Funding education should be priority

To the editor:

I was dismayed to read in the Jan. 15 Iowa City Press-Citizen that Gov. Terry Branstad has not recommended an adequate increase in funding for education at the primary and secondary levels in Iowa.

Gov. Branstad only recommended a 1.25 percent increase in 2015-16 which will cause severe budget cuts for the Iowa City Community School District. A 4 percent increase in supplemental state funding is necessary to prevent a significant reduction in essential school programs and transportation. Iowa's per pupil spending for K-12 has dropped to 37th in the nation.

Many of us who care about our children will strongly criticize our school district administrators and school board for these pending cuts when instead we should be demanding that our governor and state legislature adequately increase their support for education in Iowa.

John Macatee

Iowa City