West Des Moines Council Candidates Get Kudos for Playing Nice

Based on some of their behavior in recent debates, Republican presidential candidates would do well to take a cue from West Des Moines City Council candidates’ demeanor at Tuesday's voter-education forum, moderator Tammy Cline said.

The forum, sponsored by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, gave voters in the Nov. 8 city election a chance to compare the positions of three people running for the at-large seat on the council — Councilman Jim Sandager, a financial adviser who’s seeking a third term, and challengers retired police detective Jim Romar and small business owner Spencer Cox. Ward 2 Councilman Charles Schneider is unopposed in his bid for a second term.

The candidates agreed on more than they disagreed about. For example, none of them wants to install red-light traffic cameras in West Des Moines, something that neighboring Clive and Des Moines have done.

Based on conversations he’s had, Cox said he thinks Clive’s red-light cameras have cost merchants business, and about a third of the revenue from fines goes to an out-of-state company managing the system.

Romar said “digital enforcement isn’t fair” and that he wouldn’t support a measure to install red-light cameras in West Des Moines.

Schneider agreed, saying that just because a red-light camera records an image of an infraction doesn’t mean that the person the car is registered to is the driver. He also cited potential harm to retail traffic and said data on the effectiveness of the cameras in improving public safety is mixed.

“The perception is they are just used to generate revenue,” he said.

Sandager said that “for every camera, there’s a reduction of an employee in public safety,” and said face-to-face encounters where officers are able to use discretion are the level of service West Des Moines residents have come to expect.

But some differences also emerged.

While opposing, as the other candidates do, an increase in the property-tax rate, Romar said a local option tax “might be something to look at” if the alternative were cutting public safety services.

“We’re definitely in tough economic times and will continue to be,” Schneider said. “People are hurting. What I don’t want to do is make up for slow increases in revenue on the backs of our residential taxpayers. All things being equal, I don’t foresee any circumstances where we would raise taxes.”

However, Schneider said if a proposal by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to cut commercial property taxation rates is approved by the Legislature next year, “we may have to have an honest conversation about what our tax structure is.”

“I would echo Charles’ comments,” Cox said. “I can’t foresee any situation where I would support property tax increases.”

Sandager also said the city’s long-standing policy against property tax increases should be upheld. “I won’t raise the millage rate,” he said.