Governor says Legislature’s budget plan is flawed

Governor Tom Vilsack says the budget plan republican legislators drafted has several flaws.Vilsack says legislators are suggesting they held the line on taxes, but the governor says he wants to make sure Iowans understand that their property taxes will go up as a result of the republican budget. Vilsack says republicans failed to provide 18 million dollars to counties to cover the costs of the homestead tax credit, and counties will likely raise property taxes. Vilsack says lawmakers need to be truthful with Iowans and admit their error.Vilsack says republican legislators need to “be honest with folks.” Vilsack says republicans made several other errors, but he’s not going to veto the entire state budget and ask lawmakers to come back in special session for a rewrite.Vilsack says if he felt there was any willingness among legislators to reconsider, he wouldn’t hesitate to call legislators back to town. But Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson has said Vilsack could call lawmakers back to Des Moines 50 times and nothing’s going to change, and Vilsack says he’s not going to call a special session.