Branstad administration asleep at the wheel

At the end of May, Senate Democrats asked Governor Branstad to share contingency plans for a government shutdown. Our hope was that empowering Iowans with vital, accurate information about the consequences of a state government shutdown would be helpful in pushing both sides to find common ground and avoid a disaster. At that time, Governor Branstad assured us that while he did not wish to release them, the plans were on file.

Last week, an open records request revealed that there are in fact no contingency plans for a shutdown. This time the Governor’s spokesman said, “There is no shut down plan and there is no shut down document.”

With ten days left to resolve budget differences, we’d expect the Governor to be hard at work negotiating a compromise, or at least making plans for an emergency shutdown.  Good thing he canceled his trade mission to Southeast Asia to end the budget crisis, right? Nope. Governor Branstad is not even in the state today and has no plans to attend budget meetings this week. We can all look forward to a Turkey Lovers proclamation on Thursday though.

On Friday’s Iowa Press featuring Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky, the Governor’s lack of planning was a major topic of discussion. Radio Iowa reports on the highlights:

Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Sue Dvorsky said it’s “really irresponsible” for the Republican governor to fail to release a plan about a state government shut-down that might be coming soon.

“People all over Iowa are worried. State workers are worried…There are a lot of people who rely on the state government and I think it’s an easy thing to run against government…but in fact Iowans and their government intersect at multiple points that they’re not really going to think about until that government shuts down,” Dvorsky told reporters late this morning. “I hope that that doesn’t happen, but I’m really quite concerned that they’re not preparing for it.”

…

Dvorsky said there are a variety of things Iowans should be told, like whether summer school at the state universities will continue or if foster care parents will be paid the stipend they receive from the state.

“This is a governor with a transparency adviser, so give him some advice and be transparent,” Dvorsky said. “If they’re not planning for it, I think that’s worrisome, too.”

You can watch the full episode of Iowa Press online at http://www.iptv.org/iowapress/episode.cfm/3841.