Transcript of opening statement by Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal at the Thursday Statehouse News Conference|Transcript of opening statement by Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal at the Thursday Statehouse News Conference
(Video and audio available at www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats
“Going back to 1992, when we had significant budget challenges in the state, and we put in place a budget reform law that has served this state very well for going on twenty years now. That piece of legislation was passed by a Democratic Legislature and signed by Governor Terry Branstad.
“It has served our state very well. It has helped us build up the biggest surplus in our accounts, the biggest surplus in the history of the state. Our reserve funds are full and we have at least 300 million dollars in addition to that. And the revenue estimate in March actually signaled more good news that our economy was recovering, and continues to recover for about another 38 million bucks.
“So, as things are getting better, our governor comes back to the table on the 114th day of the session, and decided to change his budget, dramatically lowering the resources that he is going to agree to spend for next year’s education, health care, and job creation efforts in this state.
“At a time when a bill he signed that helped create these reserve funds, at a time that everything is getting better, our governor says ‘I am going to further lower my target dramatically.’ And he did this on the 144th day of the session. He has not by the way supplied us with a new budget. “He has just said that ‘My number is lower significantly than it was before.’
“That will result in more crowded classrooms. Fewer teacher being able to be called back, 1500 teachers and other education professionals were laid off a few weeks ago. Less access to pre-school. College tuition is going to go up.
“Health care access for thousands of Iowans is going to be reduced. Resources for mental health are going to be reduced. Job creation efforts are going to be reduced.
“We think this is a gut-punch to the middle class, we think it is wrong, and we are going to continue to fight for what is important out there. And education is very high on that list. Health care is very high on that list and job creation.
“This is a mistake to sacrifice middle class Iowans for the sake of piling up ever-larger reserve funds so you can make tax cuts to your rich buddies.
“We think that is a mistake, and we are going to fight very hard.
“Our members are back home right now talking with their local folks, talking with their cities. Cities are expressing dramatic reservation about some of their property tax schemes.
“So rather than moving closer together a week after we are supposed to adjourn, the Republicans and the Governor are moving further apart.
..questions…
“The Governor’s original budget called for spending 6.161, 6,161,000,000 dollars. He is now below that number because he has agreed with the House Republicans to go down to 5.999999.
“This is going to go on a while I would say because we think this is completely unacceptable. And like I said we are going to stand up for the middle class. They are making an attack on middle class Iowans.
“Every Iowan that has a kid that’s in any of our state institutions, at our universities, every parent is going to be faced with higher tuition because of these actions. Every kid in a community college is going to be faced with higher tuition.
“Job creation efforts are going to be minimized. I thought this session was supposed to be about creating jobs and so far it appears it is going to be a net loss for this governor in terms of jobs, laying off teachers across the state.
“So this is going to take a while. Weeks, months.
