State officials in Iowa have made NO CHANGE in the official estimate of state tax revenue during the current budgeting year. The governor and legislators will STILL have to cut AT LEAST 35 million dollars from the state budget soon, based on a previous tax revenue estimate set in October. A three-member panel met this week to discuss the state’s economy and set their official prediction of future state tax collections. Retired businessman David Underwood of Mason City says the farm sector is worrisome.

Dave Roederer, the governor’s budget director, says agland values seem to have “stabilized” and he predicts the manufacturing sector is poised for growth.

The panel is predicting tax collections will grow by FOUR PERCENT in the next state fiscal year. That’s about nine MILLION dollars less than the group’s October guess.