Season 2 - Episode 25: When the Levee Breaks

When the levee breaks… you don’t ignore the cracks.

In Episode 25 of Deciding Iowa, we break down a state budget that:
➡️ Spends ~$9.6 billion
➡️ Brings in closer to ~$8.5 billion
➡️ And keeps us on track for a third straight year of ~$1 billion deficits

🎸 “If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to break…” from When the Levee Breaks

That’s not just a lyric, it’s a warning.

Leaders are calling this budget “responsible” and “sustainable”…
…but it relies on surplus funds that won’t last.

At some point, the math catches up.
At some point, the pressure builds.
At some point… the levee breaks.

🎥 Watch Episode 25: When the Levee Breaks
👉 Then decide for yourself.

Because budgets aren’t just numbers…
they’re choices about the future of Iowa.

#IowaPolitics #IowaPolicy #DecidingIowa #BudgetsMatter

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello, Bramer County in Olive Iowa. I'm Dr. Sean Ellerk. I'm a cancer scientist, biochem prof, and health district fifty-seven candidate.

SPEAKER_00 0:06

And I'm Dr. Emily Bavers. I'm a physician, mom of three, and a health advocate.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

This year's legislative session cannot end until they pass a budget. So where do we stand?

SPEAKER_00 0:15

So Senate Republicans released a$9.623 billion target for fiscal year 2027.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

That's just a little bit below Reynolds'$9.666 billion budget proposal. You know, the House will release their budget target next week.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

Yeah. And Sean, we discussed how the state revenues for fiscal year 2026 were downgraded to$8.16 billion, and next year the revenues are projected to be$8.5 billion.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

You know, I just did the math, and Republican leaders are once again proceeding with the full knowledge that they will be running a billion dollar deficit for a third year in a row.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Yeah, and that's just saying it out loud. In no way is this sustainable. We are on a deficit train, chugging into a default chasm for the state if we don't switch tracks soon.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

I was hoping Republican leaders would admit this isn't sustainable. But instead, I bought choked in my morning coffee when I heard that Senator Kryan Brink wrote their new budget proposal as a continuation of Republicans' goal of setting a quote responsible, sustainable budget.

SPEAKER_00 1:29

That's that's make that work for me. Responsible? Sustainable? Are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_01 1:35

Yeah, their justification is that it is responsible because they can cover it with surplus money, which we know will run out. That makes the sustainable part just irresponsible rhetoric. Yeah look under the hood, Iowa. They are going to leave the state economy in shambles and then blame the pain on those left to pick up the pieces. I've seen this movie before and it sucks.

SPEAKER_00 2:00

Iowa, please register to vote. Please vote this year so that we can change the track that we're on. Until next time, be well, Iowa.