City’s plan for gas tax increased funding at issue with state lawmaker who led the effort for the increase

The chair of the Iowa House Transportation Committee is critical of Clinton’s plan to add workers to the street department with a portion of the gas tax increase funding. Area House member Republican Norlin Mommsen helped provide the information from fellow legislator Josh Byrnes.
Republican Josh Byrnes provided his statement to KROS.
Bynes stated that it had “come to my attention that Mayor Mark Vulich and five members of the Clinton City Council approved spending Road Use Tax Funds for the hiring of staff,” adding “As the chairman of the Iowa House Transportation Committee, it was never my intention to have these funds used on salaries.”
Bynes continued “I have spent the last three years of my life working on increasing funding for our crumbling Iowa infrastructure.” “Not once did I advocate for a fuel tax increase so that cities and counties could hire more people. This money is for infrastructure, period. I am absolutely dumbfounded that a group of elected officials would take it any other way.”
Byrnes is asking Clinton residents to contact Vulich and the five city council members who approved using the money for hiring. Council members Tom Determann and John Rowland voted against the plan and he complimented them for their vote.
The chair of the Iowa House Transportation Committee stated that “Mayor Vulich agreed that the Clinton Streets Department should (finally) have adequate staffing. “My question would be — shouldn’t the residents of Clinton finally have adequate infrastructure? When did a department trump constituents?”
The City Council approved the recommendation of the city staff at a Committee of the Whole session last week. But, the issue is not on the business agenda for formal consideration at tonight’s business meeting.