Accountability and transparency were the topics of public forums held throughout Southeast Iowa on Tuesday.
FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- Citizens gave feedback to lawmakers on Tuesday regarding accountability and transparency.
State Senator, and President Pro Tempore of the Iowa Senate, Jeff Danielson (D-Waterloo) traveled throughout the area along with State Senator Becky Schmitz (D-Fairfield) to hear feedback from citizens on how to make state government more open and accountable.
Senator Danielson said one factor in accountability was to hold legislators to the same standard as everyone else regarding budget cuts during the last legislative session.
"We were able to find about $750,000 in savings. We did it by cutting our own pay, eliminating out of state travel, finding ways in which to reduce paper and sort of making work stuff that goes on...modernizing our own operations," Senator Danielson said.
Senator Schmitz responded to a question regarding the possibility of property tax increases during tough economic times...she said that those decisions are still made largely at the local level.
"We need to really look hard at it. The difficulty is if you give one group relief, than in order to balance the budget, we might have to increase it to another part of the group and that's been some of the resistance. But it's a challenge and the best I can say is that we'll continue looking at it and trying to figure out how to make the best use of the resources that we do have," Senator Schmitz said.
State Senator Keith Kreiman also held a forum in Bloomfield. He told KTVO about transparency with school budgets.
"For example, there was an idea to set the school budgets at a longer term than they are now, so that school districts and taxpayers have a better idea of what schools are going to cost and what resources are going to be available. I think that's a great idea. And I do think there's something that perhaps the Legislature will be able to do with that," Senator Kreiman said.
Other public forums were held on Tuesday in Kalona, Washington and Keosauqua.
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