The Iowa Supreme Court has set a date to hear oral arguments in the appeal of a ruling against the governor over the closing of 36 Iowa Workforce Development offices. A Polk County judge ruled the governor’s line-item veto that led to the closing of the offices was unconstitutional because the governor attempted to redirect the money meant to keep the offices open.
Five Democrats in the legislature and AFSCME, the state’s largest employee union, filed the lawsuit. AFSCME Council 61 president, Danny Homan, said they want to see the offices reopened as they offer services needed by the unemployed. Branstad said his decision to close the I.W.D. offices would save the state $6.5 million a year.
He said the offices have been replaced by a “much more efficient” system involving computer stations in libraries, homeless shelters and other locations. The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case at 7 p.m. on February 21st in the courtroom of the judicial building in Des Moines.