Sequester Could Crunch Schools, Social Services, Military, UNI Programs

If a deal isn’t struck by Friday between President Obama and Congress, a sequester will begin that will auto-start a series of mandated federal budget cuts that would quickly be felt across the Midwest.

Here’s a sample of what’s at risk:

Hundreds of teaching jobs. Thousands of children dropped from early childhood education. Elimination of work-study jobs that support thousands of low-income college students getting a degree. The loss of childcare for thousands of disadvantaged kids. Furloughs for thousands of civilian Defense Department employees.

University of Northern Iowa could see reduced funding amounts for work study, TEACH grants and other financial aid programs, and possible cut backs on federal grants for Trio programs, research through the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, school spokeswoman Stacey Christensen said.

"We do anticipate some impact at UNI, but the details are still uncertain," she said.

The Waterloo airport could be affected, according to a report in KWWL.

Three air traffic control towers in Iowa are on the chopping block including towers at Waterloo, Dubuque and Sioux City airports.

"It adds a level of safety and a level of coordination which is also something we prefer," said Brad Hagen, Airport Director at Waterloo Regional Airport.

Hagen said regardless of what happens with the airport's tower, flights will continue regularly.

The scope of the sequester, a plan to trim the budget by $1.2 trillion over the next decade, was mandated as part of a 2011 law. If a deal isn’t reached by Friday, $85 billion in cuts will sweep across federal agencies between March and September. The sequester includes cuts of 8 percent to the Pentagon budget and 5 percent to domestic agency operating budgets.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a Democrat who now serves as agriculture secretary, said he may have to furlough safety inspectors at food processing plant, according to a report in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. 

“If I take an inspector off that line, that line shuts down,” he said in the report, “but it’s not just the food inspector. It’s also the folks working in those plants and the livestock producers who want a regulated way to sell their product.”

Nationally, here’s what a Time report suggests will happen if the sequester begins:

Picture air travel snarled. Meat inspections curtailed. National security imperiled. Seventy thousand children booted from Head Start programs, 10,000 teaching jobs jeopardized, disability payments delayed, aid withheld from needy Americans and foreign governments perched on the brink of chaos. Hundreds of thousands of jobs could be lost, and the fragile economy knocked into a tailspin.

The White House released fact sheets for each state detailing the impact of the sequester. Here's a snapshot at Midwestern states, including Iowa.

Teachers and Schools:

• Missouri will lose about  $11.9 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 160 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition, about 17,000 fewer students would be served and about 60 fewer schools would receive funding.
• Iowa will lose about $6.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 90 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 7,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 50 fewer schools would receive funding.
• Minnesota will lose about $7 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 100 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 8,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 40 fewer schools would receive funding.

Education for Children with Disabilities:

• Missouri will lose about $10.8 million in funds for about 130 teachers, aides and staff who help children with disabilities.
• Iowa will lose an estimated $5.8 million in funds for about 70 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.
• Minnesota will lose approximately $9.2 million in funds for about 110 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.

Work-Study Jobs:

• Missouri: Around 1,280 fewer low income students in Missouri would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 750 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
• Iowa: Around 2,370 fewer low income students in Iowa would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 1,020 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
• Minnesota: Around 920 fewer low income students in Minnesota would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 500 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.

Head Start:

• Missouri: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 1,200 children in Missouri.
• Iowa: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 500 children in Iowa, reducing access to critical early education.
• Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 700 children in Minnesota, reducing access to critical early education.

Protections for Clean Air and Clean Water:

• Missouri would lose about $3.7 million in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. In addition, Missouri could lose another $1.2 million in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
• Iowa would lose about $2.4 million in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. In addition, Iowa could lose another $661,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
• Minnesota would lose about $3 million in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. In addition, Minnesota could lose another $1.6 million in grants for fish and wildlife protection.

Military Readiness:

In Missouri, approximately 8,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $40.3 million in total.

• Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $56 million in Missouri.
• Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations in Missouri would be cut by about $14 million.

In Iowa, approximately 2,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $7.4 million in total.

• Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $1.5 million in Iowa.
• Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations in Iowa would be cut by about $0 million.

In Minnesota, approximately 2,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $12.5 million in total.

• Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $2.5 million in Minnesota.
• Navy: A scheduled Blue Angels show in St. Cloud could be canceled.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety Funds for Crime Prevention and Prosecution:

• Missouri will lose about $298,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
• Iowa will lose about $135,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
• Minnesota will lose about $201,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.

Job Search Assistance:

• Missouri will lose about $758,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 25,460 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.
• Iowa will lose about $376,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 12,680 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.
• Minnesota will lose about $689,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 23,270 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.

Child Care:

• Missouri: Up to 700 disadvantaged children could lose access to child care.
• Iowa: Up to 300 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job.
• Minnesota: Up to 500 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job.

Vaccines for Children:

• In Missouri, around 2,500 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $171,000.
• In Iowa, around 1,320 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $90,000.
• In Minnesota around 2,360 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $161,000.

Public Health:

• Missouri will lose approximately $572,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. Missouri will also lose about $1.3 million in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 3300 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Missouri State Department of Health & Senior Services will lose about $211,000 resulting in around 5,300 fewer HIV tests.
• Iowa will lose approximately $291,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. In addition, Iowa will lose about $670,000 in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 1,100 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Iowa Department of Public Health will lose about $61,000 resulting in around 1,500 fewer HIV tests.
• Minnesota will lose approximately $507,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. In addition, Minnesota will lose about $1.2 million in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 1,700 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Minnesota Department of Health will lose about $127,000 resulting in around 3,200 fewer HIV tests.

STOP Violence Against Women Program:

• Missouri could lose up to $127,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 500 fewer victims being served.
• Iowa could lose up to $65,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 200 fewer victims being served.
• Minnesota could lose up to $113,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 400 fewer victims being served.

Nutrition Assistance for Seniors:

• Missouri would lose approximately $419,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.
• Iowa would lose approximately $220,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.
• Minnesota would lose approximately $845,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.