Letters to the Editor: The need for government oversight

After attending the townhall meeting in Waverly with Rob Sand and reading his column this week in the Waverly paper, I am appalled at our Iowa legislature for passing the law (SF478) to limit the state auditor’s ability to obtain documents verifying proper spending of Iowan’s taxpayer dollars. Why in the world would you do that when accounting firms and respected CPAs from all over the country sent letters to our Iowa legislators telling them that is a really bad idea?

Take the school voucher program as an example. There are no guidelines for how our public tax dollars are spent in private schools except one. Rebating is not allowed. Anything else is fair game. If the private school decides they want to spend money on a “planning retreat” in Europe, it would be allowed and the taxpayers would pay for it. A contract was signed with Odessey out of New York to manage the private school implementation. The increases in their fees since that contract was signed is staggering. It appears it will be double by next year. There are no limits and no reasons why provided and now our auditor is unable to monitor our tax dollars to justify their increases.

One can only wonder why our legislators would go along with something like that and at the same time limit our auditor’s ability to monitor and protect taxpayer dollars. It is clear our legislators don’t listen to Iowans, qualified professionals, or even use common sense.  We need common sense back in the Iowa legislature and I for one will vote out every representative that I can now and in future elections. I urge you to do the same in your district for anyone who voted for the voucher plan and is now up for reelection. Shawn Ellerbroek for Iowa House District 57, currently held by Pat Grassley, will get my vote in November.

Kathy Folkerts, Waverly

‘Here’s two ya!’

In the Sept. 24 Editor's Notebook titled "A brave new world built on lies," it appears Mr. Cullen had a bit of a "lightning/lightning bug" moment in describing Gov. Reynolds' cowboy cosplay at the border as "another can of that high-octane whompass." Mr. Cullen was looking for a "can of whoop-ass," a phrase coined by a certain Texas Rattlesnake who rose to fame by "stomping a mudhole" into his opponents and "walking it dry" in the professional wrestling ring. For his malapropism, Mr. Cullen has earned a metaphorical Stone Cold Stunner. And to the grifters like Vance, Trump, Reynolds, and their ilk spewing ludicrous lies like so many foamy beers, I believe Stone Cold Steve Austin said it best: "Here's two ya!”

Chris Vrba, Sheridan, Wyo., formerly of Pocahontas