It is now easy to understand why Governor Terry Branstad said the timing was right for a gas tax increase. Â It’s easier to accomplish when the Speaker of the House is willing to take extraordinary steps to push the bill forward.
HSB 129 passed in the Iowa House Transportation Committee yesterday. Â It now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee as HF 351Â where apparently it did not have enough votes to pass. Â If passed it would increase our excise fuel tax for motor fuel by 10 cents.
To ensure its passage Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) took the unusual step of replacing a solid no vote on the committee – State Representative Jake Highfill (R-Johnston) – with supposedly a yes vote – State Representative Brian Moore (R-Bellevue).
The committee will discuss the bill at 2:00p in room 102 today.
Related news rumor has it that Iowa House Democrats may block the gas tax increase working with Republicans who plan to vote no. Â I can just see the headline now. Â Iowa House Democrats block Republicans from raising taxes.
Oh the irony.
Update: I’ve now heard that State Representative Zach Nunn (R-Altoona) has been removed from the committee. Â I’ll let you know when that has been verified. Â Just to let you know how unusual this is – Speaker Paulsen wouldn’t move members out of a committee to pass prolife legislation, but he does it to pass a gas tax increase.
2nd Update: Verified, the Iowa Legislature’s website has now been updated.
3rd Update: Guess who is replacing Nunn? Â Why Paulsen of course! Â This is absolutely unheard of.
