IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A Democratic lawmaker is demanding records from the Iowa Board of Regents related to major cuts to four university research centers.
Rep. Abby Finkenauer, ranking member of the House Government Oversight Committee, has requested communications involving regents’ officials, lawmakers and lobbyists who pushed for the changes.
Lawmakers cut all $400,000 in state funding for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University and transferred the Iowa Energy Center to a state agency.
Lawmakers also voted to eliminate a $5 million utilities tax in 2022 that funds the energy center and the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa. The Iowa Flood Center’s budget was also slashed $300,000.
Finkenauer, a Dubuque Democrat, asked for emails with dozens of words, including MidAmerican Energy and Gov. Kim Reynolds. A board spokesman says it’s gathering the records.
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