By James Q. Lynch
The Gazette 

CEDAR RAPIDS — Kathy Potts, a community activist, is running for the Iowa Legislature from House 33 in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Potts, 49, of 1118 First St. SW, Cedar Rapids, has been instrumental in getting reading programs for dyslexic children into schools, including the Cedar Rapids school district. As a parent of a child who did not learn to read until his teens, Potts said she is aware of the difficulties that parents face when going through the red tape of the educational system.

Potts is prepared to work for families that are suffering in the current economic woes. When she was a young adult, Potts’ parents lost their home because of financial difficulties.    “Losing a home is more than just having to move to another place, it affects everything about your life,” she said.
 
Potts wants to not only be a representative for her district, she also wants to be an active advocate for her constituents.    “It is important to know that you can pick up your phone and call someone that will say, ‘I understand, let me see what I can do to get the help you need’ when you are facing difficulties that involve our government,” Potts said. “Too many people are overwhelmed with the system.”

Potts will face Rep. Dick Taylor, a Cedar Rapids Democrat who is seeking his sixth term.

Potts and her husband, Tom, and their children moved to Iowa in 1999. They have four adult children. Tom Potts is a research engineer with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Iowa.

Before becoming a stay-athome mom, Potts graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center and directed children’s and singles’ ministries. She was a partner in an electrical contracting business with her husband before he returned to college.  

Representatives are elected to two-year terms and paid $25,000 a year.
¦ Contact the writer: (319) 398-8375 or james.lynch@gazcomm.com