Senate Republicans unveil road funding plan
By AMY LORENTZEN, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
POSTED: January 31, 2008
DES MOINES — Senate Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a plan they said would boost funding for Iowa’s roads without raising taxes.
GOP lawmakers said Democrats have failed to present a plan, so they want to take the lead and introduce a proposal that won’t burden Iowans with more taxes as the economy falters.
‘‘Clearly Iowans have set a priority for roads and safe bridges in the state of Iowa. Clearly the Legislature has not responded, the governor has not responded,’’ said Sen. Steve Kettering, R-Lake View.
He said none of the money in the state’s budget has been designated for roads. Gov. Chet Culver has said he won’t allow an increase in the gas tax, so lawmakers are looking elsewhere to fund road projects.
The Republican plan would take $90 million from the state’s gambling revenues to put in to the Road Use Tax Fund. It also would require any money remaining from the General Fund after reserve accounts are filled be used for road projects.
In addition, the plan would reduce the Legislature’s spending limit by 1 percent to 98 percent of expected revenues so that more money will overflow from the General Fund to the road fund.
‘‘This plan makes a lot of sense,’’ said Sen. Jim Seymour, R-Woodbine. ‘‘Responsible budgeting requires discipline and prioritization, and I think this will fit the bill.
‘‘We will not raise taxes on the people of Iowa and yet we can address the bridges and the roads that are important to our economy,’’ he said.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal criticized the plan, saying ‘‘the latest Republican spending proposal is a campaign gimmick’’ leading up to the November elections.
‘‘Their proposal shows again that the Senate Republicans are not interested in fulfilling commitments that the Legislature made to our schoolchildren, college students, senior citizens, parents, teachers and other Iowans,’’ Gronstal said of plans to make more spending cuts.
He added that Democrats remain committed to developing a bipartisan proposal to come up the funding necessary to maintain safe roads and bridges.
Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, of Sioux City, said Republicans wanted to ‘‘think outside the box,’’ but weren’t criticizing recommendations by the Iowa Department of Transportation and a committee that studied Iowa’s $200 million infrastructure shortfall.
‘‘What Senate Republicans are trying to do ... is bring new issues to the table that should be part of the conversation,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not our goal to say this is the limit of it, but we do support not raising fees and taxes on the back of Iowans if we can possibly do that.’’
Kettering said Iowans expect that gambling revenues will go to roads and bridges.
‘‘We’re just saying let’s include the roads and bridges in Iowa in these infrastructure dollars and not send it to the general fund,’’ he said. ‘‘I think that’s where gambling dollars ought to go, they shouldn’t be put in to the general fund.’’
