• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Caution…the key word: a leaner state budget year ahead

Caution…the key word: a leaner state budget year ahead

April 5, 2017 By O. Kay Henderson

Senator Charles Schneider and Rep. Pat Grassley.

Republicans in the legislature have just released a basic sketch of their state spending plan for next year — and it’s about $14 million leaner than the current year’s state budget.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but I think again we’ve put together a responsible budget,” Representative Pat Grassley of New Hartford, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said this afternoon.

Grassley and Senator Charles Schneider, a Republican from West Des Moines who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a statehouse news conference.

“I believe we have provided as much as we can, responsibly, to still adequately fund priorities,” Schneider told reporters.

The new GOP plan is even $38 million below Governor Terry Branstad’s recently revealed suggestions for next year’s budget. However, the Republican-led executive and legislative branches of government have agreed on this latest round of pruning.

The governor’s original budget plan that was released in January had to be ripped up due to lower-than-expected state tax revenue. Dave Roederer, the governor’s budget director, has been involved in the behind-the-scenes budget talks.

“Caution is always going to be the key word,” Roederer said during an interview.

Democrats in the legislature immediately denounced the budget plans revealed by Republicans. Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, said these budget cuts could have been avoided if Branstad had delivered on promises “to increase family income by 25 percent and create more than 200-thousand new jobs in Iow.” Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, said it’s appalling that Republicans are borrowing from the state’s cash reserves to cover a budget deficit.

The GOP plans fulfill promises to send more state resources to Iowa’s public school districts next year. Legislators have not yet made final decisions about budget cuts in state agencies.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Democratic Party, Legislature, Republican Party, Taxes, Terry Branstad

Featured Stories

Iowans 65+ now eligible in next phase of Covid vaccinations

Bill would remove transfer limits in five Iowa school districts

Former Iowa sports talk host sentenced to federal prison for ticket scams

Feenstra only member of Iowa delegation not at Biden’s inauguration

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

UNI adds two nonconference games to basketball schedule

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC