If you steal from taxpayers, you should go to prison. It’s as simple as that.

But in Iowa, that’s not what happens.

Public dollars meant for schools, roads, and public safety have been taken by people in positions of trust — sometimes tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. And too often, the people responsible walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist. That’s not justice. And it’s not fair to the Iowans who play by the rules and pay their taxes.

These insiders aren’t drunk every week or month in the moments when they write themselves extra paychecks. They’ve soberly calculated their risks, and decided to help themselves to your money. They see the headlines of no jail time. When that happens, it sends the wrong message — that some people can break the rules and get away with it. That kind of system erodes trust in government and undermines the rules everyone else follows every day.

The punishment has to be certain enough to stop the crime before it happens. Right now, it often isn’t.

That’s why I’ve pushed for a clear, common-sense standard: if you steal more than $10,000 in taxpayer dollars, you should face mandatory prison time. No exceptions. No loopholes. And if you steal from taxpayers, you shouldn’t continue to benefit from them — meaning we should ban anyone convicted of fraud from doing business with the state, and strip them of taxpayer-funded benefits like retirement and health care. Why should you reap taxpayer funded benefits after breaking the trust of taxpayers? It isn’t complicated. It’s basic accountability.

I’ve proposed this policy every year since becoming State Auditor. And every year, insiders in the legislature have shut it down. I think Iowans deserve to know why.

This is about fairness — and about preventing crime in the first place. When consequences are clear and certain, fewer people will take the risk. That’s not theory; it’s what I saw firsthand.

Before serving as State Auditor, I spent seven years as Iowa’s chief public corruption prosecutor, where I locked up scammers, taxpayer abusers, thieves, and violent criminals to protect Iowa’s communities. I’ve spent my tenure as State Auditor uncovering record amounts of misspent money and protecting Iowa taxpayers from waste, fraud, and abuse. I’ve seen up close how this works, and I know the justice system only does its job when the punishment fits the crime and people know the law will actually be enforced.

The cases I saw weren’t accidents or misunderstandings. They were choices. People betting they could take public money without facing serious consequences. And too often, they were right.

We can change that.

A justice system works best when the rules are clear, the penalties are real, and everyone is held to the same standard — no matter who they are or what position they hold. Stealing from taxpayers is a serious crime. It should be treated that way. If we want to restore trust in government, protect public dollars, and send a clear message that corruption won’t be tolerated in Iowa, we need to start holding people accountable.

No excuses. No special treatment. Just accountability — for all.

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Democrat Rob Sand is the state auditor of Iowa

and a candidate for governor.