Letter to the Editor: Iowa House Minority Leader calls on Decorah State Representative Darrel Branhagen to sign a request for a special legislative session

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted to decorahnews.com by Iowa House Minority Leader State Representative Mark Smith):

"Last week, I issued a call for a special session to overturn Governor Branstad's $56 million school funding veto in order to make educating our kids a top priority again.

In Decorah, it means Decorah Community Schools will lose $155,541 and North Winn Community Schools will lose $31,595 for the upcoming school year.  If we don't take action, school leaders all over Iowa have told us it will result in larger class sizes, fewer quality teachers, and higher property taxes.

Our schools have been in this school funding crisis for almost two years now. Enough is enough.

I hope State Representative Darryl Branhagen will do what's best for the kids of Winneshiek County by joining me to overturn the Governor's veto in a special session.

No more excuses. Iowa's kids deserve better."