Hundreds of jobs will be lost in response to Gov. Chet Culver’s call for 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts, according to plans released Wednesday.

The plans submitted by various state agencies call for 791 state employees to be laid off and 529 vacant positions to remain unfilled.

While Culver has been reluctant to cut funding from Public Safety and Human Services, those areas face some of the biggest burdens.

Department of Public Safety officials proposed 54 layoffs and leaving 25 empty positions vacant statewide.

Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said that while the numbers aren’t “a worst-case scenario,” the potential cuts will still have a major effect throughout the county.

“An already understaffed, overburdened patrol division will have to take more calls,” he said.

The Iowa Department of Corrections will likely be hit hardest, with officials suggesting 515 layoffs and 262 unfilled positions to be eliminated from the department’s total of 4,200. The effect on the department will likely be around $36 million. Almost 80 percent of the department’s budget goes to employee salaries.

Corrections Department spokesman Fred Scaletta stressed that the plans are preliminary and must be approved by the governor at the end of the month.

The Human Services Department will also be hit hard, losing 228 positions, of which 79 will be through layoffs.

Though the governor has been reluctant to cut these services, officials are not hopeful that they will be spared when Culver makes his decisions.

“The governor has made it quite clear — there is no extra money,” Munns said. “There might be some effort to shore up areas next spring, but we’re not counting on it.”

The Education Department faces an almost $26 million cut, losing 31 jobs. Local districts must now determine how to manage the cuts, said spokeswoman Elaine Watkins-Miller.

And the lack of funding will affect the organization that helps students find financial aid — the Iowa College Aid Commission proposed slashing $6.3 million from its budget.

“It has to affect the students; there’s no other place to chop,” said Brenda Easter, a spokeswoman for the commission. “This is obviously very troubling.”

The plans proposed Wednesday do not include the legislative or judicial branch, which are under the same obligation to cut 10 percent, nor do they include the almost $60 million that must be cut from state Board of Regents’ institutions.

Officials must make their decisions by Oct. 28, and Culver still hopes to save funding for certain services.

“In particular, I disagree with some recommendations that cut services to children and vulnerable adults, as well as in areas of public safety. These cuts have a very disproportionate effect on public safety, an area I vowed to protect,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the local effect may soon become evident.

“I’m worried about someone dialing 911 and being told that we can’t send anyone,” Pulkrabek said. “This only exacerbates the situation.”

DI reporter John Doetkott contributed to this report.