Iowa State Auditor Mary Mosiman (MOHZ-man) says the budget plan Governor Terry Branstad drew up for legislators has a 144-million dollar “spending gap.” Mosiman says it’s because the plan outlines spending 144-million dollars more than the state is projected to collect in taxes.

 
However, she says Branstad makes his budget plan balance by using part of the state surplus to cover on-going expenses. Mosiman outlined the details of her budget review for reporters, noting the governor and legislators have promised to dramatically increase state spending on education in years to come, plus they’ve pledged to send cities and counties more state money to cover commercial property tax losses.

 
Mosiman’s analysis also notes the governor’s budget is about 19-million dollars short of what experts say will be needed to cover state Medicaid expenses. In total, Mosiman says the governor’s budget plan calls for spending almost seven-point-four BILLION dollars on state government operations, the second year the state budget has topped seven BILLION.