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Des Moines council approves franchise-fee increases for transit funding over dissent about governance and oversight
Summary
The Des Moines City Council approved ordinances to increase electricity- and gas-franchise fees to fund regional transit service, voting 4-3 on each measure after lengthy debate over DART governance, funding formulas and whether the city should seek voter approval.
The Des Moines City Council on a 4-3 vote approved ordinances to increase franchise fees on electricity and gas to generate additional funding for the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART). The two votes (one for electric franchise language, one for gas) were taken after extensive council debate about DART governance, regional funding formulas and whether Des Moines should require a public referendum before enacting the fee.
Council members who opposed the measures said the city lacked sufficient assurances about how DART would use the new revenue and whether suburbs would continue to reduce their own contributions. One council member warned the change was effectively a tax on…
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