Supervisors support increase in gas tax

By BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

Henry County Supervisors have joined several other Iowa county supervisors who have approved a resolution supporting the implementation of an increased fuel tax.

The fuel tax has not been significantly increased since 1989, while maintenance and construction costs have more than doubled during that same time frame. In addition, a severe shortage in state funding to meet the critical needs of Iowa?s roadway system have left many Iowa counties with no other option than to resort to issuing millions of dollars of bonds to pay for important road maintenance needs, which must be paid off through property taxes.

In Henry County alone, the county has issued $1,000,000 in bonds to pay for critical roadway and bridge needs.

The resolution, which was signed during Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting, simply identifies that Henry County encourages the implementation of a long-term, sustainable transportation funding solution to address some of the more critical needs of Iowa?s infrastructure system.

Under this new resolution, the Iowa State Association of County Supervisors and the Henry County Board of Supervisors have signed their support of:

? Providing adequate statewide funding to offset projected shortfalls of Iowa?s most critical needs of over $215 million annually through an increase of the motor fuel tax revenues.

? Enabling the Iowa DOT to provide primary highway funds to counties and cities in lieu of federal funds, providing increased efficiencies for state and local governments.

? Increasing the permit fee for oversize and/or overweight vehicles.

? New funding being distributed consistent with the Road Use Tax Fund distribution formula.

During his weekly report, Henry County engineer Jake Hotchkiss issued a formal statement with his support of the fuel tax.

?The roads department appreciates the support of Henry County by helping fund projects like our grading projects last summer and funding asset improvements?utilizing LOST funds has had a direct impact on helping improve our road system. These additional dollars help to allocate more construction projects and to continue improving our system,? Hotchkiss said. ?A fuel gas tax increase would help continue improvements to our infrastructure and would directly impact our local construction projects.?

While this resolution does not state what the specific tax amount will be, it does resolve that the Iowa State Association of County Supervisors and the Henry County Board of Supervisors do support the ongoing evaluation of creative, supplemental solutions to increased Road Use Tax funding.

Besides the signing of the tax resolution, budget presentations from Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee and Henry County Planning and Zoning administrator, Joe Buffington were heard.

The next Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m., in the Henry County Courthouse.