Iowa Lawmakers Consider Raising Fuel Tax
by Associated Press
February 24, 2013 1:54 PM
Education spending and property tax cuts have been the focus so far in Iowa's legislative session, but some people think another change that could emerge this year is an increase in the fuel tax.
Iowa's fuel tax is now 22 cents per gallon including all fees. It hasn't been raised since 1989.
Lawmakers have for years proposed raising the tax, and a commission appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad in 2011 recommended an increase of 8 to 10 cents to boost funding for the state's network of bridges and roads.
An effort to raise the tax by 10 cents failed in the Legislature last year. But House Transportation Committee chairman Rep. Joshua Byrnes says he thinks similar legislation would have a stronger chance this session because it isn't an election year.
