DES MOINES - Governor Kim Reynolds wants to increase the state's budget in order spend more money on schools and broadband expansion.
Reynolds outlined her plan during her Condition of the State speech Tuesday night.
The biggest increase - $450 million - would go toward expanding affordable high-speed internet, which she called the biggest buildout in the country.
Reynolds said the pandemic has revealed the need to expand high speed access as a third of the counties are broadband deserts, and Iowa has the second lowest broadband speeds in the country.
Reynolds' proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 (which begins July 1st) is $8.1 billion, an increase of 4 percent,
The largest sectors of state spending are education at $4.3 billion, and Human Services at nearly $2 billion. Reynolds is proposing to increase education by $62 million.