State Rep. Dawn Pettengill (R-Mt.Auburn) is seeking re-election to the Iowa House District 75 seat. Below is the candidate profile information Dawn submitted to Vinton Today:

Home: Mount Auburn


Family: 3 children: Jon, Leah, Nick and Trixie (our spoiled dog), granddaughter Elaina 

Experience: 
Fellow, Insurance Education - FLMI
Associate of Customer Service - LOMA
Associate of Pension Administration - NIPA
Fellow - Bowhay Legislative Leader
Dynamic Leader - Iowa State Extension
City Council, Mount Auburn, 1997-2001
Mayor, Mount Auburn, 2002 - 2005
State Representative, Iowa, 2005 - 2012
East Central Iowa Council of Government, Executive Board and Board of Directors, 2002 - 2004
Benton County Conference Board, 2002 - 2004
Benton County Emergency Management Commission, 2002-2004
Benton County Solid Waste Commission, 2002 - 2004
Benton Development Group, 2002 -2004
Skilled Worker Shortage Commission, State of Iowa, 2007
Rebuild Iowa Commission, Hazard Mitigation Task Force, 2008
Identity Theft Protection Commission, State of Iowa, 2008
W2L Women to Leadership, Founder, 2010
Council of State Governments, Innovations Committee, 2011-2012
American Legislative Exchange Council, Chair, Business and Labor Subcommittee, 2011 - 2012
Lake MacBride Study Committee, 2011
Public Retirement Systems Committee, Chair, 2011
Bowhay Fellow Selection Committee, 2012 

Community Involvement: Vinton Lions Club
Mt. Auburn Youth Council - Founder and Advisor, 2000 - 2012
Iowa Dept. on Aging, Commissioner, 2005 -2006, 2008 - 2012
IPERS Investment Board 5 years, 2008 - 2012

No matter what our issue of the day is, my job is mainly to help people be successful. Whether it's education, steadying the economy to help with job creation or holding the line on spending so people can have more of their money in their pockets, our actions should always be about making people successful.

Steadying the economy is still the number one priority. That means creating an environment that gets people working. We have much more to do, but have addressed this by working to reduce burdensome regulations on employers, get our budget and tax structures in line and make sure we have a workforce educated in the right things and ready to meet the needs of employers. 

State revenues are coming up, but we need to continue to be cautious with the taxpayer's money by using sound budget practices of spending less than we receive, not using one time funds to pay for ongoing expenses and continually prioritizing and evaluating what's working and what isn't.

Property tax reform has to be addressed. Our homeowner property taxes have the ability to roll UP over a billion dollars in the next 5 years if we don't act. Not to mention our Main Street businesses already pay higher rates than a New York City business does.

Every election I've had the same reason to run and that's to protect our great small towns and rural way of life.