BENTON COUNTY - Both candidates for House District 39 say they would serve as advocates for small towns, but Republican incumbent Dawn Pettengill and her Democrat challenger, Terry Hertle, differ on their goals if elected.

"Rather than Democrat and Republican, we have urban and rural legislators in Iowa," said Pettengill, who has served two terms in the House. "The rural legislators are always outnumbered, but I think I've done a pretty good job of representing the district."

Common sense policies, like sharing city clerk or water department positions, cut costs while allowing municipalities to retain local control, she said.

"We don't want to be lumped in with Waterloo or Cedar Rapids," said Pettengill. "We want to control our own destiny here."

Hertle, on the other hand, said he plans to focus on creating and sustaining new jobs by expanding biofuel production in Iowa. Those positions would allow Iowans, in small towns and otherwise, to thrive in a time of national hardship.

"When we expand them, we will create good-paying jobs," said Hertle, who lives on his family's century farm north of Newhall. "That's a priority."

Other issues important to Hertle are expanding the Hawk-I insurance program and increasing access to higher education.

"We cannot keep raising tuition rates," said the 63-year-old retired farmer. "We need to take a look at getting our industries or whoever to offer more scholarships to our kids, and (provide) more Pell grants, more grants and improving the student loans."

Pettengill, a former Mount Auburn mayor who works in the retirement and financial services industry, said she'll continue to provide leadership on issues she's already tackled in Des Moines. Last session, while serving as a Democrat, Pettengill stood up against her party's leadership to oppose "fair share" legislation, which would let unions negotiate for the right to charge a fee for representing non-union workers. She says her stance led to harassment from special interest groups and caused her to switch her party affiliation.

"I would say that's been my biggest accomplishment," she said. "I helped make sure that Iowa stayed a 'right-to-work' state."

She also plans to continue to push for a required financial literacy class in the state's high schools. She said she'd vote to repeal Iowa's smoking ban, while her opponent, Hertle, says he supports the law.

House District 39 makes up Benton County and the northern portion of Iowa County.

Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.