Iowa’s Governor Terry Branstad is appealing to the state’s Supreme Court to uphold his use of the gubernatorial veto which closed Workforce Development Offices across the Hawkeye State and saved the state $3 million. Branstad’s veto was deemed to exceed his authority by an Iowa District Court last week.
Businessweek’s Mike Glover reported that Branstad argued the computer terminals and other facilities across the state were open longer and provided better services to job-seekers than the offices.
However, the president of the Iowa chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employee disagreed. He told Glover that the computers the governor is referring to are not as useful as a human agent and are difficult to locate.
Furthermore, Iowa’s Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal told Businessweek that Branstad did not return the $3 million that lawmakers earmarked for the Workforce Development Offices which, according to Gronstal, exceeds his veto power.
