Lawmakers from both parties teamed up Monday to endorse a constitutional amendment that would impose a $150-million- per-year sales tax to clean Iowa waterways, improve parks, build trails and save soil.

The money from a special 0.375 percent sales tax would go into a special natural-resources account that would be protected by the Constitution and subject to regular audits. The money would pay for new trails and expansions of soil and water conservation, parks, lake restorations and public access, and to double spending on the Resource Enhancement and Protection program, to $40 million per year.
 
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/NEWS/801290386
 
-------------
 

D.M. council OKs ethanol extension

By MELISSA WALKER • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • January 29, 2008

function NewWindow(height,width,url) {window.open(url,"ShowProdWindow","menubars=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,height="+height+",width="+width); }