Government : After Braille School closing, let’s stand up for government services

Last week, Representative Dawn Pettengill wrote a column in this paper entitled, "My biggest failure - Iowa Braille School closing." I share her disappointment with the closing. Although not for every vision-impaired student, there are students who need intensive, institutional instruction. Government should be there to provide that service.

In 2006, when Rep. Pettengill was a Democrat, she worked with other Democrats on a successful effort to keep the Iowa Braille School open. At that time, Rep. Pettengill warned that students were being turned away and that the school was "being starved" of students in an effort to justify its closing.

Together, Democrats got a commitment from the Board of Regents to keep the school open. There was a chance to bolster the Iowa Braille School and market it nationally.

In 2007, Rep. Pettengill switched parties and became a Republican. She lost her leverage with Governor Culver and the Board of Regents. The momentum to save the school was lost.

By 2010, the school was down to only four enrolled students. As Rep. Pettengill recognized in her column, the last student left the school in 2011 – after Governor Branstad had returned to Terrace Hill.

Republicans are not very good at saving public institutions and essential governmental services. It is not part of their philosophy. They sacrifice public services in favor of tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest 1%.

Since Governor Branstad returned to office, he has shut down the Iowa Juvenile Home for girls in Toledo. He has shut down workforce offices across the state. He shut down the mental health institutes in Mt. Pleasant and Clarinda.

He vetoed education funding, and as a result, schools across the state are shutting down music, art, shop, and athletic opportunities, cutting staff positions and increasing class size. Schools do not have the resources they need to invest in innovation.

Most recently, Governor Branstad has privatized the administration of the state’s Medicaid program, which provides the health care safety net for children, seniors, low-wage workers, and people living with disabilities.

This change has delayed payment and services for Iowa providers and Iowa patients. Many long-term relationships between patients and their providers have been lost.

Governor Branstad has taken all of these actions without legislative approval. Rep. Pettengill says her biggest failure was the failure to save the Iowa Braille School, but just as serious has been her failure to stand up to Governor Branstad to stop these unilateral actions.

Democrats have a philosophy that government is a tool that can help communities grow and help vulnerable people and families. That is why we want government to be efficient – so that government can provide more services to help more people and communities in need.

Vinton now needs to make a decision about how to proceed with the Iowa Braille School facilities. Whatever the city decides, if I am elected to represent House District 75, I will be there at the state legislature to help Vinton achieve its goals. That’s because I am a Democrat who believes in government helping people and communities.

Paula Denison of Van Horne is the Democratic candidate for state representative in House District 75.