Governor Tom Vilsack has ordered a four-point-three percent across-the-board cut in the state budget — amounting to 200-million dollars. The move came after a three-member panel of financial experts significantly downgraded their forecast of state tax revenues. Vilsack says the economy has weakened “suddenly and severely.” Vilsack plans are to call the legislature back in special session in the next 30 days to restore the cuts made in some areas of the budget, like K-through-12 education, public safety and public defense.
Vilsack, who’s a democrat, says he hopes to avoid big squabbles with
republican legislators about the details. He says the people of the state expect the leaders to work in a bipartisan fashion.
Vilsack says he hasn’t gotten a promise from lawmakers, but expects they’ll
work with him to restore some of the cuts to K-through-12 public schools.
Vilsack says the Board of Regents might want to re-think the proposal to
boost tuition by 18-and-a-half percent since the cuts to Iowa, Iowa State and U-N-I won’t be as deep as previously proposed. He says it appears that nine percent of the increase was a direct result of an increase in inflation and the balance was due to the budget.
On September 20th, Vilsack ordered one-third of state government to draw up a seven percent budget cut — amounting to 108 million dollars. He exempted
state aid to K-through-12 schools, public safety and welfare programs from
the cuts. That plan is out the window now.
Iowa's Radio News Network
