The $200 million, 4.3% across the board spending cut will hurt people. Many services that Iowa’s citizens need and have every right to expect for themselves and their children will not be available.

This crisis is the result of a downturn in the economy coupled with a 6-year, $3 billion-plus rampage of bipartisan tax cutting by the Legislature.

The only solutions that are proposed are program cuts. The cuts are especially mean-spirited because Iowa has hundreds of millions of dollars in the so-called rainy day fund.

We are not broke. We do not have to cut programs that help people. We should use the rainy day money to cover the shortages.

In the longer term, Iowans have to generate enough tax revenue to fund the vital programs that make Iowa a decent place to live.

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