To the Editor:

I received the latest issue of the Farm News (April 17 issue) today. The lead headline was of interest to me, “Iowa House, Senate float ag tax cut plan.” That really perked my interest since Iowa is in such financial distress right now. I read the article looking for the formula that the Democrats were planning on using to create this “fairer” tax that they are promoting.

I finally figured it out. This is their plan to eliminate the ability of Iowans to deduct their federal income tax before they figure the Iowa income tax.

So they think it is fair for me to pay Iowa income tax on money that I have sent into Washington for them to squander.

I was surprised and disappointed that you didn’t mention this in the article. You must have taken the Democrats’ press release and printed it verbatim. Don’t be fooled by these people.

If they get the tax rate down to 6 percent, it is a whole lot easier to raise it a percentage point than if it is at the present 9 percent. And we wouldn’t have federal deductibility anymore.

Show me a business man who is interested in coming to Iowa who doesn’t understand that federal deductibility helps him, and I will show you a businessman who probably isn’t smart enough to run a business.

No, this is not a fairness issue with these people. It is a way to get more money and buy some votes along the way.