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Democrat Fred Hubbell Calls State Budget Surplus 'Fiscal Mismanagement'

John Pemble
/
Iowa Public Radio
Democratic candidate for Iowa governor Fred Hubbell in IPR's Des Moines studios. 10/1/2018

Democratic candidate for governor Fred Hubbell has been critical of the state’s budgeting practices under Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. Hubbell, a 67-year-old retired businessman, says recent figures from the state revenue estimating conference are an indication of fiscal mismanagement. The $127 million surplus was larger than budget officials expected.

“We shouldn’t have been taking money out of education, out of healthcare, out of public safety, out of the judicial system and then come up with a budget surplus that was a lot bigger than they thought it was and they can’t explain why,” Hubbell said in a wide-ranging interview with Iowa Public Radio. 

Gov. Reynolds, 59, says the budget surplus is a sign the economy is growing.

Reynolds has been critical of Hubbell for not releasing more of his tax returns and not being transparent enough about the sources of his wealth. Hubbell says the criticism is overblown.

The two will square off in their first of three debates on October 10th in Des Moines.  You can hear where Hubbell stands on many issues including the privatization of Medicaid management and education funding in the full interview with IPR’s Clay Masters.

10012018_Masters_Hubbell.mp3
Hear IPR Morning Edition Host Clay Masters's full conversation with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell, recorded 10/1/2018.

Clay Masters is the senior politics reporter for MPR News.
Clay Masters is the senior politics reporter for MPR News.