Iowa lawmakers this session failed to pass an increase in the fuel tax to fund needed road and bridges upkeep.  The state has an annual back log of $ 215 million in critical infrastructure repair and upkeep.  Iowa Corn Growers President Roger Zylstra of Lynnville was disappointed the effort fell short of putting more funding into rural roads. He says it’s critical for the ag and state economies.

Zylstra says part of the reason the fuel tax wasn’t raised was because it’s an election year and politics getting in the way. He says they’ll have to make a push next session to get transportation needs funded and that will take education.

House Transportation Chair Josh Byrnes of Osage made a last ditch effort to get infrastructure needs funded with an amended bill that would have placed a 5% increase in wholesales taxes while reducing the gas tax but that was rejected earlier this week.