Community Corner

POLL: With Iowa's Bridges Ailing Should State Impose a Fuel Tax Increase

Iowa Senate District 18 special election candidates Mathis and Golding oppose increasing the fuel tax, despite some poor conditions for some Linn County bridges.

Both candidates for the upcoming November 8 election for Senate District 18 oppose raising the gas tax, according to James Q. Lynch of The Cedar Rapids Gazette.

 “Is this the right time and place for working families? No. I think the cost of living is high enough. To add that on right now, we just shouldn’t do it,” said Democratic candidate Liz Mathis, in a debate hosted by KCRG and The Gazette.

Republican candidate Cindy Golding also opposes.

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But despite the universal condemnation of the tax increase among candidates, some have voiced concern that the tax is necessary to repair ailing infrastructure, including Republican state representative Dave Tjepkes, from Gowrie.

According to an Iowa Watch report, 5,000 bridges in Iowa are structurally deficient and Iowa ranks third in the nation for worst bridge conditions.

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But it gets a little worse for those of us who call Linn County home.

In a chart included in the Iowa Watch study, Linn County was ranked as the county with the second fewest structurally deficient bridges, which sounds like good news and very well may be. But, Linn County has much more traffic on its structurally deficient bridges than any of the five counties with the most deficient bridges, which doesn't sound like good news.

The report also mentioned that the state tax has not been increased since 1989, even though costs associated with construction have risen.

Still, since we are in the midst of a "great" recession and bad job market, it's not hard to imagine elected official opting to not burden their ailing constituents with additional taxes.

So, we're leaving it up to you. What do you think?


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