The Iowa House held an open forum Tuesday night in order to address HD45, the Taxpayers First Act, which has a list of several budget cuts, including a $3.7 million reduction for Iowa State for fiscal year 2011.

“Most of the time political leaders don’t leave anything in place long enough to see if it works … [we] worked tirelessly to develop a curriculum core … after having spent millions in research and development you want to throw the baby out of the bathwater,” said a third-grade teacher from Western Hills Elementary School in West Des Moines.

A representative from the Coalition for a Better Iowa said he is representing a broad range of people concerned about the future of the state.

Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municiapl Employees, said if the state cuts appropriations it doesn’t mean the state will see a reduction in the needs of Iowans.

“I fear this bill represents only the state of these cuts … [the] new cuts being proposed will cut so deep it will take Iowans years to recover,” McEntee said.

Adam Mason, from CBI, said Iowa has lived with cuts from vital services.

“CBI questions the real reason for these cuts … offering more to special interests is not a reason to cut vital services,” Mason said.

A volunteer for the American Cancer Society spoke against the bill and said eliminating tobacco prevention programs isn’t a road Iowa wants to take. He said the health of Iowans should be the number one priority of the state.

Gene Lutz, director for the Center for Social and Behavioral Research at the University of Northern Iowa, yielded his time to speak to attorney general Tom Miller. Miller spoke on behalf of smoking cessation programs.

The bill also proposes:

• Consolidating administrative functions of the state Board of Regents and its institutions and the community colleges for fiscal year 2012
• Freezing all sabbaticals through the end of fiscal year 2012 
• Amending the laws pertaining to lobbying activities by state agencies to include prohibition on the employment of a person through the use of public funds for lobbyist activities