Impact of Obama’s immigration action on Iowa unclear, Branstad says

DES MOINES - The impact of President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration in Iowa is unknown, Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday.

Branstad said he is still in the process of determining how Iowa will be affected by Obama's action, which allows millions of immigrants in the country illegally to stay temporarily.

'We don't know, and we're in the process of reviewing to try to determine that,” Branstad said Monday at his weekly meeting with state media outlets.

One estimate says 18,000 immigrants living in Iowa are eligible for deportation protection as a result of Obama's action. That figure is according to the nonprofit, nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank that tracks worldwide migration.

'There's also a constitutional question about whether the president of the United States has the authority to act unilaterally on issues like this,” Branstad said. 'So I expect there's going to be a lot of unanswered questions that I need to get information about and what the impact would have on our state.”

Asked if he would take executive action on state immigration policy, Branstad responded, 'We don't operate that way in Iowa.”

'That's the difference between Washington, D.C., and Iowa,” Branstad said. 'In Iowa, I'm very careful to recognize the separation of powers and to work with the Legislature.”

Other topics Branstad discussed Monday:

' A hybrid plan - not just a straight fuel tax increase - is necessary to generate more transportation infrastructure funding, Branstad said.

Gas is cheaper than it has been in four years, and Iowa's statewide average is down to $2.81, according to AAA. Asked if that made it the right time to raise the state's fuel tax, which has not been raised since 1989, to address the annual $25 million shortfall in road repair funding, Branstad said a more complex solution is required.

'I think we need to look at a new approach toward funding the Road Use Tax Fund,” Branstad said. 'The traditional gas tax I don't think is the answer, because as people go to more and more fuel-efficient vehicles, it brings in less and less money. …

'Looking to the future, I want us to look at maybe a hybrid system that would include things like higher fees for heavier loads being transported across our state and different ways that we might be able to treat gas and diesel.”

Branstad said he has spoken with state Sen. Mike Gronstal, the Senate majority leader and top Democrat in the Iowa Legislature, about the transportation funding issue. Branstad said he hopes to address the issue during the upcoming legislative session.

'I intend to talk with the leaders in both houses and both parties to see if we can get their ideas as well as work with some of the ideas the DOT has come up with on putting together a new system to fund the Road Use Tax Fund,” Branstad said.

' Lower-than-anticipated state revenues, in part because of low corn prices, will force the state to be judicious during the budgeting process, Branstad said. Branstad has begun hearing budget requests from the various state departments.

Corn was $3.42 per bushel at the end of last week. That's down from $4.76 in April, the high-water mark for 2014, and nearly $8 in the summer of 2012.

'That's impacted the state budget, and I think we've got to be careful,” Branstad said. 'We're going to have to continue to be frugal and careful.”