Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Ann Fields

To the Editor:

Like most Iowans, I believe in fairness. I believe that my tax dollars should be spent for public goods - public education, public roads, public court systems, public fire and law enforcement, etc.

With over 30,000 approved vouchers for 2024-2025, the cost is over $234 million going to private schools and an additional $1.1 million of fees going to an out-of-state business.  According to the Iowa Department of Revenue, there are 1.71 million individual taxpayers. This computes to $137/taxpayer that will go to private schools and an out-of-state business.

An average of 61% of rural counties do not have private schools. Most private schools are in large cities. That means that rural tax dollars (my $137 and your $137) are being given to large cities, not to rural communities.

Is this fair? Why should my tax dollars go to private schools and an out-of-state business?

All rural public school teachers, administrators, and parents should be concerned. More vouchers mean less money for rural public schools and rural communities. That’s right, $235 million less.

It is documented that when a community loses its school, the economic viability of that community suffers and, in many cases, the community collapses. Evidently, the legislators supporting private school vouchers don’t care about small rural schools and rural communities.

Vote for fairness. Taxpayer dollars to private schools and an out-of-state business has to stop. We can stop the hemorrhaging of taxpayer dollars at the voting booth.  Vote for legislators who respect fairness. Public taxpayer dollars should pay for public goods and services.

Ann Fields
Lansing