Boone County Judge granted a mistrial on a case that has to now be re-tired. He stated the reason was because of misconduct in the case on the side of the Boone County Attorney's Office. This should be a huge concern for every Boone County voter. The current County Attorney also has ethics violations filed against him. He has bragged about both citizens and local attorneys filing complaints about him to the Attorney Generals office. His response was that he is an elected official and there is nothing anyone can do to him. It is scary to me that someone with his power thinks there are no checks and  balances and he answers to nobody. I have also been contacted by victims in cases who say that he wont even return their calls to update them. This is simply unacceptable in this position.
      In conclusion, I just want everyone to have the true, unbiased information before they cast their vote on November 6th. Please contact the Boone County Board of Supervisors and educate yourselves on the two candidates. I really do believe that after you do, the choice will be made easier. Please let your voice be heard on November 6th and cast your vote for a better Boone County.
      Boone County Resident,
      Rick Tasler

More letters to the editor appear in the Oct. 31, 2018 issue of The Ogden Reporter.