Dan Kelley
Newton
I appreciate the opportunity to respond to Mr. Doug Bishop’s recent Letter to the Editor, in which he was critical of my vote against an Iowa Lottery policy.
Here’s why I voted the way I did. The Veterans Trust Fund would receive $2.5 million from the lottery under this proposal. The Iowa Lottery spends $20 million annually in advertising to raise these funds. This is wrong.
Spending $10 on advertising for every $1 towards veterans’ services does not reflect Jasper County values. No serious person can believe this is enough for veterans, especially those most in need.
This effort is not good enough. We’ve got to get it right.
When I took office, I promised you that I would use my best judgment when considering all bills, and that I would vote in the interests of Jasper County and Iowa. That is what I did with this vote. I kept my promise to you.
So, I’ll continue my work in making sure that every penny of the Veterans’ Trust Fund is spent on behalf of veterans and their families. While doing so, I’ll also keep working to improve it, so that funds coming into the state are spent properly and with the right priorities. Simply put — veterans should come before advertising.
As always, I am honored to serve as your state representative, and welcome the chance to visit with you. You can contact me year round at my official state legislative email address, which is dan.kelley@legis.iowa.gov. Additionally, feel free to call me at my home, 641-521-9260.