Grassley, Dix discuss gas tax, educational spending at forum

WELLSBURG — The potential for a gas tax increase and educational spending were hot topics Saturday as local legislators hosted a listening post at the Wellsburg Public Library.
    State Sen. Bill Dix (R, Shell Rock) and State Rep. Pat Grassley (R, New Hartford) hosted the forum with eight people from the Wellsburg, Dike and Grundy Center areas. The meeting was part of a whirlwind four-stop tour that morning that also included stops in Conrad, Beaman and Steamboat Rock.
    Dix spoke of the difficulty of this year’s budget, noting that $250 million has already been appropriated and that either budget reductions or additional revenue streams would be necessary if additional expenditures were to be approved. He said the gas tax is a key issue, as it makes up 40 percent of the road use fund, which is money appropriated for upkeep of Iowa’s roads, including at the county level.
 
For more see the Feb. 5 Grundy Register.