Hull, Iowa — A coalition of groups is hoping 2017 is the year they convince Iowa legislators to raise the state sales tax and use the money to improve water quality.
Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull is the top Republican on the senate’s tax writing committee and he says he doubts the idea will get traction.
Feenstra says there is disagreement over where those tax dollars would actually be directed.
In September, the Iowa Soybean Association joined an already-existing coalition of groups representing environmentalists, hunters and others who back the tax plan. The Iowa Farm Bureau did not join the group, but the organization says it is no longer opposed to raising state taxes to pay for water quality initiatives. Feenstra doubts there’s much momentum behind a tax hike.
Sixty-three percent of Iowa voters approved creation of a state fund for water quality projects way back in 2010 — but there’s no money for it unless the state sales tax is raised.
