Dr. Shawn Ellerbroek of Waverly, IA has filed to be the Democratic nominee for Iowa House District 57. Iowa born and raised, Ellerbroek said “Growing up, I remember RAGBRAI, pork burgers, corn rash from detasseling – and regarding Iowa as near the top of education in our country”. Ellerbroek went on, “My wife and I were married twenty-six years ago on the family farm near Melcher-Dallas, Iowa and moved to Waverly to raise our children in large part because of its educational system. What was once great is wasting from chronic underfunding and misguided legislation.”
Ellerbroek, a college professor and school board member, said his primary focus when elected will be to raise the quality of Iowa education in every school district by properly funding schools and reversing course on dismantling a nationally-respected AEA system. “The latest attack on an Iowa AEA system that acts as an educational life preserver for rural school districts reflects at best ignorance and certainly contempt for public opinion and need.”
Ellerbroek recently attended a carbon pipeline meeting at the Waverly Area Veterans Post and was inspired by the bipartisan fight to block Summit from building high-pressure carbon dioxide pipelines in the area. Ellerbroek added, “I am against Summit using eminent domain and the public health concerns of this project are real. For example, if Summit doesn’t properly chase water from the pipes the potential acid damage over time will cause corrosion and increased likelihood of gas leaks. Everyone in the corridor path should be concerned. Also, our aquifers cannot meet their water demand. I am 100% against these pipelines and will continue our district’s fight to block Summit”
Ellerbroek went on to say Iowa needs more of these kinds of bipartisan efforts. “I am a moderate. I support individual rights and lean towards financial conservatism. That said, it is clear that the budget decisions of Governor Reynolds and Statehouse Republicans have failed Iowans on education, tracking and cleaning our waterways, addressing food insecurity, raising minimum wage, increasing affordable and quality nursing homes, adequate daycare in support of our workforce, and addressing health concerns, such as the rising incidences of cancer and infant mortality.”
Ellerbroek added, “We need to come together and address the everyday needs of working Iowans. Your access to quality of life should not depend on what zip code you live in. We cannot afford to let Pat Grassley continue spending time on misguided bills that focus on fringe issues rather than working to meet the real needs of everyday Iowans. It is time for change.”
