Change is coming to state government

State Representative Mary Mascher of Iowa City (left) chairs the House State Government Committee and State Senator Staci Appel of Indianola (right) chairs the Senate State Government Committee. The two are seeking to make state government more effective and accountable through e-government innovations, consolidated purchasing, combining agencies and other reforms.

A major initiative to reorganize Iowa’s state government for the first time in almost 25 years was approved January 20 by the Senate’s State Government Committee.

The State of Iowa must be smarter about spending your money. The changes in Senate Study Bill 3030 will provide more accountability for taxpayer dollars and will eliminate wasteful spending by combining agencies and delivering services to Iowans more efficiently. 

According to nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau and other sources, these reforms will save significant dollars immediately and much more in the long term. Savings totaling more than $80 million have already been enacted through an executive order by Governor Culver and an additional $57.4 million in savings will come from an early retirement initiative for state employees.

We’re hoping to find more than $200 million in savings this session. The legislation is expected to be debated by the full Senate later this month.

To review the state government reorganization bill, go to http://tiny.cc/ReOrg.