Gubernatorial candidates clash on education, taxes, and state budget

Gubernatorial candidates clash on education, taxes, and state budget Categories: Politics State Politics Gubernatorial candidates clash on education, taxes, and state budget Rob Sand and Zach Lahn offered competing plans during their second debate. Madelyn Johnson, Politics Reporter • October 14, 2026 Samantha DeFily (Left) Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand speaks to attendees during the Johnson County stop for his 100 Town Hall Tour at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City on Sept. 14. (Right) Iowa Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn speaks with attendees during Turning Point Action’s Iowa First tailgate at Fieldhouse Bar & Grill in Iowa City on Sept. 11. Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand and his Republican opponent Zach Lahn participated in their second debate Wednesday night, discussing education, affordability, the state budget, and taxes. The hour-long debate, hosted by KTIV-TV4 and moderated by Matt Breen, Dave Price, and Justin Rust, was held in the KTIV Studio in Sioux City on Oct. 14. The debate opened with conversations around the state budget, and Sand acknowledged the state faces a $1.3 billion budget deficit per year against a budget of around $9.5 billion. Sand argued the state can’t assume the gap will resolve itself through growth.  Sand proposed taxing recreational cannabis, ending data center tax breaks, restoring income limits for school vouchers, and requiring local governments to use the state auditor’s efficiency program. The efficiency program, created by Sand in 2019, is designed to help local governments cut waste, lower energy use, and stretch taxpayer dollars.  “We have a surplus right now, and that’s great,” Sand said. “But it’s only going to last a few more years.” Lahn focused on finding government waste, and discussed eliminating property-taxes on primary residence single family homes. He also proposed making government transactions public in real time using technology, saying greater transparency could help identify waste and direct savings.  “Governments do a very good job of wasting money, that’s one of the things they actually do best,” Lahn said. “If we had thousands of citizen auditors that could be deputized to say they’re searching for fraud and abuse in the system, then we would be able to find where we’re wasting those dollars.” Candidates propose educational policies Funding for education exposed different approaches for the candidates. Sand said he would seek a five percent increase in supplemental state aid to schools in his first year, but could not promise that would happen again the second year.  He argued the state could help pay for this funding through ending data center tax-breaks, taxing cannabis, restoring income limits on school vouchers, and requiring local governments to use an efficiency program.  “We have to start reinvesting in public education,” Sand said. “We went from being number five [in the nation] to being in the bottom half.” When asked to name a state aid percentage increase he would promise to schools, Lahn declined to give a specific number, arguing funding should follow a plan for improving results.  RELATED: Sand, Lahn clash over Iowa priorities in first gubernatorial debate “You don’t just blankly throw more money at a system, that’s not doing what it’s intended to do,” he said. “You have to identify the areas in which you can improve the situation to improve the outcomes.” Lahn said the education savings account, or vouchers, are a foundational freedom for Iowa families. These vouchers give students the opportunity to attend private schools by providing funding to pay tuition.  “I believe parents deserve to have more say over how their tax dollars are spent and over where their kids go to school,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a welfare program.” Lahn also proposed a long-term goal of locally sourcing 80 percent of school lunches from Iowa, saying smaller farms in Iowa could play a role in supplying this food. Sand backed this idea, and added on a proposal of free breakfast and lunch for all students.  Population and workforce decline divides candidates The proposed $15 billion dollar steel mill in southeast Iowa prompted a debate about the declining workforce in Iowa. To fill jobs throughout the state, specifically in the proposed mill, Lahn highlighted the importance of funding trade schools in community colleges.  “The trades are important because you are training people to go deep into the community and serve their neighbors,” Lahn said. “The trades are a great opportunity to keep Iowa’s kids in Iowa.” Lahn proposed changing how funding is allocated in community colleges. He said state funding for community colleges should be tied to how many individuals attend the school. He also proposed a trades tuition forgiveness program to individuals willing to work in rural communities.  Sand said he supported the use of H1-B visas, which allow American employers to temporarily hire non-immigrant individuals for positions. Lahn said he does not support the use of this visa, specifically in public universities, saying these jobs belong to Iowans. “We need to make sure that we have professionals in Iowa to do what needs to be done for Iowans,” Sand said. “We’re one of the slowest growing populations in America, and I think we need to make sure we are not closing the door on people who want to be here.” 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story More to Discover More in Politics Labor union support rises, Iowa workers face barriers to workplace protections Politifact Iowa | Republican congresswoman Miller-Meeks says she doesn’t own individual stocks. True. 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