BRANSTAD ADMITS HE WILL RAISE THE GAS TAX
Posted on Tuesday, July 13 at 4:31pm
DES MOINES - Terry Branstad told reporters yesterday that if elected again, he would consider doing what he did time and time again as governor and raise taxes.
At an event Monday, Terry Branstad admitted to reporters he is thinking about raising the gas tax, even trying to dismiss it as a "user fee." [1] During Branstad's 16 years as governor, he raised the gas tax more than 50% [2].
"Terry Branstad admitted yesterday that he would raise the taxes again. 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," said Culver/Judge Communications Director Ali Glisson.
During the same event Terry Branstad promised to shrink government without raising taxes. It's the same thing he campaigned on in 1982 but, despite the Farm Crisis devastating the state at the time, the first bill he signed as governor was a bill raising the state sales tax [3].
"During tough times, Terry Branstad has a history of raising taxes on hard-working Iowans, taking pay raises, and cooking the books. This stunning admission that he would raise the gas tax shows a 5th Branstad term would just be more of the same past we can't afford to repeat," said Glisson.
[1] Lee News, 7/12/10.
[2] http://www.iowa.gov/tax/taxlaw/TaxHistory.html
[3] Des Moines Register, 2/8/83.
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