Winer letter: Cost of F-35

Recently much attention has been directed to the possible placement of newer and louder National Guard jets at Gowen Field. While much of the community opposition has been based on the sound levels that would be produced, the news coverage has also highlighted the extremely high cost of each and every one of the newer models of the F-35. Comparisons of the price tag for even a single new jet to the annual full school system budgets for Idaho districts is an eye opener. By funding large numbers of these airplanes we are choosing to divert funds that could be used for educating our children. At the national level the president is wanting to add millions for Defense Department spending while cutting budgets that would support education, health, mental health, and housing for our citizens and the budget of the State Department. There are much better ways to work for a peaceful world. Educating our youth and finding peaceful means of getting along with the other nations in the world is a much more efficient and moral use of our funds. We need to provide the resources to accomplish this goal.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Winer letter: Cost of F-35."