Local residents discuss issues with area legislators

Area residents gathered around tables at the Farm Bureau Building in Waukon Saturday, March 21 for a legislative forum discussion with State Representatives Patti Ruff and Darrel Branhagen and State Senator Michael Breitbach. Much of the discussion focused on the ongoing debate over school funding. Ruff called a recent House debate over collective bargaining for teachers and school employees a "distraction" from the real issue, saying that school district employees and school districts have a good history of working together. Breitbach said that the system for determining school funding needs to be changed so that it doesn't have to be debated every year. Other issues discussed at less length included the shortage of mental health beds, a bill to allow the use of "suppressors" on firearms (not silencers), ATV trails, and the recent increase in the fuel tax. Photo and report by Bob Beach.