Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad says he wants to lead a five-year cooperative effort downsizing state government. Speaking in Iowa City Wednesday. Branstad said current government streamlining by incumbent Democrat Governor Chet Culver and legislative Democrats is a good start, but he says it’s a “quick and dirty approach” taken without consulting people delivering state services.
Brandstad says he would do a better job than Culver, who ordered a 10-percent across the board budget cut. Branstad says he wants to reduce the size and cost of government by 15-percent in the next five years. “But that needs to be done in a thoughtful way, in a way that sets priorities, not in a meat ax approach,” Branstad said.
Branstad served four terms before stepping down and says Iowans want “an experienced leader” to handle the budget. Branstad says: “Somebody that will listen, somebody that will answer tough questions. Somebody that is not afraid to bring the legislature back and work with them to get things accomplished. Will not try to do it all by myself.”
Branstad has eight stops scheduled for town hall meetings through eastern Iowa. Branstad said he also wants Iowans to be able to vote on a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.