Bond issue will affect farmers of Monticello

To the Editor,

     We have been seeing all the signs around town, in the paper, and individual solicitations for the bond issue coming up in a couple of weeks. We would like the general public to be aware of the cost that will be involved for the farming segment of the community.

     A house in town will have a tax raise depending on the style, assessed value, etc. Those of you that rent will not pay any tax unless your landlord raises your rent to cover his increased cost. Those of you that have your money invested in CDs, stocks, etc. will have no tax on that income that is relative to the bond issue. We, as farmers, are taxed on our ground, which is essential for us to make a living.

     Are you aware of the current farm economy? We are not able to raise our prices to cover the added cost of the bond issue. We near as we can figure out, our taxes, if this issue goes through, will increase $2,350. This is in addition to the $6,515 we are already taxed for the school.

     We are not denying we need to keep our schools updated, and that the education of our children is critical. But we do have a problem with the use of the school time.

     These buildings are empty right at half of a year between weekends, vacations, summer vacation, teach in-service days, etc. This is to say nothing of time spent going to and from activities around the state, and the cost of buses to accomplish this, driver to take them etc. etc. etc. We would like to feel our school tax dollars are being utilized to actually educate our children.

     We are not indicating how we will vote on this issue, but feel the general public needs to be aware of the unfair tax burden this puts on farmers just because we own property.

     If you do not get a raise occasionally at work, you wonder why and maybe even demand one or look for another job. We do not have that luxury. We take our corn, beans, hogs or cattle to market and ask what will you give me. You have no choice, and maybe that day they won’t even take them.

     No farmer needs to buy a lottery ticket or go to a casino; we gamble every time we put a crop in the field, and it is a big gamble. We need food on our table, have all the other bills everyone else has, and have taxes to pay as well.

     If this bond goes through, we sincerely hope this school board and administration use it wisely and expect the maximum out of their contractors, etc. We do not need the nonsense of cost overruns, minute changes that increase costs or shift costs from one place to another, the UI Hospital being a prime example. You are entrusted with our money, and we can do little or nothing if it is misused or wasted.

     We were somewhat surprised to see in the Express that if the bond issue passes, then they will begin to put things together, make a plan, etc. Usually when someone wants to build something, they make a plan, figure costs, etc. ahead of time. This is uncomfortably open-ended it seems; we hope the thinkers and planners are cost-oriented and reality based, not “pie in the sky” managers.

Respectably submitted,

Betty Hasler

Monticello, Iowa