February 14, 2008
Senate Leader Mike Gronstal: (515) 281-3901
House Speaker Pat Murphy: (515) 281-0817
The leaders of the Iowa House and Senate today released budget targets that balance the budget responsibly, keep the Legislature’s commitments to Iowans, and stand up for middle-class families across Iowa.
The budget targets will guide the work of legislative committees as they write the next state budget.
“This budget is balanced and it fully funds the state’s Cash Reserve Fund,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs. “This is a Legislature that is living within its means, continuing to improve Iowa’s financial standing, and keeping our economy growing.”
“The 2008 session will be remembered as one in which we stood up for Iowa’s middle-class families by enacting a fiscally responsible budget that ensures continued economic growth and greater prosperity,” said House Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque. “We are tightening our belts while keeping our commitments to Iowans.”
“We’ve got an honest budget that keeps the bipartisan commitments we made in 2007 to parents, teachers, students, entrepreneurs, and other Iowans,” said Rep. Jo Oldson of Des Moines, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is a fiscally responsible, sustainable budget that continues our progress in health care, education, jobs and renewable energy.”
Senator Bob Dvorsky of Coralville, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that the next state budget will take additional steps toward repaying funds borrowed during previous legislative sessions. “Our budget builds the state reserve funds to $616 million, which is the highest level ever in the history of Iowa. The budget also brings us two-thirds to our $300 million goal of repaying the Senior Living Trust Fund and continuing to honor our commitment to Iowa’s seniors,” Dvorsky said. “That’s a growth of more than $175 million in the last five years.”
“Our bottom line in assembling this budget will be to continue looking out for Iowa taxpayers and the long-term health of the state,” said Senate President Jack Kibbie of Emmetsburg. “This is the second year of a multi-year effort to improve educational opportunities, expand access to health care, grow our economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
“Legislative committees will be setting priorities and examining the ways we do things to make government more efficient,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines. “We are working to refocus state government on the needs of Iowans and put the state in a significantly better financial position than it was when the session began.”
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