The state has cut nearly 2,100 jobs since Terry Branstad returned as Iowa governor in 2011, a point of pride for the Republican but worrisome to some state workers who argue the reductions have endangered the public and other public employees.
The Des Moines Register's analysis of data from the Iowa Department of Administrative Services shows Branstad has eliminated at least 2,094 full-time positions in state government.
Most of those job cuts occurred in four departments. Nearly 840 jobs were cut from human services, and more than 230 were cut from transportation. The workforce development department saw more than 240 cuts, and corrections had more than 260 cuts.
Ron Forget, a former corrections officer, says reduced staffing led to assaults against him and other prison employees.
