IA. STATE WASTE AND SPENDING GROW STEADILY DESPITE CLAIMED "CUTS"

The purpose of this website posting is to place Iowa State Government budgeting, spending and wastefulness into a much better perspective than has been done by the Iowa media.  The following tables show actual state spending,  operating efficiencies and waste for FY 2008.  It is interesting that talk of budget cuts will likely increase state government operating efficiency slightly in 2009 and 2010.   The spending numbers were obtained from state websites. 

There is no need to challenge the numbers showing waste as Gov. Vilsack did that when he challenged the 19% operating efficiency for his office, and lost, while he was governor.  His highly paid consultants told him the closer they looked at  Iowalive's operating efficiency numbers, the better they looked.  Iowalive net workers told the consultants how the numbers were derived, to the consultants satisfaction.  Consultants then advised the governor he had no comparable numbers at all.  Anyone claiming to have better numbers than those in the following tables, is asked to provide them for evaluation and comparison.  

LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY IS MOST EFFICIENT

The Legislative Services Agency, located in Unassigned Standings, at 57% is the most efficient organization listed in the following  tables.   Unfortunately, the total wasted by education in the Education Fund and Unassigned Standings fund is a staggering $2.7 Billion!

$4.4 BILLION WASTED IN 2008

WASTE AND SPENDING GROW STEADILY UNDER GOVERNOR CHESTER CULVER!!
THERE WAS $4.3 BILLION WASTED IN FY 2008.  THE GOVERNOR ' S BUDGET INCREASES 2.4% IN ' 09 AND 3.1% IN ' 010, COMPARED TO 2008 SPENDING.  THERE IS NO CUT AND WASTE GROWS STEADILY, AS OPERATING EFFICIENCY IMPROVES BUT  SLIGHTLY!!  1-29-09
IOWA GENERAL FUND BUDGET LINE ITEM	ACTUAL FY 20008  $	Updated Average year-to-date 12-1-08  operating efficiency.	DOLLARS WASTED  $
Education	1,175,436,989	31%	812,226,959
Justice System	670,945,348	30%	472,969,528
Unassigned Standings	2,687,047,813	27%	1,962,562,702
Agriculture and Natural Resources	43,638,037	25%	32,876,992
Health and Human Services	1,184,032,368	21%	935,385,571
Economic Development	41,036,536	18%	33,469,892
Administration and Regulation	96,299,847	18%	78,965,875
Grand Total FY 2008	5,898,436,938	27%	4,328,457,517
Estimated Grand Total FY 2009	6,041,831,511	28%	4,350,118,688
Governors Recommended Grand Total FY 2010--Including Budget "CUTS"	6,230,500,000	29%	4,423,655,000
NUMBERS IN BLUE ARE ESTIMATES FOR FY ' 09 AND ' 10.

The organizations in the tables below are categorized according to their operating efficiency levels--The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.  Anyone claiming to have better numbers is asked to provide them for evaluation and comparison. 

$812,226,959 WASTED IN EDUCATION FUND

EDUCATION	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE GOOD
Total Vocational Rehabilitation	$5,722,720	56%	$2,512,274
Total Blind, Dept. of the	$2,484,953	49%	$1,259,871
Total College Aid Commission	$64,520,803	49%	$32,776,568
THE UGLY
Total Regents, Board of	$662,938,101	31%	$454,775,537
Total Education, Dept. of	$429,601,267	27%	$312,320,121
Total Iowa Public Television	$10,169,145	17%	$8,430,221
Total Education	$1,175,436,989	31%	$812,226,959

 $472,969,528 WASTED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FUND

THE JUSTICE SYSTEM DESPERATELY NEEDS HELP WITH PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
JUSTICE SYSTEM	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE BAD
Total Law Enforcement Academy	$             1,289,562	38%	$               799,528
THE UGLY
Total Corrections, Dept. of	$         353,322,046	37%	$        222,592,889
Total Public Defense, Dept. of	$             8,703,566	35%	$            5,657,318
Total Public Safety, Department of	$           88,082,135	34%	$          58,134,209
Total Parole, Board of	$             1,256,273	29%	$               891,954
Total Justice, Department of	$           15,359,611	22%	$          11,980,497
Total Central Office	$             8,733,037	22%	$            6,811,769
Total Judicial Branch	$         148,396,285	19%	$        120,200,991
Total Inspections & Appeals, Dept. of	$           53,031,834	16%	$          44,546,741
Total Civil Rights Commission	$             1,504,036	10%	$            1,353,632
Total Justice System	$         670,945,348	29.6%	$        472,969,528

  $472,969,528 WASTED IN UNASSIGNED STANDINGS FUND

UNASSIGNED STANDINGS	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE GOOD
Legislative Services Agency	$ 13,274,613	57%	$            5,708,084
Education, Dept. of
Transportation Of Nonpublic Pupils	$ 8,604,714	56%	$            3,786,074
THE BAD
Revenue, Dept. of
Total Revenue, Dept. of	$2,128,531	38%	$            1,319,689
THE UGLY
Education, Dept. of
State Foundation School Aid	$2,141,970,395	16%	$     1,799,255,132
Child Development	$12,606,196	16%	$          10,589,205
Early Intervention Block Grant	$29,250,000	16%	$          24,570,000
Instructional Support	$14,428,264	19%	$          11,686,894
Teacher Excellence Program	$55,469,053	2%	$          54,359,672
Economic Development, Dept. of
Community Attraction & Tourism	$7,000,000	17%	$            5,810,000
Grow Iowa Values Fund	$50,000,000	11%	$          44,500,000
Tourism Marketing - AGR	$1,124,084	13%	$               977,953
Total Unassigned Standings	$2,687,047,813	27%	$1,962,562,702

 

$32,876,992 WASTED IN AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES FUND

UGLY AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES PERFORMANCE
AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE UGLY
Total Agriculture and Land Stewardship	$ 21,324,509	30%	$       14,927,156
Total Regents, Board of	$    2,068,706	25%	$         1,551,530
Total Natural Resources, Dept. of	$ 20,244,822	19%	$       16,398,306
Total Agriculture and Natural Resources	$ 43,638,037	25%	$       32,876,992

 

^{$935,385,571 WASTED IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUND}

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE BAD
Total Veterans Affairs, Dept. of	$18,868,713	35%	$12,264,663
THE UGLY
Total Public Health, Dept. of	$24,034,256	28%	$17,232,562
Total Elder Affairs, Dept. of	$4,866,698	28%	$3,504,023
Total Human Services, Dept. of	$1,136,262,701	20%	$903,896,979
Total Health and Human Services	$1,184,032,368	21%	$935,385,571

 

 $33,469,892 WASTED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED
THE BAD
Total Public Employment Relations Board	$1,233,283	43%	$702,971
THE UGLY
Total Iowa Finance Authority	$200,000	37%	$126,000
Total Regents, Board of	$3,627,439	24%	$2,756,854
Total Economic Development, Dept. of	$15,686,341	16%	$13,176,526
Total Iowa Workforce Development	$13,558,076	15%	$11,524,365
Total Economic  Development	$41,036,536	18%	$33,469,892

 

 $78,965,875 WASTED IN ADMINISTRATION & REGULATION FUND

ADMINISTRATION & REGULATION	Actual 2008	AVG. YEAR-TO-DATE, 12-01-08, OPERATING EFFICIENCY	DOLLARS WASTED $
THE MARGINALLY GOOD
Total Administrative Services, Dept. of	$        10,413,986	51%	5,102,853
Total Treasurer of State	$          1,027,970	50%	513,985
Total Auditor of State	$          1,249,178	50%	624,589
Total Management, Dept. of	$          3,478,337	49%	1,773,952
THE BAD
Total Secretary of State	$          3,382,081	33%	2,265,994
Total Revenue, Dept. of	$        26,622,699	32%	18,103,435
THE UGLY
Total Human Rights, Dept. of	$          3,607,186	26%	2,669,318
Total Ethics and Campaign Disclosure	$              532,122	15%	452,304
Total Governor	$          3,087,750	15%	2,624,588
Total Commerce, Dept. of	$        25,328,072	14%	21,782,142
Total Inspections & Appeals, Dept. of	$        15,823,735	14%	13,608,412
Total Governor ' s Office of Drug Control Policy	$          1,746,731	12%	1,537,123
Total Inspections and Appeals, Dept. of	$          9,825,240	9%	8,940,968
Total Administration and Regulation	$        96,299,847	18%	78,965,875