Beres announces candidacy for Dist. 99

RAISE MINIMUM WAGE

We need to make daily living more affordable and we can start by raising the minimum wage from $7.25, where it has stalled for the past 18 years.”

Jim Beres, Candidate for Iowa House Dist. 99

PRIMARY

PRIMARY ELECTION JUNE 2

FORT MADISON – Burlington Democrat Jim Beres has announced his candidacy for State Representative in House District 99.
Beres will challenge Jennifer Kirkman of Burlington in the June 2 primary election. The House seat is currently held by Matt Rinker (R-Burlington).
Beres made his announcement last week. He was a Democratic nominee in the 2024 election and was defeated by Rinker in the general election.
The Burlington attorney grew up in Linn County and graduated from Springville High School. He went to Valparaiso University on a scholarship and earned his law degree from the University of Iowa.
He has spent time in the Hardin County Attorney’s office, including seven years as the county attorney. He has served as Eldora’s City Attorney, worked in private practice, and worked in the Burlington Public Defender’s office for 21 years prior to retirement.
He is currently an active member of the Unity Lutheran Church, Players Workshop, Bel Canto Chorale, and Burlington Kiwanis Club.
“As your state representative, I will work to re-focus our state government to help working-class families,” Beres wrote in his announcement letter.
“We need to make daily living more affordable and we can start by raising the minimum wage from $7.25, where it has stalled for the past 18 years.”
Beres also said states should take over administration of Medicaid because managed care structures have resulted in higher costs.
“Private insurance companies deny too many claims to make a profit and people don’t get the medical care needed,” he wrote.
“We must look for new ways to partner with local hospitals to attract doctors and nurses to southeast Iowa.”
He said he would also like to explore more ways to make child day care more available to parents who must work outside the home.
Beres also says the state cannot continue to give public money to private schools, no matter how well intended.
“State support for our public schools has not kept pace with inflations. Teacher pay has fallen behind, as well. We must restore collective bargaining for teachers. It worked well for many years. Low pay has driven experienced teachers out of the profession.”
He is also advocating for the removal of censorship and bans that are threatening school and public libraries.
Water quality is also on Beres’ radar saying that Iowans can’t even swim in many of the state’s lakes in state parks.
“The most trouble of all, Iowa has the second highest rate of new cancer cases in our country. It’s time to get serious about these problems, which affect us all,” he wrote.
“As State Representative, I will work to restore Iowa pride. We need to invest in the arts, our parks, and our infrastructure. We need to stop making minorities feel unwelcome. We must stop the attacks on LGBT  Iowans that have come to define this Legislature,” he wrote.
“Lawmakers must defend our rights. Instead of taking them away, as they have with reproductive freedom. Our laws need to start lifting all of us up and stop putting so many of us down.”