To the editor:

I attended the Webster City Community School Board Candidate Forum on October 27 and was very impressed with the quality, sincerity, passion and commitment of each of the candidates.

As the former Hamilton County Treasurer of 26 years and a 12-year past member of the school board, I feel I am in a unique position to be equally passionate concerning the state of Iowa’s economy and Iowa schools — public tax dollars should only be spent on public schools.

The school voucher program or “educational savings accounts” was approved by the Legislature starting in 2023, funding tuition+ to private schools for each of their students. In 2025-26, school vouchers (ESAs) are for any K-12 private school student, regardless of family income. Each student receives $7,988 in public funding. It is estimated statewide this may cost the taxpayers $350 million in 2025-2026 (KCCI investigates).

As county treasurer, I heard people complain about their property tax bill, “why should I have to pay school taxes? I don’t have children in school.” My response was invariably, “It is for the common good! You are paying it forward just as past taxpayers paid for your education. All of us want an educated, informed citizenry to prosper and have all the benefits that derive from that.”

Unfortunately, Iowa’s economy is in free-fall and does not look to improve. The state is already short about $900 million dollars and is using the rainy-day fund. This is not sustainable. We should be alarmed about underfunding our public schools at the expense of funding private schools and spending money we do not have.

I urge each candidate for the school board to consider what this means for the Webster City Community Schools. Public funds should not fund private schools.

Deb Leksell

Webster City