Carpet should be the least of our worries

When I think I have heard it all, across the news wire comes the report that our Board of Regents has approved $90,000 for carpet on the first floor of the president's home at Iowa State University.

What are we thinking? In these unstable times when the average American family, because of the economy, would be hard-pressed to put $1,000 worth of carpet in its own home and is more than likely putting many things off, we are spending $90,000 for carpet, for one floor?

Let's say that the main level of the Knoll has 3,000 square feet. That means that each square foot is costing the taxpayers $30. And then that is just part of a $350,000-plus remodeling job.

There are many parents of students at Iowa State who are working hard to pay their child's tuition fees. Maybe we should exchange some of the work, i.e., carpentry, plumbing, carpet laying, painting and more, with some of these parents who are professionals in these fields.

We have to get real. Our politicians, including our Board of Regents, have to take a serious look at what they are doing and the times as they are. Come back to earth and join the rank and file and see how we live outside of our ivory towers!

Craig A. Bex

Cedar Rapids