New State Legislators host education listening session

Newly-elected District 28 State Senator Mike Breitbach (left) and District 56 State Representative Patti Ruff (right) met with area teachers, administrators and residents Saturday, February 2 in the Senior Citizen Center at the Waukon Wellness Center to discuss funding for education and a proposed education reform bill. Breitbach said that while he supports four percent allowable growth for schools, which recently passed the Iowa Senate, he did not vote for the bill because it was funded by the Taxpayer Relief Fund, which he described as a “one-time pot of money.” Breitbach said he would have preferred to see the funding increase paid from the general fund. Ruff said that the Senate bill for allowable growth will not be considered by the House for at least two weeks, since the House is currently focused on education reform. Breitbach and Ruff said that they generally support some of the provisions in the education reform bill, but the bill fails to address disparities between rural and urban schools. Standard photo and report by Bob Beach.