Reader letters to Iowa Starting Line for Sept. 15, 2026:
Readers are invited to add to the conversation by emailing responses@iowastartingline.com. Please include your first name and last initial. You may also want to include your city, but that’s up to you. I may edit your content for conciseness or to correct typos.
Voting for Amendment 1?
“Nope. Won’t support that. I’m retired, on IPERS and looking to start SS at age 70 at start of 2027. No way do I support Amendment 1. It’s going to be sold as a tax cut/savings, which is total garbage. Nope. Not buying.” — Marcy R.
“I support it because it’s much too easy for small groups of legislators to raise taxes to cover their pet projects. I am tired of my taxes going up every year. I have to live within a budget; they should too. I don’t have money to throw away on every little whim.” — Veronica B.
“It’s a BAD bill and should NEVER have been included on the November 2026 ballot.” — Clare S.
“This amendment, besides exposing any pretense that today’s Republican Party cares for all of us as opposed to just their billionaire friends and donors, is yet another sign of how so many of us have seemingly lost our hold on reality.
First of all, limiting taxes without accounting for unmet needs or anticipating future problems is insane! Period!
The first priority ought to be a dual one:
1) Ensuring that all Iowans, especially those most in need, are provided with the resources they need to not just survive, but flourish, the original meaning of ‘happiness’ as used in the Declaration of Independence. From everything I’ve seen the number of unmet needs is large and growing, getting worse in no small part because of the policies of the Republican Party both nationally and in Iowa.
2) Ensuring that the burden of paying for the legitimate needs of Iowans falls proportionately according to one’s ability to pay, something that used to be obvious when both parties in my younger years supported progressive taxation.
This amendment only continues the process of revenue dimunation begun several years ago that will ultimately ‘starve’ Iowa’s governments at all levels of the financial resources they will need to provide the programs, public transportation, utilities, and public amenities (like parks and libraries) which belong to all the people.
The idea that the truly rich will in any way be ‘harmed’—in any possible meaning of that word—by an increase in taxes they pay is ludicrous. Hell, they apparently cannot buy enough houses, planes, or yachts to suit their inordinate desires for the kind of wealth-hogging that every major faith group throughout history has denounced.
I honestly don’t know what it will take to get people back to their common sense, but if this amendment passes, Iowa will be in a very hurting way much sooner than we think, and for one hell of a long time after that.
This is not only foolish and evil tax policy, it is nutso revenue policy and deaf to the needs and wishes of the people.” — Greg C.
7-year-old kicked out of private school:
“I was curious if you had any details on the Sept 4 hearing you mention in this article? Iowa mom says private school discriminated against her child.” — Tim G. [NOTE: Haven’t heard yet, but Ty Rushing is keeping an eye on this!]
“Now you know why public schools are suffering. Public schools take all students, offer opportunities to all. Private schools cherry pick. Students that cost more to teach are turned away. In Iowa our ‘tax’ dollars are being funneled off into private schools. It’s a disgrace.” — Chet O.
Poll worker intimidation:
“Joey [Norris} volunteered during the 2024 election counting absentee ballots in Montgomery County. He raised concerns about ballots that were possibly being improperly thrown out. And then he got thrown out. He was asked to leave, which he did without incident. A year and a half later, he was arrested, charged with election misconduct and now awaits his October trial. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office is prosecuting the case.
Pate says our elections are secure–nothing to worry about here. But then why is an Iowan who volunteered his time facing felony charges because he spoke up about the process when he saw something questionable. Isn’t that what we want our election workers to do?
It might be worth noting here that Joey is the former chair of the Montgomery County Democrats, and the nephew of John and Jackie Norris, two prominent Iowa Democrats.
Someone had to look real hard to find charges to bring against Joey, which boggles my mind as a former election volunteer. I counted absentee ballots back in the mid-2000s. I had no problems asking questions about the process. There was no intimidation. Just answers to my questions about if ballots were valid.
That’s how it is supposed to be. Now it seems volunteers face possible repercussions for doing their job. Not many people are going to want to have the threat of being arrested and sent to jail hanging over their heads when they are just trying to help their communities. If it happened to Joey, it could happen to anyone. There is a great silencing effect that grows out of situations like this. And that’s the whole idea behind it. It isn’t about keeping our elections safe and democratic. …
What happened to Joey is not how our democracy works and everyday Iowans aren’t going to be bullied with misinformation meant to keep them away from the polls and discredit our elections.” — Barb K.
Political opinions:
“‘I’ve never heard a good reason yet why we have to be Democrats and Republicans.’ Hoping you folks will ask Rob [Sand] if he doesn’t know the ongoing history of the relationship between civil/human rights, labor groups, and the Democratic party—or if he does know of them but just doesn’t think they matter?” — Dirk F.
“Sand is a socialist democrat. Nothing that he does will do anything with race, taxes, and increase government size and spending. Anyone working will bear the burden of paying his extra taxes. He is so wrong.” — Jared P.
“I remember when ‘The Apprentice’ came out. I instantly could not stand Trump. How the Hell did this man go from ‘you’re fired’ to the White House. EMPATHY is something that man does not possess. Here in Iowa we do! Let me open a can of worms right now. This man is compromised! Period! Epstein got him. Ghislaine Maxwell knows Trump’s dirt. More importantly so does Maxwell’s dad who is tied to Mossad, which is Israeli intelligence. Of course Trump is going against American interests left and right!
Iowa farmers have been betrayed by compromised Trump. Republicans followed their compromised leader blindly. Iowa, do not let the Trump enablers do anything more to our state. Stand up now. 50% drop in farm income in 2 years? Really, you’re just now getting a little concerned about some discounted, non-regulated or requested mass quantities of foreign beef about to arrive? OMG!” — Justin C., Sioux City
Mail-in ballot myth:
“Tell you readers to put a stamp on envelope when mailing ballots—it will be treated as First Class Mail and help ensure it doesn’t get ‘delayed.’” — Michael K. [NOTE: This claim has been widely spread, but is not accurate—the USPS will treat all ballots as first-class mail regardless.]
Tenants union in Coralville?
“Do you have any knowledge of a tenants union for Coralville? If so, do you have any contact information?
I’m living in a condo development whose HOA has been captured by a group of ‘investors.’ Fees going up, services going down. Specifically walk maintenance, trash and snow removal, security lighting, exterior door locks and access to water outside of my unit at ground level for my vegetables—all of which were available when I moved in 5 years ago. None of which is in a capital category, all of which is routine maintenance. I’m thinking the ‘investors’ are a front for Private Equity. …
The city is telling me that they have no jurisdiction on ‘private property’ and I should address my concerns with the HOA. The HOA is hidden behind a management company which claims it is doing things as the ‘board’ instructs them. The board won’t post its contact information.
My rebuttal is that the HOA bylaws allow non-owner occupancy for rent and therefore are subject to the city’s rental code and its jurisdiction.
I’m willing to litigate, but don’t want to do it alone. I’m pretty sure it’s not an uncommon situation. Coralville city government is notoriously connected to real estate developers.
Please post, but withhold my identifiers for the time being. They’ve already threatened to evict me because I reported malfunctioning panic lighting in the common areas during a 6-hour power outage earlier this summer.” — Anonymous in Coralville
What you’d like to see more of:
“Brochures on places in Iowa to go visit, like the five waterfalls, the train up by Decatur, or Des Moines—just anything like that that I might wanna go see. … Places to see in Iowa, places in parks that I can stay at.” — David F.
Feedback:
“I don’t remember signing up for this. I cannot afford anything.” — Penny V. [NOTE: Girl, same; good thing it’s FREE.]
“I don’t want this if it costs, so remove me if there is a fee.” — Joyce H.
“Thank you my friend for emailing me some updates. Have a great week.” — Cynthia M.
“Happy birthday, Amie! Fall birthdays are the best (mine’s next month).” — Kristin C. [NOTE: Happy early birthday!]
“Happy Birthday! My birthday is the 18th. I attended Catholic School and I paid monthly so my children could go to the Catholic school. I never wanted the tax payer to pay for my children to go to a private school.” — Marrita J. [NOTE: Happy early birthday!]
“Have a happy birthday with many happy returns.” — Marc W.
“Iowa citizens do not appreciate left wing propagandists spewing their drivel from New York.” — James R. [NOTE: Once again, we are all in Iowa, you’re looking at our company’s financial office address.]
“The Islamic jihadist need to stop. They heinously killed over 3000 of our people. Just like the [undocumented immigrants] who kill and rape women. ICE are brave federal agents who protect our society. Crime rate may be low for [undocumented immigrants] but one murder or rape shouldn’t have happened because they should have never been in this country. Every [undocumented immigrant] should be deported because they broke the law by crossing the border illegally. It IS against the law whether it be a civil law. If someone broke into your house, would you think it’s ok?” — Lori M.
Do people really not know about the unsubscribe button:
“unsubscrib me please, I live in south Central Iowa.” — Laurie S.
“Woooops wasn’t subscribing, just wanted to read more. Please unsubscribe!” — Jodell F.
“I will no longer follow your page. This survey is political. It is aggravating to send something that purely wants political designation information.” — Diane H.
“I have unsubscribed to this 3 times and you still keep sending me this stuff. I am now going to contact a lawyer and file a lawsuit against you. Have a nice day.” — Craig P.
“Please remove me from your email list. I really don’t want to receive your liberal commie email. Thanks.” — Peter P.
“I am unsubscribing. Your blog is too liberal. ICE is on my side, returning illegal immigrants to their country of origin. They are all welcome to come back to our country thru the legal processes that are established.” — Rick F.
