Focusing on middle-class families, small businesses and a balanced budget

In order to increase state government efficiency and save taxpayer dollars, we must go over the state budget line by line.

With the 2010 legislative session just around the corner, we’re keeping focus on helping middle-class families and small businesses, creating good-paying jobs and balancing the state budget without raising taxes.

In spite of tough times, we can protect the progress we’ve made in these areas by continuing to change state government to make it more accountable.

The first major review of state government operations in nearly 25 years is already producing results. Republican and Democratic legislators and the Governor have put together cost-saving proposals that will provide better services to Iowans while reducing bureaucracy and saving taxpayer money.

The Governor has already issued an Executive Order to implement new practices that could save the state more than $700 million over the next five years.

In addition, the Legislature’s bipartisan State Government Reorganization Commission has unanimously approved a number of cost-saving recommendations, including increasing oversight and accountability for corporate tax credits, e-government innovations and consolidating purchasing.

Big corporations receive tax credits and other incentives that total hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Those tax credits should be re-evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that our investment is creating high-quality jobs for Iowans.

The Commission’s recommendations—and many of the Governor’s proposals—will be considered by the full Legislature when the 2010 session opens on January 11.

We appreciate all suggestions you have submitted for saving money and improving state government. Keep the ideas coming.

With your continued interest and support for reform, we can make real changes immediately and develop a long-term plan for improving our state.

You can review the legislative Commission’s recommendations at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Current/Interim/. Just click on “State Government Reorganization Commission.” For more details on the Governor’s proposals, go to http://www.governor.iowa.gov, and click on “Iowa Efficiency Review Report.”