City manager: "Do something specific" with extra gas tax money

Decorah City Manager Chad Bird had some advice for city council members Monday night about the $134,000 in additional gas tax money the city will be getting in the next 12 months because of Iowa's new higher gas taxes: "Do something specific with it."

Bird noted that gas tax revenues can be used to pay the salaries of city street department workers and other routine expenses, but he urged the city council to spend the additional money on something that would be "seen and visible."

For instance, there has been no money set aside in the upcoming city budget for the purchase of Street Department vehicles and equipment, in an effort to hold the line on spending.  Now city council members may want to use the $134,000 in part to buy needed equipment.