Governor Tom Vilsack today blasted what he calls Republican plans to cut services to Iowa kids. Vilsack told reporters today the Republican budget doesn’t do anything to protect Iowa kids from abuse. Vilsack says the G-O-P proposal is four million dollars below his proposal for funding programs to prevent and investigate child abuse. Vilsack says he could see the face of Shelby Duis as he read the budget. Duis was the two-year old Spirit Lake girl who’s death set off numerous reviews of the way child abuse is handled in the state. Vilsack says the Republican proposal would also create a waiting list of 16-hundred for a program that helps provide insurance to low-income children. The Governor says he’ll meet with lawmakers tomorrow to tell them his concerns. He says they have to reach middle ground, and protecting children is a fundamental value for Iowa.Vilsack says his budget proposal calls for spending eight million dollars on more child welfare workers and support staff.
