Gomers -- What's going wrong

ROADBLOCK REMAINS: While Iowa legislators did achieve major legislation for education reform, property tax reform and health care for more low-income Iowans, they dropped the ball on the state fuel tax. Again. So with the rate still unchanged since 1989, a major shortfall of money for road and bridge repairs will likely deepen. And there's still no money for to help bring high-speed passenger rail service from Chicago into the Quad Cities and Iowa City that eventually could extend to Des Moines and beyond. No one likes tax increases, but somebody's got to pay for infrastructure that serves all of us and is critical to our economy, for gosh sakes.

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LESS SEATS SERVICE? The months-long dispute among Iowa City, Coralville and Johnson County regarding financial support for the SEATS program looks even farther from being resolved. Federal law requires the cities to offer the public transit service for the elderly and people with disabilities. The county wants to cut its support, and Iowa City wants to reduce the service level. This program deserves to be maintained at a meaningful level, so we hope a reasonable compromise is reached soon.

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