Wilhelm files nomination papers to run in State Senate District 26

(Left to right): State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco and Brittani Jansen, an elections employee at the Secretary of State's Office.

State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco has filed nomination papers for Senate District #26
 
District 26 includes all of Worth, Mitchell, Floyd, Howard and Chickasaw counties and part of Cerro Gordo and Winneshiek counties.  Because of reapportionment, two incumbents will be running in the district--Wilhelm and Republican State Senator Merlin Bartz of Grafton.
 
Wilhelm is Chair of the Local Government Committee and serves on the Commerce, Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa, Education, and Human Resources committees and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. Prior to her first election in 2008, Mary Jo served 12 years on the Howard County Board of Supervisors. She currently owns and operates a real estate appraisal business.
 
"Right now, two key initiatives are in front of the legislature to reform Iowa's property tax system and reform our schools. I believe the measures are linked," Wilhelm said. "And I also believe that if our goal is meaningful reform, we must consider the effect on local communities.   In my experience, local governments know how to manage their resources. And when they say a property tax shift like the one being proposed in the Iowa House would be bad for our local economy, I believe them."