Students’ reactions to the state budget cut, which could increase next year’s tuition hike more than 8 percent, have been almost universally negative.

“In an era where state leaders’ actions have visible negative impacts, citizens are no longer tolerating negligent budget management,” said Government of the Student Body President Mike Banasiak.

Gov. Tom Vilsack ordered an immediate 2.5 percent cut in state spending Friday, including a $16 million slash in higher education for the current fiscal year. The new cuts may cause the Board of Regents to raise the three public universities’ tuition increase higher than the recommended 8.3 percent.

Banasiak was strongly opposed to the state’s actions.

“I find it disturbing that education of any form was not viewed as particularly important when the governor decided on across the board cuts,” Banasiak said. “Students are the state’s future economy and this declining support for education sets a bad precedent for any hopes of the state’s welfare recovering.

“The state legislature needs to realize that education in any form cannot be lumped with every other item in the state’s budget as an expendable venture.”

Off-Campus Senator Drew Miller said the state’s budget deficit was the result of irresponsibility in handling the budget and students are paying the price.

“[Iowa’s government] has been having problems with this revenue estimations process for several years now and there is no reason they shouldn’t have worked out the errors in the process by now,” Miller said. “It’s disappointing they continue to get students’ hopes up only to crush them.

“It’s irresponsible for any one to budget for things more than they reasonably expect to collect in revenue during this time of economic uncertainty.”

University students weren’t the only ones who weren’t optimistic about the future. Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said cities will lose an additional $10 million on top of the $60 million that was taken away at the beginning of the year.

Tedesco said the forecast for students and citizens wasn’t bright for next year. Budgets that were already approved will have to get cut, with few agencies exempt.

“Everybody is feeling the pain of the budget cuts — local governments included,” Tedesco said. “There’s no way to raise any more money other than cuts in services and an increase in fees. This means limiting new hiring and laying off other essential staff positions.”

Not all students were surprised at the recent cuts in higher education. Joshua Reicks, senior in political science and ISU College Republican president, said the slash in state university support was expected.

“It doesn’t surprise me because Gov. Vilsack is in a hole and he needs to cut funding from the constituents who will give the least backlash,” Reicks said. “College students are by far the safest place to cut the money from because they aren’t represented in the state government.

“[University] students are a poor lobbying group and they probably always will be.”