Bipartisanship pays dividends

Iowa finally has the start of a game plan for meeting the state’s future transportation needs.

Leaders in the Legislature attempted during the last two sessions to find ways to fund highway and road construction, as well as crucial maintenance projects, that could command broad bipartisan support. That wasn’t an easy task. As this year’s session moves toward a close, however, a major funding mechanism has been approved.

There is general agreement that by 2015 — unless new state revenues are generated — Iowa would not have any money for new highway construction. All the state’s highway dollars would be needed to maintain existing roads after that year unless options to enhance funding are developed.

A plan for generating new road funds was proposed in 2007 by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Called Transportation Investment Moves the Economy in the 21st Century — TIME-21, the plan advocated generating needed monies through increases in various fees.

In 2007, the Legislature couldn’t reach agreement on legislation embodying the TIME-21 recommendations. This year, however, Senate File 2420 achieved bipartisan support in both houses and has been signed by Gov. Chet Culver.

Two north central Iowa legislators were instrumental in building the bipartisan coalition that finally moved this legislation forward — Sen. Daryl Beall, D-Fort Dodge, and Rep. David Tjepkes, R-Gowrie, the top Republican on the House Transportation Committee. The two lawmakers recognized that any measure calling for increased fees had a better chance of becoming law if it had strong support in both political parties. As longtime champions of the project to make U.S. Highway 20 a four-lane thoroughfare statewide, Beall and Tjepkes understood that a solution to the funding shortfall was imperative. Their cooperation across party lines is an example of good government that more lawmakers should follow.

Turning the TIME-21 approach into law won’t immediately produce the money necessary to finish four-laning Highway 20, but it is an important step forward.

The new law raises registration fees on vehicles and brings the fees for pickups bought in the future in line with what owners of other types of vehicles pay. This eliminates an anachronistic inequity that can’t be justified given how vehicles are used today.

Highlights of the new law include:

• Protection of registration fees — the money will be reserved for construction, maintenance and supervision of public roads and highways;

• Codification of an allocation formula — 60 percent will go for primary roads, 20 percent for secondary roads and 20 percent for local government projects; and

• No increase in Iowa’s tax on gasoline.

The governor estimates that by Fiscal Year 2013 the new funds this law will raise should reach $160 million annually.

Building and maintaining a state-of-the-art transportation system are critical factors in Iowa’s economic development strategy. The jobs of the future depend significantly on economic growth.

That was very much on the governor’s mind when he signed this important law.

‘‘The good news is the jobs are coming, but we must have the infrastructure in place to keep pace and grow our economy,’’ Culver said. ‘‘Today, we’re taking another essential step toward doing just that.’’

It’s important to recognize, of course, that hard work remains. Additional action by the Legislature and help from Washington will be needed if the transportation system our region needs for the 21st century is to become a reality. It’s exciting nonetheless that real progress is being made.