Letter to the Standard's Editor

To the Editor:

Do you like clean roadways? That may sound like a meaningless question. I wish it was a meaningless question. Although Iowa enjoys clean roadways right now, that may be about to change.

Thanks to the Bottle Bill passed in 1978 Iowa enjoys a 92% recovery rate on beer and pop containers sold in our state and especially by large inventoried grocery chain stores like Hy-Vee and Fareway. Their redemption of those containers, that they sell, is widely supported by Iowans. A recent 2003 survey by UNI indicates over 90% of Iowans support the current deposit law. And really if you sell it, you should redeem it, right? That has worked well for over a quarter century!

So, what’s the problem, and why the question? Do you like clean roadways?

Recently, some sellers, including Hy-Vee and Fareway, have stopped providing the convenience of redemption to their customers! Further, some independent redemption centers have gone ‘out of business’ because the handling fee established in 1978 has never been increased. They could not live on 1978 wages, could you?

Why has this occurred? It has occurred because Iowa’s Legislative Leaders have not done their job! They have done nothing in over 25 years! In short, they have not provided the leadership needed to keep the bottle bill healthy!

Many Legislators are trying to do the peoples’ wishes and introduce bills that address the problems, but our Legislative Leaders are dragging their feet. Who then do they represent? Not the majority of Iowans on this matter!

If there is further inaction, this session, well, they might just as well have voted to kill the Bottle Bill, as that’s where it’s headed.

If your legislator does not represent your views, the peoples’ views, then maybe it’s time to vote in someone who does? It’s our State and our roadways, too. Let’s continue to keep them clean.

Ron Brada

Iowa Falls