Iowa GOP not taking position on gas tax

DES MOINES - As the debate heats up once again over raising Iowa's gas tax, which hasn't happened in 25 years, you're not likely to hear from a once vocal opponent.

The Republican Party of Iowa won't be entering the fray with a position, said Jeff Kaufmann of Wilton, who was elected party chairman in June.

'The state party is not in the business of putting together policy,” Kaufmann said. 'I know former RPIs and RPI chairs have had opinions on that. I will not, which is probably a change.”

As recently as January, Kaufmann's predecessor, A.J. Spiker, urged Republicans to kill the gas tax, saying in a fundraising email, 'Forget Frankenstein's Monster ... The gas tax hike seems to be the creature that just won't die!”

Spiker's position clashed with Gov. Terry Branstad, who said he wouldn't veto a gas tax hike if it reached his desk. Spiker fell out of favor with some Republicans, and resigned in March.

Kaufmann now is changing the party's tone, if by nothing else not saying anything.

Kraig Paulsen, a Republican and Speaker of the House from Hiawatha, said he is supportive of the approach.

'I think that specifically the new leadership of the party is focused on getting people elected,” Paulsen said. 'Their No. 1 concern is electing Republicans, not having a public policy think tank.”

As for whether it will have any influence, Paulsen said the gas tax issue still has supporters and opponents in both parties and chambers and he is not making any predictions.

The gas tax is primed to be a major topic in the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January, and the conversation has already picked up, fueled by postelection comments by Branstad, who told reporters he is interested in discussing a range of options for strengthening the Road Use Tax Fund.

The fund, which supports Iowa's roads and bridges, gets more than one-third of its $1.2 billion from the 19- to 22-cent per gallon fuel tax, depending on the fuel type. The Iowa Department of Transportation has said the state falls short by $215 million annually in critical infrastructure needs.

Christopher Larimer, a political science associate professor at University of Northern Iowa, said the lack of a position by the Iow GOP could have significance. It's a sign people are more open than they were, and leadership would rather stabilize the party than take a stance on a divisive issue, he said.

'There's been quite a bit of shuffling around in the Iowa GOP,” Larimer said. 'They may just be trying to get more grounded. Instead of having any more divisions within the party, he may just want to get everyone on the same page and then pick what policies that they want to advocate for.”

Tim Hagle, a University of Iowa political science associate professor, said the GOP may want flexibility on the topic, and could eventually voice opposition if a straight gas tax increase proposal moves forward.