Reducing the property burden is a priority for most Iowans. Cities and counties across Iowa are in the process of planning their budgets and holding public hearings. Government spending is at the heart of high property tax rates, and these budget hearings will not just establish what the city ...
Letter to the Editor:Critical TimesThe upcoming election may be the most important since the civil war regarding the future of our country. Whether Democrats finally have the backbone to stand up for issues that desperately need to be addressed will determine that outcome.Trump is without a ...
Letter to the Editor:The middle school bond issue failed, but it wasn't for lack of caring about the kids or a lack of understanding the need. It failed because of a lack of sharing a real plan, unanswered financing questions and concerns about the proposed location. Name calling and lack of ...
A new study showed that from 2007 to 2018, prices for hundreds of drugs rose many times faster than the rate of inflation.List prices on 602 medicines rose by 159%, or 9% annually. After discounts and rebates, net prices increased by 60%, or 4.5% annually. That's 3.5 times the rate of ...
Letter to the Editor:By now you have seen the results of the Middle School Bond Referendum. Without getting into too much detail, we didn't get the 60% approval needed to move forward with the new STC Middle School project at this time. While we are disappointed with the results, the reality is ...
This Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day. A day or night or both to guzzle down some "green beer." The city of Chicago will once again douse the Chicago River with about a hundred pounds of green dye and the river will be green. All the fish in the river will get "green around the gills," (nyuk ...
This past week Deb and I returned to Tama-Toledo for the funeral of my cousin. The last time we ventured back here was last summer for my (gulp) 50th class reunion. This time around it was because of a sad occasion yet bittersweet too. It seems the older we get, the more we get together for ...
Growing up in the 50's & 60's with a family of five kids, life was a series of "Don't do's"My folks had unreasonable family rules, like don't wear blue jeans to school, don't watch cartoons on Saturday mornings, don't read comic books, don't cuss, eat your peas and don't talk with your ...
In The LegislatureThis week in the Senate we were finally able to spend more time debating bills on the Senate floor. It was a bit anticlimactic after the crazy pace of the last few weeks. I can assure you that feeling won't last long. In the first few days of debate one thing remains clear, ...