Democrats are pledging to refill two state trust funds established to expand snowmobile and A-T-V trails in Iowa and promote the off-road motor sports. The yearly registration fee for A-T-Vs and snowmobiles is$16.75.
The money goes into a special state account, but in 2002 over 1.7 million dollars was transferred out of that account to pay for other state programs.
Democrats are now pledging to deposit that much money back into the account as a means of highlighting that it was Republicans who made the decision to "raid" the fund in 2002. Senate President Jack Kibbe, a Democrat from Emmetsburg in northwest Iowa, says it’s been a good year for snowmobiling.
"You get more action and excitement at home when you have snow from October through April, you know," Kibbie says. "This is a great snowmobile business year and so we’re restoring those funds because these folks that own them have been paying in these registration fees."
A bid to restore the money to the A-T-V and snowmobile fund failed recently in the House on a tie vote, but House Democratic Leaders predict they’ll be able to convince a "couple" of House members to change their minds and get the move approved.