Cuts Offer Glimpse into Government's Scope

Gov. Chet Culver has released preliminary plans for cutting $565 million from Iowa's nearly $6 billion state budget.

You can read Culver's thoughts and dig into the numbers here.

When times are good, and government hums along, we don't usually think much about it. But when revenues plunge and the axe falls, we get a glimpse of everything the state does, big and small.

Of course, the big stuff makes headlines. Hundreds of layoffs, for instance. It's got to be a nightmarish day for state workers. I feel for them.

The cuts make for some sobering reading.

It's disquieting to read through the Department of Corrections' list of reductions and see the phrase "significant reduction in essential security activities" repeated multiple times.

There's the Department of Education's gloomy math lesson -- that cuts in local school aid are the equivalent of 4,000 teachers statewide, if you calculate using average salaries. Actual reductions may vary.

Humans Services will have less money to protect children. The Department of Natural Resources will be doing less monitoring of our water quality and fewer field staff will be watching livestock confinements.

Public Health cuts mean, according to department estimates, that 457 Iowans won't get drug treatment, 4.300 meth users won't get extended treatment and 400 people won't get help for problem gambling.

What 's also big is the amount of federal funding that could be lost. Numerous proposed cuts would result in the loss of federal matching funds. For example, cutting the state's share of school lunch funding could mean fewer federal bucks and reduced assistance.

That's all big, important stuff.

But I'm also  fascinated by the stuff that gets less attention.

Like the fact that the State Library of Iowa is going to stop putting Iowa's weekly newspapers on microfilm. So there will be a gap in Iowa's journalistic archives.

And it sound like the gift shop at the Iowa Historical Building is closing. (How many nearly forgotten, last-minute gifts did I buy there when I covered the capitol? Many.)

Iowa Public Television will now  go off the air and midnight, which will cut overnight programs recorded by educators for use in class.

Inflated amusement device inspections will cease. Tobacco compliance checks will happen with less frequency. It will take longer to get a civil rights case resolved.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development's "State Fair giveaway" program has been cancelled. And the "Stretch Your Fun" campaign has been postponed, so the department can stretch pennies.

Big and small, we're going to feel these cuts.

And I don't want to pile on Culver, but I can't help but think there's got to be a smarter way to do this without, for example, a "significant reduction in essential security activities."

Perhaps the final plan released next week will be tweaked. Regardless, there's going to be a lot of political fallout, and a lot of pressure on public employee union members to re-open their contract for concessions.

I know the governor doesn't want to call lawmakers back to have a look at the ailing patient, but I think a consult might do some good. And it's about time he spreads the responsibility around.

We know what we're up against, this year and next. And it's bad, very bad.  Why should we wait until January to get started? At the every least, key budget subcommittee members should come back to the Statehouse and start digging through the rubble.

And if they so come back early, no mileage checks, no per-diem payments. Sacrifice, folks. At least until we can once again inspect inflatable amusement devices.