PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2018
Contact: Mazie Stilwell, Communications Specialist
(515) 246-2637; [email protected]
REYNOLDS SHOWS PRIORITIES WITH LATEST ROUND OF MID-YEAR BUDGET CUTS
DES MOINES – AFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement following Governor Reynolds signing of yet another round of mid-year budget cuts:
“This morning, Kim Reynolds signed SF2117 into law, which cut an additional $35 million from the budget that was approved by the legislature last year. There are only three months left to absorb these massive cuts in state government, which is not only irresponsible, but also dangerous.
“This is the second year in a row that the Reynolds administration has had to pull money from the current budget just to pay the bills. Why? Because tax breaks for her donors and big businesses are more important than the hardworking employees who make our state happen. This budget nightmare was signed into law all while she is trying to push over $1 billion in tax cuts through the legislature. This will obliterate our state’s finances just like it did to Kansas.
“The sad thing is, everyday Iowans are going to pay the price for her irresponsibility. When we cut our regents by millions, students and their families see their debt increase. When we cut corrections by millions, safety in our prisons deteriorates. When we cut DHS by millions, kids in our foster care system suffer. Iowans should brace themselves for the impact of these cuts. Iowans deserve more competent leadership and they should demand it at the polls in November.”
Department | SF 2117 Cuts |
Department of Human Services | $4.3 million |
Board of Regents | $10.9 million |
Community Colleges | $500 thousand |
Judicial Branch | $1.6 million |
Department of Corrections | $3.4 million |
Department of Education | $784 thousand |
Department of Public Health | $662 thousand |
Iowa Workforce Development | $167 thousand |
State Public Defender | $236 thousand |
Iowa Public Television | $68 thousand |
Department of Inspections and Appeals | $102 thousand |
Department of Revenue | $528 thousand |
Department of Agriculture | $188 thousand |
Department of Justice | $378 thousand |
Department on Aging | $110 thousand |
Department of Public Safety | $200 thousand |
Department of Natural Resources | $123 thousand |
Economic Development | $158 thousand |
Iowa Skilled Worker & Job Creation Fund | $10 million |
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 61 represents 40,000 public employees in Iowa including law enforcement and correctional officers, firefighters, mental health workers, professional school staff, emergency responders, and many other workers. AFSCME Council 61 also represents home health care and child care providers across the state and private sector workers at Prairie Meadows, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Des Moines University, and ABM (Marshalltown).
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