Candidate Interview: Amy Sinclair (Iowa Senate District 14)

State Senator Amy Sinclair (R-Allerton) is seeking a 2nd term serving Iowa Senate District 14 which includes Clarke County, Lucas County, most of Marion County (except Pella) and southeastern Jasper County. Sinclair is unopposed in the Republican primary on June 7, and currently unopposed in the general election.

Sinclair has had a wide array of experiences prior to serving in the Iowa Senate. She began working at the age of 13 in a local restaurant, learning the value of hard work, determination, and the value of communicating with people. 

She later worked for the Ad Express/Daily Iowegian newspaper in Centerville. Senator Sinclair also taught in the Central Decatur Community Schools and at Southwestern Community College, preparing students to complete their GED testing, as well as teaching parenting and adult basic education classes. She also served as a federal grants coordinator for Wayne Community School District and later as the after-school program director.

During two terms on the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, Senator Sinclair held numerous leadership opportunities in our county and local communities, including chairing the Iowa County Engineers’ Service Bureau board of directors and the Wayne County R.E.A.P. Commission. 

She also serves as the finance and facilities chair for the board of directors for the South Central Iowa Community Action Program and has been an active board member for the 10-15 Regional Transit System, Iowa’s 5th Judicial District, South Iowa Area Crime Commission, Southeast Iowa Response Group-Hazmat Operations, Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa, and Chariton Valley Transportation Planning Affiliate. Sinclair also chaired the Allerton Public Library Board from 2000-2004. 

Sinclair is a member of the Wayne Optimists Club and oversees the Internet safety program sponsored by the club. She annually volunteers at the local school as a mentor, where she trains high school students to be peer mentors to elementary students. 

Sinclair has lived, worked, and raised her family in Wayne County for more than 20 years.

Sinclair completed a survey sent by Caffeinated Thoughts to all legislative candidates.

Why do you want to serve as a state legislator?

Serving as a state legislator gives me the opportunity to defend every Iowan’s individual rights.

Describe your worldview and what role that would play as a state legislator:

Civil government is an extension of natural law. I weigh any decision I make in office against that measurement.

Your top three issues of concern are?

Defending life at all stages, from the unborn, to the medically frail, to the elderly. The individual’s right to life is my top priority.

Supporting Iowa’s economic vitality. Iowa’s economy is dependent on agriculture and small business, and I will advance legislation that supports that in job creation and infrastructure development.

Providing quality educational opportunities (see next question).

What is your position on education, in particular Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, Iowa Core and high stakes testing?

An educated populace is essential for the continuity of a civilized society. I believe it is the role of state government to provide for that. While the public education system  is the primary delivery mechanism, I do not believe families should be limited to only the public education system to accomplish that goal of having an educated populace.

Parents are ultimately responsible for the education of their children and should not be prohibited from choosing the best option for their children, whether that be public, private, or individual home instruction. The state funded public school system is responsible and accountable to the tax-paying public to accomplish that task.

In an effort to ensure for that accountability, the state should have a framework for what should be taught and a system for measuring success and reporting that to parents and the public. That being said, it should be a state-level decision devised to meet the needs of Iowa’s economy and community, not a national, watered-down set of standards that doesn’t reflect the needs of Iowa. Additionally, any testing that is done should be done with the goal of improving instruction and preparing children for a productive life. I have worked successfully to delay implementation of testing that requires a huge time and financial investment without offering evidence of any benefit to student outcomes or classroom instruction.

How do you define local control in education?

Local school boards are established to provide for the delivery of public education. These boards are responsible for the delivery of an appropriate eduction to the children within their jurisdiction. They are duly elected by the parents and tax-payers and deserve the same consideration as an elected official that a legislator or governor or city council member in regards to their decisions in carrying out their defined duties. I always believe that a government closer to the people is more attuned to and responsive to the needs of the people.

When does someone become a person and at what point should they be granted all constitutional protections of a person under the law?

Life begins at conception. Every individual has a right within society to have their life defended by society from that moment.

Do you support recently passed legislation in the Iowa House allowing kids under 14 to use handguns with parental supervision:

Yes.

Do you support Constitutional carry and the Second Amendment:

Yes and I have sponsored/cosponsored bills that would advance the rights of the individual.

Do you support raising any taxes. And, have you supported raising any taxes in the past? If so, which ones?

While I will not say that I will never vote to raise taxes because times of crisis often force decisions we would not otherwise advance, I do not support raising taxes. I have not supported any tax increase proposals; in fact I have voted against them.

What will you do as a state legislator to lessen the tax burden on farmers and small businesses?

I already supported several important tax reductions for farmers and small businesses, including federal coupling and consumables tax exemption and commercial and industrial property tax equalization. I look forward to advancing income tax reform and would like to address specifically income tax reform on pensions and retirements.

Do you support traditional marriage and is there anything you hope to do as a state legislator regarding marriage and how?

I support traditional marriage.

What is your position on Christians refusing service at same-sex weddings?

Any business owner – Christian, atheist, or otherwise – should have the right to provide or refuse service to any customer.

What will you do as legislator, if anything, to strengthen religious liberty?

I take it as a personal responsibility to ensure that everything I do as a legislator is done with an eye to individual liberty, and that would include religious liberty.

Do you support allowing Syrian refugees into Iowa?

For reasons of national security, I do not support allowing any refugees to enter Iowa without a comprehensive mechanism for screening those seeking asylum.

What type of pro-life bills would you support?

I will support any legislation that defends any individual life, as I have demonstrated in my four years in office. That defense is not confined to support for the life of unborn citizens of Iowa.

Should taxpayer money pay for Planned Parenthood?

No.

In what circumstances would you go against the leadership of your own caucus if elected?

I often have in my four years in office, typically in areas that affect an individual’s personal liberty.