COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Rep. Randy Feenstra and Sen. Joni Ernst visited Council Bluffs Tuesday, pointing to year-round E15 fuel and tax cuts as solutions to the high cost of living facing Iowans.
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Feenstra, one of five Republican gubernatorial candidates crisscrossing the state ahead of the June 2 primary, outlined his approach to issues of affordability.
"We have to lower and freeze property taxes. If we can lower and freeze property taxes, that will help put more income in people's pockets," he said.
Several other elected officials who support Feenstra spoke at the event, including Ernst.
"Working on those fertilizer prices, I think that's one thing I hear from our farmers," she said.
The senator says she wants more domestic manufacturing of fertilizer, which would make the ag industry less vulnerable to international disruptions such as shipping problems through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ernst last spoke to KMTV during the first 24 hours of the war with Iran. She was asked if the U.S. is in any better negotiating position than when it started.
"I think we are and we are seeing increasing pressure on the Iranian regime as we have sanctions in place, as we have military action. It's brought them to the table,” she said. “They are not negotiating in good faith. The president knows that, but he is the president of peace. He really wants to see a peace deal but we have to hold Iran accountable.”
Fuel prices were also on the minds of neighbors attending the event. Fremont County GOP Chair Dave Heywood said the cost of commuting is a real burden for people in his area.
"We're 50 miles from Omaha and we have a lot of people who commute back and forth to Council Bluffs, Omaha, Clarinda; different areas where they have to drive 50 miles one way," he said, noting that he’s recently seen a decrease in fuel prices.
Both Feenstra and Ernst say expanding access to year-round E15 fuel would help ease pain at the pump.
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