Legislative candidates answer questions about energy use

Three people running for state legislative offices in Northeast Iowa this fall answered questions Tuesday from members of the Winneshiek Energy District.

State Senator Mike Breitbach told the group he is "a renewable fuels champion."  He said he always supports the philosophy of the Boy Scouts, which is to leave something better than you found it.

But Breitbach also said climate change "has always been there" and the country should be cautious about doing too much and forcing manufacturers to move to the Third World.  He also said he had reservations about the proposal to use a sales tax increase to generate money for Iowa's Natural Resources Trust Fund, noting that the Trust Fund money would also go to trail development and land purchases and not just water improvement projects, which he supports.

Breitbach's opponent in November, Democrat Jan Heikes, told the Energy District meeting we need to see how we can mitigate the effects of climate change and added that she believes climate change is happening.  Heikes also said she supported legislation to standardize the procedures to create more energy districts throughout Iowa.

State Assembly candidate Mike Bergan, a Republican, said having a diversified energy system is "fruitful."  He said he is a big believer in having decisions made on the local level because local government has a better feel for what people need.  Bergan served two terms on the Winneshiek County Board.