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Governor Kim Reynolds is no longer allowing the public to attend her annual budget request meetings with state agency directors.
The hearings had allowed state agency directors to publicly describe the needs of their agencies, and the governor could ask them questions.
But Reynolds says she finds the private meetings very productive.
“And really doing a one-on-one and walking through the budget and asking them what are some initiatives that you’re working on, where can we look at some opportunities to help you do what you’re doing in your agency.”
A spokesman for Reynolds says the governor will still hold a public budget hearing this month for any Iowans—not specific department heads—to make requests for next year’s state budget.
Sioux City’s Midwest Diesel Tech Academy-Peterbilt was awarded 50 thousand dollars yesterday as part of the second round of Employer Innovation Fund awards. The state is awarding 568 thousand dollars towards Future Ready Iowa jobs. State officials say the money will go to creating a thousand new jobs.
Diesel Tech will use the money to develop a new training academy to help meet the demands of Iowa’s transportation industry. There has been a growing demand for diesel mechanics in Iowa.
Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on House Democrats to “be reasonable” and “act quickly” to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement before the week is out. Grassley says a compromise is close.
