Hatch makes campaign stop at Osceola train depot

Iowa Senator Jack Hatch (D) stopped by Osceola Depot during his rounds in southern Iowa Saturday and spoke to local citizens about his ideas for Iowa.

Hatch, senator of Iowa’s 33rd district, is running for Iowa governor in the general election against incumbent Gov. Terry Branstad, as well as New Independent Party candidate Jim Hennager, Libertarian Lee Hieb and Iowa Party candidate Jonathan Narcisse.

Hatch discussed his views to improve rural Iowa, as well as all communities across the state, by increasing early childhood education attendance and doling out money for communities to use where they need it, such as infrastructure.

“Those communities who want to expand in rural Iowa, we’re going to give you the chance. We’re not going to give up on you,” Hatch said. “I want to defend what rural Iowa will be.”

Hatch, formerly of Farmington, Conn., struggled with dyslexia as a child, and said he can relate to those kids who struggle in school and lack self-confidence.

“I struggled. And, as every kid knows, when you struggle, it affects what you think of yourself, it affects your life. Just think what a fourth-, fifth-, sixth-grader has when they can’t meet those standards, and they start doubting themselves,” Hatch said. “Well, when people ask me if I’m for early childhood education, it’s a simple answer.”

The first bill Hatch said he wants to introduce is a universal four-year-old education plan across Iowa. He also wants to improve the Iowa high school graduation rate.

In terms of communities, Hatch said he wants to divide up money from Iowa Economic Development Authority, which grows businesses and workforce in Iowa, into four districts and let the smaller communities use the money as they see it’s needed.

“It has communities that really are growing, could grow. I mean, this is a community near 35, in the southern part of the state, that is the gateway to Iowa from the south. And, it has the history, it’s got the schools, the farming community is good,” Hatch said. “And, this is really kind of the bedrock of Iowa rural life. ... I want to make sure people can always come back to their town.”

Hatch, who moved to Des Moines when he was 18 years old to attend Drake University, also said he wants to improve rural infrastructure by implementing a gas tax in the state.

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“When we’re the second-highest state in bridge repair in the country, you know that our rural infrastructure is falling apart,” Hatch said. “In Jackson County, they’re reducing the tonnage of 44 bridges, that’s almost half the bridges, from 10 tons to three. You know this better than I do, three tons is about a van. ... It won’t be an ambulance, it won’t be a fire truck, it won’t be a school bus.”

Hatch, like most politicians, has a lot of ideas to improve his state. The general election is Nov. 4.