• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Lawmaker wants gas tax increase for road repairs

Lawmaker wants gas tax increase for road repairs

February 26, 2009 By admin

The chairman of the Iowa Senate Transportation Committee says the federal stimulus package isn’t providing enough to cover the shortfall in the state fund which finances the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.

Senator Tom Rielly, a Democrat from Oskaloosa, wants to raise the state gas tax to raise more money for transportation projects. "The stimulus package will help us. It’s gonna give us a good start, but that will take about $300 million of the $5.3 billion were looking at," Rielly says. "We still have to come up with $5 billion of the most critical needs."

Last week, Governor Culver pointed out the state’s getting $358-million for road and bridge projects and that’s more than the state spends in a year on the transportation network. Rielly says that’s just a fraction of what Iowa needs.

The last time legislators raised the state gas tax was in 1989, and Rielly says the "buying power" of the 21 cents per gallon tax has decreased significantly. "Simply because the cost of concrete, steel, payroll, insurance, fuel — everything has just absolutely gone through the roof, whereas the Road Use Tax Fund has just been stagnant," Rielly says. Rielly made his comments on the Iowa Public Radio program, "The Exchange." 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Democratic Party, Legislature, Taxes, Travel

Featured Stories

Grundy Center man sentenced to life for killing State Trooper

Jodi Husientruit remembered 27 years after she disappeared

Iowa Supreme Court rules in Mahaska-Marion County regional airport dispute

Pheasant harvest and hunter numbers both up this year

Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling creating constitutional abortion right

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 7/4/22

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/27/22

AJ Green signs with Milwaukee

Iowa to host Georgia Tech in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Iowa State adds a defensive back

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC