A new analysis has found legislators got a significant share of their campaign contributions last year from those who have an interest in preserving one state program. An analysis by the group “Money and Politics Iowa” shows 19 percent of the money contributed to Legislative candidates last year came from individuals or groups that have an interest in the state’s road use tax fund. That’s the fund that finances road contruction projects, and legislators last year refused the Governor’s proposal to use some of that money for other purposes. The nearly 300 Iowans who were candidates for seats in the Iowa Legislature last year raised over eight-ana-a-half million dollars. Most of that was in cash. About a million came in what’re called “in-kind” contributions. When candidates are loaned computers or get a ride in an airplane or car without paying cash for it, they have to report that as an in-kind contribution.
