Reader questions candidates on skipping forum

In the state of Iowa, we have an out of control governor backed up by two puppets who have failed to represent the people of Southeast Iowa: Jeff Reichman and Martin Graber. Whatever way the governor orders them to vote, they do it.
Both of these guys are up for reelection in November. Both Senator Reichman and Representative Graber (according to Chuck Vandenberg of the Pen City Current ) have declined the invitation to Meet the Candidates forum to be held on September 26 and sponsored by Mississippi Valley Publishing Co., Pen City Current, and League of Women Voters of Southeast Iowa.
Lets speculate on why these two lawmakers would not want to attend this event. Iowa’s Republican Legislature has been and is still fast at work destroying Iowa’s once top in the nation’s public schools. Most Iowans do not even know this is happening because of lack of transparency. Our tax dollars are now going to the private schools in the form of vouchers.
The Legislature ( Reichman and Graber voted for this ) and governor passed Iowa’s school voucher law nearly two years ago and they allowed no oversight of how the money is spent and only banned one use of it: no rebates for parents. The biggest expansion of this will be next year, when the income restrictions are removed and every family in Iowa that was already paying for private school with their own money can use yours instead. This amounts to about $7500 per student per year.
Instead of administering the voucher program in house, Iowa has contracted Odyssey, a New York based company, to administer the program. This company is going to take your tax dollars to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
Reichman and Graber avoid forums of this type so they can’t be questioned on their votes on education, reproductive rights, limiting of the ability of the state auditor do his job, hiring out of state companies for outrageous fees, and the list goes on. I emailed both of them about not attending the forum. As of this time Reichman had his computer fire back an auto response ( I wonder if he reads anything. ) and no response from Graber.
Vote for Nannette Griffin and Graber’s opponent, Nic Atwood.

Shirley Deck
Fort Madison, Iowa