Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
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Statements made by GOP gubernatorial hopeful Terry Branstad in Atlantic regarding the gas tax have sparked yet another war of words with Democratic Gov. Chet Culver.
While speaking to the press Monday, Branstad called the gas tax a “user fee” and said that while he wouldn’t support an immediate increase to pay for transportation projects, he wouldn’t rule it out once the economic recession is over.
“But, it’s a user fee, as opposed to a general tax, and I believe in a pay-as-you-go system, not doing it with borrowed money,” [Branstad said]. “I don’t think it’s something that we ought to be looking at at this time, but I’m not saying that down the road that we wouldn’t look at something.”
The position put Branstad in opposition to Culver, who killed a possible gas tax increase during the 2009 legislative session when he threatened a veto of the legislation. Ali Glisson, communications director for Culver’s campaign, said in a statement Tuesday that Branstad has a history of raising taxes on hard-working Iowans.
“Terry Branstad admitted yesterday that he would raise the taxes again,” she said. “The gas tax is a tax on drivers- Iowans driving to and from work and a tax on businesses that are moving their products throughout the state.”
Branstad responded to the criticism during an interview with The Des Moines Register, saying he is not suggesting an increase to the gas tax.
“We don’t need an increase in the gas tax at this time,” Branstad said in a Des Moines Register interview.
“I’m certainly not advocating an increase in the gas tax. I think this is not the time this should be done,” he added. “I have said philosophically, I support a pay-as-you go system, not a borrow system.”
Former Iowa House Speaker Chris Rants, R-Sioux City, said last year while he was still running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination that Branstad was telling supporters that he would raise the gas tax if he was elected.
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