New Editorial Highlights Human Impact of Reynolds Budget Crisis’ Service Cuts

 

As the Reynolds Budget Crisis continues to make life harder for the people of Iowa, the Des Moines Register published an editorial highlighting the real consequences of Governor Kim Reynolds’ budgetary mismanagement and service cuts.

Despite increasing the cost of running the state by nearly 1 billion dollars during her tenure, Governor Reynolds’ policies have slashed programs that provide essential services. Now, Iowans have to pay for some services through higher fees and go without others like driver’s licenses, overnight shifts for state troopers—even timely autopsies.

“Iowa families are hurting because of Governor Kim Reynolds’ mismanagement of the state budget,” said Iowa Democratic Party Spokesperson Tess Seger. “Reynolds has prioritized tax giveaways to special interests over the services that taxpayers need, and now it’s the people of Iowa who are paying the price.”

Excerpts from the Des Moines Register Editorial are below:

DES MOINES REGISTER: Editorial: Not even death spares you from Iowa’s budget cuts

“Now there are as few as five state troopers on duty overnight to patrol all of Iowa. The state human services department has lost hundreds of workers. Iowa has closed dozens of unemployment offices, two mental health facilities, a juvenile home, seven transportation maintenance garages and two driver’s license stations.

Is that small enough for current elected officials?

Because government may now be too small for many Iowans, including those with complaints about a nursing home, those seeking a court date or those trying to get someone on the phone to ask questions about their now privatized Medicaid health insurance.

And not even death can deliver people from the negative consequences of failing to adequately fund state government.

A shortage of forensic pathologists at the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office is delaying autopsies, which can leave families waiting weeks for their loved one’s remains. This means not only waiting for answers about a death, but also waiting to schedule funerals and burials.”

“This funding government thing isn’t rocket science. When you refuse to collect enough money to pay for basic services, those basic services are not provided. The state medical examiner’s office, as well as numerous other government entities, are already operating at maximum efficiency.

So rather than more tired rhetoric about the need for “smaller” government, Iowa lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds should finally define what they consider the right size to be. They should be specific about their ideal number of child protection workers, unemployment offices, state troopers, crime lab workers and pathologists.

Since politicians do not volunteer such details on their own, Iowans should demand they do.”