STATEHOUSE – Tensions continue to rise at the Statehouse as the Iowa legislature proposes even more budget cuts.
Republicans hope to spend $14 million less in 2018, compared to this year. The current budget proposal shows that every area is expecting to see cuts. One that will be hit the hardest is the justice system and Iowa courts. The Department of Corrections is also supposed to lose close to $1.5 million dollars in the next fiscal year’s budget.
Budget cuts to Iowa’s justice system passed the House Appropriations Committee Thursday evening on a vote of 14 to 9. Committee members focused heavily on the Department of Corrections. Republicans emphasized the need to work within the “realities” of the budget. But Democrats say safety and equality are more important.
“I fear for my brothers and sisters that are still working in the Iowa prison system,” said Marty Hathaway, a retired corrections officer who worked in the Iowa prison system for nearly 40 years.
Hathaway says the Iowa GOP’s $559 million budget for Iowa’s justice systems, which is even lower than Governor Branstad’s proposal, means fewer guards and a more dangerous environment.
“I challenge any legislator in support of these cuts to spend one day walking into a cell house in one of the Iowa prisons today,” Hathaway said. “Maybe then we would see adequate staffing levels and keep all the staff safe along with the citizens of Iowa.”
The House Appropriations committee voted to decrease funding for the Department of Corrections by $1.6 million dollars. Republicans say their plan, while not perfect, is all meant to help the state budget.
“We know that this will put some stress on the system but we also believe that with changes in some of the rules of employment that DOC could see a substantial saving,” said Republican Rep. Gary Worthan of Storm Lake.
Republicans also want to increase funding for the Iowa State Patrol, but Democrats say that is unfair.
“When we changed collective bargaining and gutted Chapter 20, and didn’t allow the definition of public safety to apply to a corrections officer but we allow it to be applied to a state patrol officer, and then we put an extra million dollars into state patrol and then we take out another 1.6 million on top of the other cuts we have for corrections, this is really divide and conquer,” said Democratic Rep. Todd Taylor of Cedar Rapids.
But Republicans argue, patrolmen work in different situations, and it is like comparing apples to oranges.
“They know their closest backup is 130 miles away or is at home in bed. At least in a corrections system, your help is two or three minutes away,” Rep. Worthan said.
Still, people like Hathaway say what it all comes down to is safety.
“All the staff working in Iowa’s prisons should have the right to do their job safely and go home to their families at the end of shift,” Hathaway said.
Republicans in the House say they still firmly believe that cuts to the justice system are necessary. The bill will now go the House floor for debate. It is expected that both the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate will start considering full budget bills next week.
