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ALGONA—Proposed education savings accounts (ESAs) and the subsequent shift of property tax dollars potentially to private education outlets drew passionate comments during a legislative forum Saturday morning, Feb. 27, at Algona City Hall.
First-term 7th District Rep. Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City who sits on the House Education Committee that is handling the ESA proposal, said, “The ESA portion only affects the bottom 5 percent of schools here in Iowa – the 34 failing schools in Iowa. The other 95 percent of schools in Iowa – no affect whatsoever.” He added, “North Iowa has none.”
But Rep. Terry Baxter said "leftist curriculum" is a driving force behind the legislation.
Get the full story on this topic and many others from Saturday's legislative forum in the March 4 Advance.