Posted on July 22, 2010 by Erin in News Clips, News Clips, Press Room
The Hawk Eye: ‘Truth in Budgeting’ tour hits Keokuk
KEOKUK - Don’t spend more than you take in.
That’s the simple message being delivered by Republicans former Gov. Branstad and state Auditor David Vaudt during their “Truth in Budgeting” tour that stopped in Keokuk Wednesday morning.
With all the complicated ins and outs of Iowa’s budget, the two candidates simplified it by putting the numbers into charts and comparing the state’s fiscal house to home financing.
The duo compared the state’s robbing-Peter-to-pay-Paul attitude on family terms; the money comes from breaking piggy banks, using money for a kitchen repair on ongoing health care costs; paying utilities costs on credit; depleting one’s retirement savings, and the like.
“It’s like giving your kids an increase in their allowance, even though the family income is not going up … That’s the way state budget decisions have been made in recent years,” said Branstad, who is the state’s longest-serving governor after leaving office in 1999.
They criticized the Democrats for providing selective information about the state of the budget. Vaudt said the numbers presented on Wednesday represented not Republican or Democrat figures but Iowa figures; however, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Gov. Chet Culver’s campaign said they’re “cherry-picking” numbers, as the current state budget is balanced as it is required to be.
“We know that families have tightened their belt and made adjustments,” Branstad said to the crowd of about 75 people at Keokuk City Hall. “The ultimate goal is to provide stability and predictability in the delivery of services here in the state of Iowa.”
Branstad said the state needs to return to budgetary practices that he helped establish during his administration. He proposed a constitutional amendment to prevent the Legislature from spending more than 99 percent of what it takes in.
During Branstad’s administration, the 99 percent spending limit was put into law, but lawmakers have since been able to add “notwithstanding” language into legislation to avoid abiding by it.
Lee County resident Doug Abolt, who supported one of Branstad’s primary opponents Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, seemed to argue against the state having such a law, by saying that the state should only take from taxpayers what it plans to use.
While Branstad does want to cut the state’s budget, he argued that the state needs a rainy-day fund for when problems arise, like the 2008 or 1993 Floods.
Vaudt, who is running for re-election and supported Branstad in his primary bid, said the former governor has a proven track record on getting spending in order and that the state needs him to do it again.
“I think the key part is balancing Iowa’s budget, truly balancing it, isn’t that difficult if you follow my rule number one: Don’t spend more than you take in,” Vaudt said. “We all have to do that in our own families.”
Branstad also proposes getting the state back on generally accepted accounting principles. While he didn’t lay out specifics for where to cut, he pointed to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, who has been successful in getting the state’s fiscal house back in order since winning election in 2004.
“There’s no question we have to reduce the size and cost of government,” Branstad said.
