Some legislative potholes, too

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Iowa legislators and Gov. Branstad achieved impressive, even landmark, bipartisan legislation this spring, hammering out reforms in education, commercial property tax and health care for the poor, with more support for mental health care delivery. Kudos to all.

No cheers, though, for legislation on Iowa's budget for decaying roads and bridges. Because there wasn't any. Nor was there any significant new support for intermodal transportation, in particular, passenger rail expansion. Both issues are tabled until 2014 - an election year, when major new appropriations and tax increases are a more difficult row.

The lack of action on transportation infrastructure makes us wonder how bad things must get before this problem is adequately addressed.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has sounded a warning for years. Iowa's annual budget for road and bridge maintenance and vital improvements is about $200 million short. Vehicle registration and license fees are 60 percent of the Road Use Tax Fund. The other major funding source - state fuel tax - hasn't been raised in 24 years. And the federal government's share of road money is expected to decline in the next few years.

Then there's the proposal to extend passenger rail from the Quad Cities to Iowa City (and eventually through Des Moines to Omaha) in tandem with Illinois' project to upgrade service from Chicago to the Quad Cities, as well as Dubuque. Early on, the governor proposed two years of intermodal funding. It didn't fly. And the estimated $3 million annual operating subsidy remains a sticking point.

There's $87 million in federal money waiting to assist this project, but Iowa must commit state money to get it. We think passenger rail expansion belongs in Iowa's future. Iowa City area business leaders estimate economic gains worth several times the subsidy. Congested I-80 would get some traffic relief. Younger adults increasingly want more public transportation options, and better train travel could keep or lure more of them to Iowa.

All modes of public transportation infrastructure require tax dollars. Legislators certainly must do more in 2014 to fix our roads and bridges. We also hope they embrace a bolder vision that includes rail.

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