Jan 21 2009
Iowa Republicans Call for more budget scrutiny
House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha said Democrats are limiting committees that scrutinize budget requests at a time when the recession has caused a $700 million or larger shortfall. He said voters need to know what choices will be made in tough financial times.
As they raise budget issues, Republicans have repeatedly argued that Democrats aggravated the shortfall by spending too much in previous years. On Wednesday, Paulsen submitted a list of questions he wants Democrats to answer, including how many new state workers have been added and how across-the-board spending cuts would be implemented.
Governors traditionally submit a proposed state budget to the Legislature as part of their annual report on the state’s condition. But Culver decided not to do that this year, saying he needs more time to assemble his spending plan and understand how much federal aid is headed to the state.
The governor is required to submit a proposed budget by Feb. 1, and Culver said he’s likely to do so next week. McCarthy argued that lawmakers traditionally use the governor’s proposed budget as a base to work from and it doesn’t mak
