The Republican nominee for lieutenant governor says she wants to come up with bipartisan solutions to cut the state budget by 15 percent. Kim Reynolds, a state senator from Osceola, is the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad.

“One of the roles that I hope to play with in the Governor Branstad’s administration is a liason between local government and state government — I currently serve as the state senator of district 48 — and really bring both parties together and look at the ways that we can provide the most cost-efficient services to the citizens of Iowa,” Reynolds says. “And sometimes that means pushing those services down to the local level. And sometimes that means pushing those services up to the state level.” 

Reynolds suggests shifting services and programs from state government down to county and city governments will be one way she and Branstad meet their goal of cutting state spending. “Both parties have a role to play and that if we can put down the defenses and the territorialism that we sometimes have and bring the parties together, we truly can reform government, reduce it by 15 percent — which is one of the goals of the Branstad administration — and we can make that happen,” Reynolds says. “And I look forward to playing a role in that capacity.”

Reynolds made her comments during a campaign appearance in Dubuque.  Listen to her entire speech:  ReynoldsDubuque