I regards to West Marshall Superintendent Lacy Large comments on his school bond issue some History is needed.

Around 2007 or 2008 I attended a Legislative hearing at the Fisher Community Center close to the end of the meeting local businessmen wanted the legislators to push for property tax break for themselves and major corporations. I argued just because grain prices were high $7-8 a bushel corn and $20 beans the state coffer was flush you all are mistaken if that will continue. I said ” Don’t do that and then raise my property tax to make up for the shortfall”!

Well the legislators kissed the rears of those business folks and My warning fell on deaf ears! $300 million was taken out of the rainy day fund to replace the tax short fall! Since then my taxes have increased each year and grain prices are in the cellar with no substantial relief in the future.

West Marshall voters should think critically and think of other possibilities before voting yes . For instance if the state can willy nilly give a huge tax break to major corporations and think nothing of taking $300 million out of rainy day fund and then provide a $40 million grant to construct a frontage road for Kevin Blood’s dairy factory farm, then why not take $40 million out of the rainy day fund for the next 20 years to help fund small schools like West and East Marshall school districts?After all folks the rainy day fund is the people money right? What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.

There is absolutely no reason why the legislators couldn’t establish such a policy for funding building programs for both small and big public school districts! Besides legislators had no trouble short changing, taking $300 Million from the state coffer until the next tax season! So it would not be unreasonable for the Des Moines public system to ask for $198 million from state coffers they are currently asking to get from property tax.

Another possibility for funding schools is to establish a price floor under grains! Mr. Large have you ever asked yourself since on average Iowa farmers produce 2.6 billion bushels of corn and almost 600 million bushels soybeans why do we have trouble financing school budgets?

I am fed up! I pay enough property taxes. I am voting no and urge all voters to say no to the West Marshall bond issue.