Jeremy Davis, Republican running for state treasurer, said he believes that Iowa’s government needs more transparency and accountability for its citizens. 

He’s promising that if he’s elected to the treasurer’s position on Nov. 6, he’ll bring the changes necessary. He has two opponents in the race — Democratic incumbent Michael Fitzgerald and Timothy Hird of the Libertarian Party.

Having been an Iowan all his life, Davis sees it as important that the citizens of the state are well informed. He grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa where he decided he wanted to go to Iowa State. While there, he earned his master’s degree in agricultural education and higher education.

He went on to work in the student financial aid office as well as the athletic scholarship grant programs. When he left Iowa State, he began working in the state government as a legislative liaison, someone who helps the legislature and different departments of government communicate. Davis also helped with policy work in the U.S. Congress before coming back to Iowa to work for the National Pork Producers Council.

Ames has been his home since then and where he has been involved in various activities. He has served on the Ames City Council as well as the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Commission Board.

Davis’ candidacy is built on the idea that the treasurer’s office should be as open and honest as well as reachable to the citizens of the state.

“I think it’s very important that the state treasurer not only implements policies but also reaches out to Iowan’s in town halls, open forums and is listening to find out how the people of Iowa feel,” Davis said.

Currently, he believes that the state has a good foundation for transparency with the online checkbook but he thinks that more needs to be done.

“You don’t have the backup there that shows the documentation that shows what something is for or what project and you don’t always see what budget line item it comes out of from the state budget,” Davis said.

This means that although the government may report on how much money is being spent on a particular subject, it doesn’t disclose why it’s spending money on that or where the money is coming from. Davis proposes reworking the system to show Iowan’s why their money is being spent on a certain item and where in the state budget that money is actually coming from.

Going further in his plans for reform, he says that the state budget does not list money coming out of the three regent universities in the state. He believes that to ensure clarity on how money in our universities is being spent, their transactions need to be recorded as well.

“If we’re talking about needing to increase funding levels depending on the sector of education and for what reason, I think it’s also equally important for the people of Iowa to see where the dollars are being spent.”

It is his intended honesty and transparency that he hopes will help him in a difficult campaign against long-serving incumbent, Michael Fitzgerald. When asked why Iowan’s should consider him, Davis has a simple answer: “It’s a new and fresh perspective.”