Mayor Ron Corbett speaks to area Realtors on local economy, flood protection and upcoming May 3rd local option sales tax

On Wednesday, February 16, 2011, Mayor Ron Corbett was the program at the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors luncheon. Mayor Corbett gave a detailed presentation of the local economy aiming it at a Realtors prospective, the ongoing work on flood protection for both sides of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, how it will be financed, as well as reasons for the upcoming May 3Rd extension of the local option sales tax.

Mayor Corbett didn’t need a name tag at Statehouse - The Gazette
At noon on Wednesday, Corbett spoke to more than 100 Cedar Rapids area Realtors, telling them that Iowa lawmakers aren’t apt to help the city fund its flood-protection system unless city residents are willing to put some local dollars into the pot. Federal dollars for the system also will require local dollars, he said ...

After the Mayor's thirty minute presentation to Realtors, which may have served as a warm up to his scheduled State of the City address on March 2Nd, the Mayor took questions from the audience on a variety of subjects.

• Dredging
• Project Labor Agreements
• Questions on the local option sales tax
• Discussion of Federal funding
• Discussion on State funding
• The Mayor's visit to the State House this week on funding flood protection for Cedar Rapids
• Property tax vs. sales tax for funding flood protection and residential street repairs
• The options and powers of local government
• The term "urban myth" was discussed, regarding the use of the current LOST monies and charges monies have not been used as stipulated by the public measure
• What happens, if the LOST vote is not approved by the voters?

Clearly, the Mayor supports financing flood protection and additional street repairs with sales tax, as opposed to increasing property taxes on the community. It was a candid and strong presentation from Mayor Corbett.

ttrco

Next week, Realtors from across the State of Iowa will meet in Des Moines and make a visit to State House to speak to state lawmakers on issues that concern our industry.