Dear Editor,

Last week, I issued a call for a special session to overturn Governor Branstad’s $56 million school funding veto in order to make educating our kids a top priority again.

The Governor’s veto means North Tama County Community Schools will lose $53,933 and South Tama County Community Schools will lose $169,850 for the upcoming school year. If we don’t take action, school leaders all over Iowa have told us it will result in larger class sizes, fewer quality teachers, and higher property taxes.

Our schools have been in this school funding crisis for almost two years now. Enough is enough.

I hope State Representative Dean Fisher will do what’s best for the kids in Tama County by joining me to overturn the Governor’s veto in a special session.

No more excuses. Iowa’s kids deserve better.

State Rep. Mark Smith

Iowa House Minority Leader

Marshalltown