Infrastructure needs your attention

March 21, 2012

Riverside, Iowa

To the Editor:

During my time at the Iowa House, I served on the House Transportation committee. I came to realize the importance and pressing need for more funding to fix our deteriorating roads and bridges.

The Time 21 Study revealed that Iowa needs to raise an additional $220 million per year to merely maintain our road infrastructure. The first step toward raising those funds came from an increase in license fees that brought in an additional $65 million. This year an attempt to increase efficiencies with the elimination of some services and programs saved an additional $50 million. The Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) is constitutionally protected and cannot be used for other purposes. There is a formula that divides those funds between cities, counties and state. Our county desperately needs more funding to keep our roads and bridges safe.

Though no one likes more taxes, especially with gas at these prices, we must realize that the fairest method of raising funding is an increase in users fees (gas tax). State gas taxes have not been raised since 1989, and we all know costs of doing everything have increased since that time.

Every 1-cent of a gas tax increase will raise $21 million. We would gain about 25 percent of those dollars from non-Iowans using our roads while traveling through our state. A phased-in increase of 4 or 5 cents per year over a two-year period would be less painful than a full increase in one year.

The Iowa Soybean Association, The Iowa Corn Growers, The Iowa Farm Bureau and a number of other organizations interested in Iowa?s future, see an increase in infrastructure funding as being necessary for a sustainable economic and job recovery.

Our elected state officials, Senator Greiner and Representative Klein, should be very concerned about the safety of our roads and bridges since this is an issue that affects all of their constituents and the safety of our children and grandchildren.

When I served you as your representative, I listened to your voices and needs. They need to hear from you.

Thank you,

Former State Representative, Larry Marek