Iowa’s governor says now is not the time to raise the state’s gas tax.
Iowa Department of Transportation officials say the state’s road fund is running low and there won’t be enough money to keep up with the maintenance of bridges and roads or highway expansion.
DOT officials say if the state gas tax remains the same over the next two decades, they’ll be $28 billion short of what’s needed to keep up and improve the state’s highway system.
Governor Chet Culver says it doesn’t make sense to raise the gas tax now with gas prices near record highs.
A legislative committee will start meeting this fall to study the issue.
The state tax on a gallon of gasoline is 21 cents. The federal tax is 18 cents a gallon. That means you pay 39 cents in taxes on every gallon of gas pumped at an Iowa station.