WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Oct. 27, 2011 - With rural roads making up nearly 90,000 miles of the state's 114,000-mile road system, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) applauds the Governor's Transportation 2020 Citizen Advisory Commission recommendation for an additional 8 to 10 cents per gallon fuel tax.
"Our roads and bridges have been severely impacted over the years by flooding and neglect, negatively impacting all of Iowa, but especially our rural communities, businesses and farms. Our members believe it's imperative to repair the roads and bridges to help rural Iowa thrive," said Craig Lang, IFBF president. "We believe that an increase in the fuel tax is the fairest way to fund those repairs because it charges people who actually use the roads whether they live in Iowa or are from out of state."
Lang notes that IFBF delegates in 2008 passed policy calling for the fuel tax increase to repair the state's roads and bridges.
The tax increase recommendation was made to the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) this week after several listening sessions around the state. The recommendations will be submitted to the Iowa Legislature by the IDOT by the end of the year. The IDOT reports that Iowa needs an additional $215 million per year to meet critical roadway needs and the recommended increase will generate $184 million to $230 million per year.
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