Iowa lawmakers need to prioritize

To the editor:

We have time for proposing and debating laws to allow 7-year-olds to handle firearms and for permitting noise suppressors for guns, supposedly not to wake mom and dad when junior 'accidentally” shoots his little sister, and why disturb, or alert the neighbors to domestic violence and heaven forbid police should be able to hear shots fired when they approach a situation.

But we don't have time to fund schools in a timely fashion with school budgets due to be certified by April 15 and superintendents having no idea how much money they'll have or how many teachers to 'pink slip.” Imagine a governor and legislature in violation of the law which says school funding must be set 30 days after the legislature convenes, a year in advance. They are 14 months late.

We have time to debate legalizing fireworks, but no time to fix mental health care. We have lots of money to spend on prisons, but none for expanding preschool. With these priorities we'll need that prison. Cost to house a prisoner for one year is $31,500. Cost to hire a preschool teacher for one year is $33,699.

The DOT can find $98 million to buy land to reroute Highway 30 while our roads and bridges are rated deficient. Those concerned about RICL crossing their land should be as concerned about the loss of this land forever. As should we all.

Is anyone surprised by what is happening in Des Moines or does anybody really care?

Larry Hodgden

Tipton