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State budget outlook less than rosy

Posted: Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 am
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Two southeast Iowa legislators painted a less than rosy picture of the state's financial situation this weekend. Representative Larry Marek and Senator Becky Schmitz visited Washington Saturday to offer an update. Schmitz says state agencies and programs could face nearly eight percent in budget cuts. Representative Marek says while Iowa has faired better than other states during the recession, the sting is still being felt. Marek says state income has dropped by another 81-million dollars for this fiscal year. He says if unemployment numbers don't improve, the problem could continue into the 2010-2011 budget. The two legislators did offer some good news. Schmitz says she's happy about recent health care reforms, while Marek is pleased with a new child labor law.

Filed under: Today's Local News