Iowa--2nd best managed state--

Although the world-wide recession continues to hit middle class families, Iowa's economy is beginning to stabilize.  As they did last year, legislators will balance the state budget in the 2010 session without raising taxes by working to reduce the size of state government and creating greater efficiencies.

Savings totaling more than $128 million have already been enacted, and plans call for implementing an additional $200 million in savings during the next legislative season.

Iowa's current budget is anticipated to expend $5.234 billion in fiscal year 2010.  In January, the Legislature will be crafting a lean fiscal year 2011 budget that will focus on the essential priorities of Iowans.

In spite of limited resources, legislators are committed to creating jobs and helping small businesses, while maintaining Iowa's quality education and health care systems that are essential to middle-class families.

In efforts to improve government efficiencies, there are a host of ideas to create more accountability and transparency while ensuring more fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars.

In addition to a top-to-bottom review of every corporate tax credit to ensure they are creating the jobs promised for those credits, legislators are working to make it easier for Iowans to know how their tax dollars are being spent.

While these are tough times for Iowans, the economic blueprint begun three years ago has placed Iowa ahead of the nation.  The independent, non-partisan Pew Center ranked Iowa the second best managed state in the nation and Iowa received high marks for fiscal management.

Because of our strong planning, Iowa also has $419 million in reserves, and Iowa is spending less this year from the general fund than three years ago.