Where Harold Weilbrenner and Janice Weiner stand on issues in the Senate District 45 race

Republican Harold Weilbrenner and Democrat Janice Weiner are running for the open Iowa Senate seat covering Iowa City and University Heights in District 45.

Weilbrenner is a first-time candidate, U.S. Army veteran and retiree from Iowa City. He was nominated to run for this seat by a convention of Republicans after no candidate ran in the party's primary in June.

Weiner is a former U.S. diplomat from Iowa City and an City Councilor who has served for nearly four years since being elected in 2019. She won a contested primary against Democrat John Raley in June with 86% of the vote.

Senate District 45 is a seat being vacated by longtime state Sen. Joe Bolkcom after he announced his retirement last year.

To help voters, the Press-Citizen sent questions to all Iowa City area legislative candidates. Their answers appear in alphabetical order by last name and have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Weilbrenner participated in two voter forums alongside Weiner but he missed a third with the League of Women Voters. A recording of the Johnson County Interfaith Coalition candidate forum can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVdbrvFo1pA.

Early voting for the Nov. 8 election starts Oct. 19. More information about how to register to vote, what's on the ballot and where to vote can be found at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/auditor/elections.

More:Johnson County voting guide 2022: What's on the ballot, how to register and how to vote early

Who is Harold Weilbrenner?

Age: 73

Party: Republican

Where did you grow up? Ottumwa

Current town of residence: Iowa City

Education: Bachelor of arts in history from Central College, Pella

Occupation: Retired from Iowa Workforce Development after 31 years, with the last 25years helping veterans find jobs.

Political experience and civic activities: Served six years on the Iowa City Human Rights Commission.

Who is Janice Weiner?

Age: 64

Party: Democrat

Where did you grow up? Coralville

Current town of residence: Iowa City

Education: West High School grad; Princeton University 1980 AB; Stanford Law School 1984 JD

Occupation: Retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer

Political experience and civic activities: Field organizer 2016; ran in state Senate primary in 2018 (lost); First vice chair Johnson County Democrats, 2018-January 2022; City Council at large, elected November 2019; president, board of Congregation Agudas Achim; work free lunch with the JC Dems; previously on the board of Shelter House and JCUNA, plus ICFRC program committee; sang with Hospice Singers; play in Community Band.

What would be your top issue should you be elected?

Weilbrenner: Despite the intentions of those promoting the Green New Deal, the policy is built on the backs of children working in cobalt mines. This needs to stop! I shall sponsor legislation in the Iowa Senate to ban the sale of electric vehicles in Iowa until this issue is resolved.

Weiner: Protecting our fundamental rights: abortion and reproductive rights; voting rights; and the right to an excellent public education. We must shine a light on these rights across the state. I'm learning from UIHC doctors about the serious ramifications of a possible abortion ban for Carver Med School and UI, plus the ability to draw doctors to this state. If elected, that will form the core of conversations with lawmakers. Iowa suffers from a brain drain and worker shortage; young people are leaving the state. By protecting these rights, we can reverse that trend and ensure our future.

Iowans are struggling with rising costs and inflation. What can the state do to help them make ends meet?

Weilbrenner: We need to fight inflation by eliminating redundant and unnecessary state regulations.

Weiner: Inflation is real and people are hurting, especially those in low-wage jobs. We must raise the minimum wage – no one can live on $7.25/hour – and increase SNAP benefits. We also need to change the tax system. Iowa’s income tax has long skewed toward the wealthy, and the new flat tax exacerbates that, while reducing state revenues available for schools and other essential programs. We should revert to a progressive system, raise the Earned Income Tax Credit, create a child tax credit similar to the federal one, and fund the state’s low-income renters’ and homeowners’ property tax credit.

What do you believe Iowa’s abortion policy should be? Do you think abortion should be banned entirely? Do you think Iowa should have no restrictions? If you believe there should be some restrictions, please be specific about the restrictions and the exceptions you support.

Weilbrenner: I am anti-abortion with the exception of rape, incest, and in defense of the mother’s life.

Weiner: We should codify Roe. I believe in choice and bodily autonomy. The vast majority of abortions occur in the first trimester. Those that occur afterward result almost solely from fetal abnormalities incompatible with life and/or a threat to the health of the mother. Making contraceptives easily available and increasing reproductive care (i.e., funding Planned Parenthood) would be positive steps. Abortion will always exist – the question is, will it be safe? Neither I nor most members of the Legislature are medical professionals. We don’t belong in the exam room. This is a decision between a woman and her doctor.

The Legislature will likely consider a proposal again providing private school scholarships using funding from public schools in the next legislative session. Is this a plan you would support?

Weilbrenner: Parents should have the choice in how their children are educated. Likewise, we also need to support teachers who will enable kids with the essentials on how to meet their maximum potential with the appreciation of financial independence and practical life skills. Any future proposed legislation will be evaluated with above priorities in mind.

Weiner: No. Public dollars are for public schools, which serve 98% of Iowa's children. Taking more money from public schools would be particularly detrimental to rural schools (many of which are already dealing with consolidation), would also hurt urban schools and likely push up property taxes to compensate. Public schools serve all, including those with IEPs; private schools pick and choose.

What new laws, if any, do you believe Iowa should pass regarding guns?

Weilbrenner: Strict scrutiny requires the government to demonstrate that the law is written to specifically fulfill the intended goals of the law and uses the least restrictive means to achieve that law’s purpose. Since the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is an inalienable right, I strongly support the public measure to add the amendment to the Iowa Constitution that states: “the right of the people of Iowa to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” and “any and all restrictions of this right should be subject to strict scrutiny.”

Weiner: We need everyone to vote “no” on Public Measure No. 1, so we retain the ability to enact common-sense gun safety laws that save lives. Strict scrutiny would take away that ability. We already have the Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. We need a red flag law to permit police to petition a state court to order temporary removal of firearms from a person they believe presents a danger to others or themselves, and we need to close the boyfriend loophole. Permitless carry does not keep us safe – we should require permits. And we need universal background checks.

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Where Iowa Senate District 45 candidates stand on the issues