Say NO to a Fuel Tax HIKE

STOP THE AUTOMATIC FUEL TAX HIKE! ACT NOW! CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS!

Currently, Iowa legislators are considering legislation that will automatically increase the state fuel tax nearly EVERY YEAR without legislative approval.

SF2472 would tie the fuel tax to the consumer price index, so when the cost of living for Iowans goes up, so does your fuel tax. Under this legislation, your elected officials wouldn’t even have the opportunity to vote to represent your interests!

States like California and Illinois also use automatic fuel tax increases, and both now have some of the highest fuel taxes in the nation.

CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS:

If you oppose automatic tax increases and you DON’T want Iowa to be more like California and Illinois, make your voice heard today by emailing your lawmakers below.

Dear [Official],

I am writing to respectfully urge you to oppose any legislation that includes an automatic fuel tax increase, including the indexing provisions contained in SF2472. 
Iowans are already managing tight household budgets. Indexing the fuel tax to inflation would lock in automatic annual increases, year after year, without future legislative approval. That removes accountability and turns the fuel tax into a permanent revenue escalator.
Unlike a one-time vote, automatic indexing allows tax hikes to occur on autopilot, regardless of economic conditions or family finances. When inflation rises, families are already paying more for groceries, utilities, and housing. This proposal would ensure they also pay more at the pump automatically.
Iowa currently ranks 26th nationally in fuel taxes at 30 cents per gallon. Moving toward automatic annual increases would push Iowa closer to high-tax, inflation-indexed states where fuel taxes now exceed 60 cents per gallon, like California and Illinois. That is not the direction Iowa should be heading.
Indexing also weakens legislative responsibility. Tax increases should require a vote and public debate. Automatic hikes reduce transparency and limit taxpayers’ ability to hold policymakers accountable.
If additional transportation funding is needed, lawmakers should prioritize responsible stewardship of existing revenue, spending discipline, and long-term reforms, not automatic tax increases that grow government collections year after year.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to oppose any provision that indexes or increases Iowa’s fuel tax and to stand with Iowa taxpayers.
Thank you for your service and thoughtful consideration.

Sincerely,
______

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