The Iowa Legislature will likely reconvene in a special session in early November to make adjustments in the state budget. House Republican Leader Christopher Rants of Sioux City says there’s a special election for a western Iowa House seat, and they’d like to wait ’til that’s decided. He says the earliest they could hold a special session is November 8th.
Rants says there is a need for haste, as the state budget situation worsens.
Last week, Governor Vilsack said he’d ordered a four-point-three percent across-the-board cut to slash 200-million from the state budget. Rants says they’re already one quarter of the way through the fiscal year and they want to make changes with time left to implement any reductions.
Rants says Republicans are willing to plug some holes, like making sure public defense, public safety and education don’t suffer drastic cuts.
Rants says legislators are crafting early retirement package to try to get older workers who pull down big salaries off the state payroll.
There are logistical problems. When the legislature met in Special Session in June, the House had to meet in the State Historical Building because the House chamber was ripped up for renovations. It could be used, although legislators won’t have desks or voting machines.
The Senate won’t be able to meet in the Statehouse, though, as the Senate chamber is stripped to the floor boards, so Senators will have to find an alternate meeting place. Rants says legislative leaders hope to talk with Governor Vilsack face-to-face later this week.
Iowa's Radio News Network
