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Gas Tax Dreams

Joyce Russell/IPR
Activists at Wallace Building for Transportation Day

A coalition of cities, counties, and economic development officials lobby lawmakers for better roads.  

A crowd of more than 200 at the Capitol for the annual Transportation Day heard  from capitol insiders that prospects  look good r for a bill to increase the gasoline tax to raise money for critical infrastructure.

Shirley Phillips with the Highway 20 Association in western Iowa welcomes the crowd at the Wallace State Office building across from the statehouse.    

“We're going to go to the  capitol armed with good information today,” Phillips says.  “Make sure you talk to more than one legislator.”

Osage Republican Josh Byrnes is part of a working group crafting a gas tax bill.  It could be introduced as early as next week.   

 “That doesn’t mean that we can rest,” Byrnes says.  “As  any of these veterans can tell you things can fall apart very quickly down here.” 

Lawmakers say the bill will  likely include a  ten cent per gallon increase in the fuel tax, to be levied all at once, not phased in.   Lobbyists were on hand to rally the troops.     Dave Scott is with the Iowa Good Roads  Association, a coalition of businesses, farm groups, and local governments.

“When you go across the street today and talk  to your legislators,” Scott says, “tell  them you can't kick the can down the road.   The can stops in 2015."

Scott Newhard lobbies for road builders.     He warns the activists some lawmakers will pretend to be  in support of better roads.

“They’ll say  I'm for you I don't think we should increase  taxes to do it,” Newhard says.  “If they're telling you that they're not for you.” 

Newhard predicts which lawmakers might be the toughest to convince.

“We’re probably  needing at least a couple  more Republicans in the Senate,” Newhard says. 

Legislative leaders say they want a quick vote on the bill, perhaps by the first so-called funnel deadline in March.    Democratic Senator Tod Bowman of Maquoketa is already looking ahead to how quickly Iowans could be paying the higher tax once a bill passes.

“ We figure  maybe a month,” Bowman says.   “We have to give the Department of Revenue  some time,  but we do not want to wait till July 1,” Bowman says.

Transportation Director Paul Trombino says once the tax is collected, it will be spent right away.

“The sooner it goes into effect,” Trombino says, “the sooner you're going to  see work especially at the state level go out the door.”

Negotiators say they’re bringing a fairness argument to those who are resisting a higher tax.    Representative  Byrnes says some legislators  promised to support an increase in the gas tax, if a property tax cut was approved, which it was two  years ago.

“ As you talk to these folks today make sure you remind them of that,” Byrnes says. 

For some in the crowd, it wasn’t their first transportation day.     Nichole Moore with the Chariton Valley Planning and Development Group in far southern Iowa has been coming since 2007. 

“Every year we get told the same thing,” Moore says. “We'll see what we can do, we’ll put some ideas together and that’s as far as it goes.   So we’re hoping this year changes.” 

It was the fifth year to attend for Smoky Doyle who runs a rock products company in Decorah.

“This year things are better,” Doyle says.  “The attitudes are better.” 

The rally wrapped up at the Wallace Building and then it was off to the Capitol to twist arms.      Transportation Day 2016 is already set for February 3rd next year.     Organizers   say they hope next year’s event will be a victory lap.

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