Governor-elect Terry Branstad says budget cuts in the upcoming year will include reductions in the Iowa governor’s office staff and security detail, and he will ask other state agencies to make similar cuts.
Branstad did not specify the number of positions that will be eliminated in his office, but said that he would have only one legislative liaison instead of two. He also said he would likely not fill some deputy-chief-of-staff positions. He said reducing his security detail will allow the state to put more state troopers on the road. He also said he’ll lead by example with a goal of cutting the cost of state government by 15 percent over five years to align state spending with ongoing revenues.
