About Todd Taylor Todd Taylor was born in Ames, Iowa and raised in Cedar Rapids.  Todd is the son of Robert and Wanda (deceased) Taylor.  He graduated from Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in 1984, Graceland University in Lamoni with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English/writing in 1988, and from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1990. Raised in Cedar Rapids the son of a minister and a schoolteacher, Todd learned first hand the importance of service to the community.  His upbringing is evident in the belief that politics is simply the science of working with people who sometimes disagree and that education is the key to a better paying and more productive individual, family and community. As a staff representative for AFSCME since 1993, Todd Taylor works for working people everyday.  During the great flood of 1993 he helped to coordinate the delivery of water to seniors and shut-ins and staffed an urban water distribution site in Des Moines. Taylor has served on the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs as a Commissioner since 1996.  He is on the selection committee for the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) with the Council of State Governments and is a past BILLD fellow in 1998. Active in the union, Taylor brings solid experience to the six years he spent as Ranking Member of the House Labor and Industrial relations committee.  His colleagues recently reelected him to serve the democratic caucus as an assistant democratic leader.  He was first elected to the Iowa Legislature in a special election in 1995. Representative Taylor and his wife have two children.  They are members of the Community of Christ of Cedar Rapids.