Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Ann Fields

To the Editor:

A simple test to determine if government is managing the economy for you is answering the question, “Are you better off now than you were two years ago?”

If the answer is “yes”, then those leaders should stay in power and you will be better off. If the answer is “no”, then those leaders should be voted out, because their policies are hurting you.

Let’s look at different facets of affordability for the middle class in Iowa based on October 2024 vs. October 2026 prices:

Inflation: 2.6% vs. 3.7% (up 42%) - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ground beef prices:  $5.59 vs. $6.79 (up 21.5 %) - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Sales price for single-family homes:  $250,000 vs. $262,500 (up 5%) - Iowa Association of Realtors

30-year mortgage Interest rates: 6.5% vs. 7.5% (up 15.4%) - Iowa Mortgage Rates

Electricity: $0.11675/kw vs. $0.13398/kw (up 14.7%) - Alliant Energy

Gas prices: $2.90 vs. $4.20 (up 45%) - AAA Iowa

Diesel prices: $3.38 vs. $6.07 (up 79.6%) - AAA Iowa

Urea (nitrogen fertilizer/ton): $492 vs. $672 (up 36.6%) - Iowa Farm Bureau Survey

Anhydrous ammonia (nitrogen fertilizer): $701/ton vs. $977/ton (up 39.4%) - Iowa Farm Bureau Survey U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Cash price for corn: $4.01 vs. $4.43 (up 10.5%) - Iowa Farm Bureau

Cash price for beans: $12.13 vs. $12.51 (up 3.1% - Iowa Farm Bureau

Look at the facts above. Are you better off today than two years ago?

Ann Fields
Lansing