Floyd County Supervisor Candidate Q&A – Mark Kuhn, District 1

Each of the candidates for Floyd County supervisor was sent a list of eight questions regarding current county topics of interest. Here are the answers of those who responded:

Mark Kuhn, age 72, retired in 2018 after farming in Floyd County for 49 years.

Elected to the Floyd County Supervisor and served from 1992 to 1998; elected to the Iowa House of Representatives and served six two-year terms from 1999 to 2010; elected to the Floyd County Supervisors and served two four-year terms from 2011 to 2018.

Married to wife, Denise, for the past 49 years with two sons, Mason and Alex (deceased), and five grandchildren.

Question 1) – Why are you running for a seat on the Floyd County Board of Supervisors?

I’m a candidate to restore fiscal responsibility to county government. Floyd County’s ‘tax and spend’ and ‘borrow and spend’ fiscal policies are not sustainable. Double digit property tax increases year after year are threatening citizens on fixed incomes, small businesses and working families who are struggling to keep up with inflation. Floyd County’s General Services tax levy is considerably higher than six of our neighboring counties including Butler, Bremer, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Howard and Worth.

With all due respect to my former colleagues, the next board of supervisors needs to get the county’s financial problems under control. Floyd County’s record high property tax levies are making it harder to attract and keep working families living in the county, and that hurts efforts to attract new jobs and economic development.

I’m running for office because Floyd County needs a supervisor who knows how to say ‘no’ to more spending and when to do it.

Question 2) – Do you support passing an essential services levy in the county to pay for emergency medical services? If yes, how should the use of that tax money be prioritized? If no, how would you propose supporting EMS services in the county?

I support the EMS tax levy because all county residents need essential medical services ready to respond to their emergency.

If voters approve the levy, I’ll work to provide county-wide EMS services that prioritize workforce shortages and declining volunteerism, but at a cost taxpayers can afford. I’m very concerned about levying more taxes than are needed annually and creating a fund with additional tax dollars. I’ll also seek to reduce Floyd County’s total tax askings by an amount equal to the $100,000 General Fund appropriation currently used to fund AMR. To do otherwise would be fiscally irresponsible and an example how the property tax shell game works.

If voters disapprove the levy, I’ll support the current level of county funding to keep all EMS providers operating throughout Floyd County. I pledge to work with the City of Charles City to negotiate a new contract with AMR.

Question 3) – Have county property tax rates been handled responsibly in recent years, and what, if anything, would you have done differently regarding specific spending?

During the last four years, the General Services tax levy has increased from $4.80/$1,000 valuation to $5.92/$1,000. The Rural Services tax levy has increased from $3.40/$1,000 valuation to $3.65/$1,000. Those huge levy increases amount to $2,148,338 in additional property taxes collected in FY 23, compared to when I retired from the board four years ago.

That doesn’t even include the $1,017,625 in property taxes collected for debt service on the Law Enforcement Center/

Courthouse project. Four and a half years after voters approved it at a cost of $13.5 million, the project is still not finished and Floyd County is suing the architect for $1.6 million in disputed costs and fees.

I would have recognized the project was already $4.6 million over bids on Sept. 30, 2019 and voted against the new bid package approved by the supervisors that gave the green light to continue construction.

Question 4) – Would you favor increasing the size of the board of supervisors to five members? Why or why not?

Given that 67% of Floyd County voters approved a special election in 2021 to elect three supervisors in districts instead of being elected at-large, I would not favor increasing the board to five members.

The vote to elect supervisors in districts was driven by the belief of many county residents that their concerns were not being heard by the board of supervisors at numerous contentious budget hearings where higher property taxes were proposed and approved.

The board of supervisors must be open and accountable to all Floyd County citizens and make them feel welcome at supervisor meetings. Decisions need to be made following a civil and orderly discussion. To increase transparency, I’ll write a column in official county newspapers to inform citizens of important issues and seek their input.

Question 5) – If it was entirely your decision, how specifically would you spend the more than $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that the county is receiving?

I support decisions made by the supervisors to spend and/or budget about $1.5 million of ARPA funds to pay for completion of the LEC/Courthouse project. Using ARPA funds to cover the cost overruns in the project means property tax dollars won’t have to be scooped from Floyd County’s General Fund balance, as has been done the past two years.

ARPA funds should be spent to reduce already existing budget needs, thereby decreasing the amount of property tax askings in the county budget.

ARPA funds don’t have to be obligated until December 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. I believe it would be a very good idea to keep most of the remaining ARPA funds earning interest in local banks for now, just in case Floyd County’s $1.6 million lawsuit against the architect of the LEC/Courthouse project doesn’t go the county’s way.

Question 6) – If the power was entirely yours, what two things would you do the first 100 days of being sworn into office?

Two critical, time-sensitive agenda items top my ‘first 100 day’ list.

The board must pass the FY 24 county budget by March 31, 2023. I’m committed to a budget that does not raise county property tax levies. That will be difficult and require elected officials and department heads to cooperate and understand Floyd County’s fiscal situation.

The other is the consideration of a county ordinance to protect the residents and lands of Floyd County from the physical and economic harm that may be caused by the construction of hazardous carbon pipelines.

Floyd County can’t stop the eminent domain authority of carbon pipelines given by state law, but we are not helpless. That’s why I’ll propose an ordinance similar to ones used in other Iowa counties to ensure county roads and farm drainage tile are not permanently harmed by pipeline construction, and separated distances are established from residences, hospitals, and businesses.

Question 7) – What is the most important single thing you hope to have accomplished by the end of your term in office?

Restoring Floyd County’s fiscal responsibility by lowering county property tax levies while maintaining county services will be the benchmark I’ll use to gauge my term in office.

Question 8) – Why are you the best choice to be elected for your race?

I have the experience, leadership skills and the time to commit to the job that needs to be done. Floyd County is facing several critical issues that will determine our ability to grow and prosper. If given the honor and responsibility to serve as a county supervisor again, I’ll work tirelessly for all the residents of Floyd County. I ask for your vote on Nov. 8.

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