Issues
EDUCATION:
When Josh graduated high school in Council Bluffs, Iowa's public schools were some of the best in the country. But today, too many students don't have the same opportunities Josh did because Iowa's public schools have been critically underfunded for the last decade.
That's why Josh supports fully funding Iowa's public schools so our teachers and students have the resources they need and so our schools are the best in the country again. He strongly opposes school vouchers because not only would they force rural schools to close, public money belongs to the 97% of Iowa kids who attend public schools.
HEALTHCARE:
Through his work with managed care patients, Josh knows that healthcare in Iowa is personal, yet inaccessible. Since Iowa began privatizing Medicaid in 2016, denials for medical equipment such as wheelchairs have gone up 1,000%. Our state now has 18,000 disabled citizens on a medical equipment waiting list.
Josh believes that healthcare is a human right and that the cost of quality, affordable healthcare is too high for Iowa families. He promises to fight rising healthcare costs, especially the cost of prescription drugs, and expand access as much as possible. Josh is not only strongly opposed to Medicaid privatization, he will fight to reverse it.
WORKING FAMILIES:
Josh will fight to make sure Iowans have more money in their pockets to take care of their families by raising our minimum wage to $15 an hour, keeping taxes low for low- and middle-class families, and ensuring that large corporations pay their fair share.
Josh also believes that every worker, regardless of industry, has the right to form a union and collectively bargain with their employer. He will fight to restore and maintain union rights in the state House, particularly by restoring Chapter 20 of the Iowa Code which would allow public employees to collectively bargain.
Josh also knows that there are too many Iowans with disabilities who want to work but struggle to find steady employment due to a lack of understanding and accommodation. Josh will not only work to educate employers about hiring within the disability community, but he will also fight to enforce existing laws including the ADA that protect people with disabilities from employment discrimination.
ENVIRONMENT:
Josh believes that the Iowa leglsiature must do everything it can to protect our natural resources for future generations. He will combat climate change by fighting to increase renewable energy production, fund programs that decrease air and water pollution, and protect river cities like Council Bluffs from flooding.