The two G-O-P candidates for Governor joined forces today in attacking democrat Governor Tom Vilsack on a budgeting issue. Steve Sukup of Dougherty and Bob Vander Plaats of Sioux City say Vilsack wants to spend the state’s cash reserve fund. Vander Plaats says Vilsack needs to quit promising to spend more money, and says spending the state’s operating capital funds is further evidence why Iowa needs a new governor. He says the governor either doesn’t understand the budget, “or is purposely misleading the people of Iowa.”Sukup says more spending seems to be Governor Vilsack’s game plan. He says the governor reminds him of someone who goes to the bank and asks how they can be out of money if they still have checks left.Some call the state’s savings account an “Economic Emergency Fund” but both Republican gubernatorial candidates say it’s being used for cash flow, and they see no scenario, today, for using that money for anything else. On Monday of last week, Vilsack encouraged about 200 Iowans at a public meeting to lobby legislators to spend some of the state’s cash reserve. Then, on Wednesday, Vilsack said he would not ask legislators to spend that money.
