Gas tax deserves discussion

By Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

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With a governor-appointed committee recommending an increase in the state's gasoline tax, lawmakers are going to have to take a position on the issue. That's a situation that probably has more than a few of our leaders uneasy.

Yes, it's a controversial matter. However - at the very least - it's time this issue gets to the discussion table.

The Governor's Transportation 2020 Citizens Advisory Committee has proposed an increase of eight to 10 cents a gallon.

That has prompted a strong response from Ryan Rhodes, a leader of the Iowa Tea Party. He said his group intends to send letters this month to all 150 state legislators urging them to pledge to oppose any gas tax increase proposal next session.

Egad, not another pledge proposal.

“We're asking for just one year of people leaving this off the table while we're in very tough economic times,” Rhodes told The Associated Press.

Ordinarily that might sound fine, but the gas tax has been cleared off the table numerous times over the past several years.

There has not been an increase since 1989. Some committee members believe that has compounded our repair and maintenance problems.

“There is never a good time for a fee increase, but if we are using the roads, we've got to make some critical decisions,” said committee member Scott Cirksena.

During his tenure, Gov. Chet Culver adamantly opposed a gas tax increase. Instead, he pushed bonding proposals that relied on borrowing. Those type of plans didn't sit well with David Schott, executive director of the Iowa Good Roads Association.

“We've always supported a pay-as-you-go system,” he said in 2009. “The gas tax is the surest way to do it in the long haul. Bonding addresses the problem in a very short window, and when the window is gone, the problem is still there.”

The committees' proposals could generate up to an additional $280 million a year for the state road use fund.

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of a gas tax increase is that the cost would be shared by the 15 percent of cars and more than 25 percent of trucks that use Iowa roads but come from other states.

No one enjoys higher taxes on anything. However, we need to have our roads and bridges in satisfactory condition. At least the gas tax directly targets the users of the roads, whether they are from Iowa or not.

Considering the committee's proposal, we prefer that this issue gets a fair and discerning look by our lawmakers.

Ideas on other viable options for funding the cost of infrastructure projects also will be welcome.