Governor Tom Vilsack says the budget Republican legislators crafted will lead to too many state worker layoffs, and he’s asking lawmakers to approve more spending on salaries when they meet in special session on Thursday. Vilsack says during his first four years in office, state government has undergone the most major transformation in 30 years — resulting in a 10 percent decrease in the state workforce. Vilsack says 300 to 400 layoffs are unacceptable because it’s time to “stabilize” state government in the wake of massive reorganization. Vilsack and Republican legislative leaders will meet this afternoon to try to strike compromises on the agenda items for this week’s “special” legislative session. Vilsack says there will be a special session on Thursday, despite lack of agreement to date. Vilsack says he’s “raising the expectation of leaders” that they’ll “get the job done” and convince their colleagues in the legislature to take action. Vilsack made his comments on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program.
