Instead of Addressing Reynolds Budget Crisis, Governor Holds Political Fundraiser
Today, the day after Governor Kim Reynolds announced she would be borrowing an additional $13 million from Iowa’s rainy-day fund to close the gap created by the Reynolds Budget Crisis, the Iowa Democratic Party is throwing it back to a hilarious fundraising email she sent just last month titled “Watching out for taxpayer dollars!”
As a reminder, despite her laughable claims of fiscal responsibility, this is the Governor who borrowed $131 million this spring, cut upwards of $100 million from vital Iowa services in the middle of the year, and is now leaving Iowa towns and schools holding the bag for her financial mismanagement by withholding promised funds. And then yesterday, to duck accountability for her actions, Reynolds sent her staff to announce that she would be borrowing another 13 million from the State’s rainy-day fund.
The one point on which the governor is consistent, however, is her dedication to fundraising. Yesterday, she did not have time to explain to Iowans why she borrowing against our future to pay for special interest giveaways. But she did have time to attend a fundraiser for her gubernatorial campaign.
“This is a new level of hypocrisy from Governor Reynolds and the Iowa GOP. At a time when we so desperately need steady, responsible leadership, they have taken a $1 billion surplus and turned it in to a $350 million dollar deficit,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price. “There’s no excuse – that’s bad management. If Iowans can’t trust Reynolds and the GOP to manage our tax dollars wisely, how can we trust them to run the state? Democrats have effectively managed the budget before, and we’re ready to come to the table with long-term solutions. Unfortunately, it seems like Governor Reynolds would rather dodge responsibility than govern.”
