Lawmakers have included a 600-thousand dollar cut to the legislative branch of state government in their plan to trim 88 million dollars from the current year’s state budget.  Representative Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said “I think the legislature should share in making sure that the…budget works.”

Republicans serving on committees in both the House AND Senate endorsed the overall plan last (Tuesday) night. Democrats on both committees voted against the plan. They criticized Republicans to making cuts to community colleges in particular. Democratic Senator Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City, said “You have asked nothing of the fat cuts that have benefited from record tax cuts and special give-aways.” The G-O-P plan does includes cutting off legislators’ daily expense money 10 days earlier than normal. That would save up to 360-thousand dollars.

Democrats in the SENATE suggested giving up one more day of expense money, for an additional 36-thousand dollars in savings. Republicans on the senate committee rejected that move — saying for “expediency’s sake” they wanted to keep the senate bill identical to the one advancing in the house. The unified G-O-P plan is now eligible for debate in both the House and Senate. Governor Branstad has indicated he’ll approve it.

(Radio Iowa)