Group that Called for Sales Tax Calls it Quits

You probably know that the local-option sales tax pass.

Also, there’s an 53 percent chance that you voted for it. So for those of you who did, I might be bearing bad news: it might not come back.

According to The Gazette, the chairman of the pro-extension Cedar Rapids Extended Sales Tax, Gary Ficken, essentially said he’s dropping the issue.

Even though that organization was key in getting the issue to the ballot.

"We gave it our best try yesterday and our group is done with the issue," Ficken said to The Gazette. "In our view the city has spoken, and the city does not seem to have any interest in west-side flood protection."

But here in Marion, there’s no interest in flood protection.

Since the measure has been rejected by Cedar Rapids voters again, and in even larger margin this time, it looks as though this recent news means it may not be a politically viable option for the metropolitan area of Cedar Rapids.

In a previous interview with Marion Patch, Marion City Administrator Lon Pluckhahn said the advantage of voting with the metro block is getting much more money than if you simply levied for additional sales tax.

So if that option is off the table, the city of Marion is left to its own devices, which, as Marion City Council member Paul Draper suggested, might mean we have to wait an extra ten years for some of these projects.