Bleeding Heartland Mail - Q on $200,000 appropriation for FY2020 9/13/20, 3)08 AM Laura Belin Q on $200,000 appropriation for FY2020 Laura Belin To: "Garrett, Pat" , sara.craig@iowa.gov Thu, Aug 13, 2020 at 3:18 PM Pat, I'm circling back on this and have more questions after further inquiries and review of the MOUs. The MOUs were all signed on June 30, 2020. Why wait until the last day of the fiscal year? When did the various agencies transfer the funding to the governor's office in order to cover those staff salaries? The MOUs call for the various agencies to cover the full compensation for Elizabeth Matney, Joel Anderson, and Daniel Wolter from July 1, 2019 to March 13 or March 14, 2020. What funding source was used to cover their salaries and benefits for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year (March 14 through June 30, 2020)? Is it accurate to say that some federal funding, perhaps related to COVID-19, paid for those salaries? If so, I am seeking copies of any MOUs or written communications from federal agencies authorizing the use of such funds to pay staff salaries in the governor's office, either during the public health emergency or unrelated to it. Have federal funds covered all or part of the salaries of any other staff in the governor's office during fiscal year 2020? If so, whose salary was affected and for what period? I'm copying Sara Craig Gongol on this email because according to State Representative Karin Derry, At the January 29, 2020 Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee meeting, I questioned Sara Craig with the Governor’s Office about the two additional positions. She responded only that the two FTEs were a Tax Policy Advisor and a Health Care Policy Advisor. Why did the governor's office request an extra $200,000 appropriation for FY2020 and then not use the funds to cover the salaries of the newly hired tax policy and health policy advisers? How did the governor's office allocate the additional $200,000 appropriation? I am not aware of any MOUs covering Paul Trombino's salary during FY2020. Is that where part of the increased state funding went? Did part of it cover the salaries of Paige Thorson, or Heather Nahas? What state or federal agencies are paying for part of the governor's staff in FY2021? Which positions are affected by those arrangements? Thank you in advance for any clarification you can provide. Laura ---------- Forwarded message --------From: Laura Belin Date: Wed, Aug 12, 2020 at 12:54 PM Subject: Q on $200,000 appropriation for FY2020 To: Garrett, Pat https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=aba02e4a98&view=pt&search=…-544704603484320624&dsqt=1&simpl=msg-a%3Ar-544704603484320624 Page 1 of 2 Bleeding Heartland Mail - Q on $200,000 appropriation for FY2020 9/13/20, 3)08 AM Hello Pat, During the 2019 legislative session, the governor's office asked for and received an additional $200,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2020. Republican leaders of the relevant appropriations subcommittee told colleagues at that time that the extra funds would cover health policy and tax policy analysts. However, I have obtained MOUs showing that other state agencies covered most or all of the salary payments for Elizabeth Matney, Joel Anderson, and Daniel Wolter during fiscal year 2020. Why did the governor's office ask for the additional $200,000 appropriation last year, and whose salaries did those funds actually cover? Thank you in advance for any comment or information you can provide. Yours, Laura 1705 Plaza Circle Windsor Heights, IA 50324 (515) 276-6971 http://www.bleedingheartland.com https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=aba02e4a98&view=pt&search…-544704603484320624&dsqt=1&simpl=msg-a%3Ar-544704603484320624 Page 2 of 2