A couple of years ago on a day the Iowa legislature announced a $70 million surplus I sent a letter to my legislator in each political party. I requested them to pass a bill to eliminate property taxes for the elderly living in their homes when they reach age 65 or else reduce the amount annually until zero. Surprisingly neither of them even acknowledged my letter.

Now, since then I have observed support and subsidies by government appropriations to crop farmers, livestock producers, crop insurance, windmill industry, Boeing, immigrants, LGBTQ, major corporations, financial and mortgage giants, felons, DACA, marijuana, payroll taxes, biofuels, small business and on and on.

Iowa legislators don’t even budget enough to fulfill the required inspections of our nursing homes. The State might want to analyze the cost of subsidizing the elderly in a nursing home versus reducing their property tax to help them avoid becoming a burden on society. Hopefully there will be an uprising of retirees and politicians that will rectify this unidentified sociological condition. Elders need to know they are being victimized.

And finally, can you think of any one government benefit created specifically for the elderly?