Vouchers Draining Public School Budgets

How it Connects to Property Tax “Reform”

Doug Smith

May 1, 2026

Two recent Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier articles attracted my attention: first, Waterloo Schools attendance has slipped below 10,000, resulting in a loss of more than $2 million in state funding for the district; and second, the Iowa Republicans are trying to restrict property tax increases in the 2026 session. 

Here’s how these issues are connected.  Governor Reynolds’ policy of allowing our tax money to flow freely to private schools has encouraged many families to withdraw their children from Iowa’s public schools.  Not just in Waterloo, but throughout the state, more students are migrating to private schools with their $7,988 vouchers, a total expense to the state of nearly $350 million in this school year alone.  That number will grow again next year.  Public schools in communities large and small across Iowa are being impacted. 

So what happens when more money is needed for public schools?  School districts have to raise the remaining necessary money through property taxes.  Nobody likes to see property tax increases, but that’s the consequence of the present Republican policy. 

But wait… now the GOP wants to “reform” property taxes!  Limiting the amount that can be raised through property taxes means public schools and other entities funded through property taxes would suffer even more funding cuts, which in turn leads to more teacher and staff layoffs and more cuts to services that are currently provided. 

Don’t complain to your school superintendent, it’s not their fault.  If you voted for Governor Reynolds and Republican House and Senate members, this is your fault! Your votes for Republican misrule has led us to this dire situation.  And what’s worse, you probably think that property tax “reform” is a good idea!  So public schools will just keep losing money and students, and Iowa will keep falling further behind in education metrics, student success, and brain drain.  The only thing we’ll be Number One at is out-migration of young families.  Is that what you want? 

You can fix this!  Stop voting for Republicans!  Nothing will change with the GOP in control in Des Moines.  Imagine what $350 million would do for public schools, when people finally come to their senses and stop this unconstitutional transfer of our tax money to private religious schools.  With more public-school funding from the state, our property tax askings from public school districts around the state will go back down, eliminating the “need” for “reform”.  That’s the best way we can bring down property taxes without cutting necessary funding for schools. 

See how this all fits together in Project 2025's diabolical scheme to destroy public education?  What is needed are voters who see what is going on and are willing to take the necessary corrective actions in November at the polls.  

You can read all the essays Doug has written over the past several months at: https://substack.com/@dougsmith801323.