Is a Big Government Bailout the right direction... how are things going locally?

Is the Government the right solution or is government the problem?

The Gazette reports Culver drops Iowa Lottery lease idea, which should be good news for the taxpayers of the State of Iowa.

The January 23, 2009 edition of The Des Moines Register online features an article titled Federal road money may save 'a lot of jobs' in Iowa. For more on this issue, read Public Interest Institute Brief: Spending Our Transportation Dollars Wisely.

The Gazette's article reports U.S. 30, I-80 make stimulus funding list this week. Further, another article reports Harkin: $800 million for Iowa in stimulus bill

How much of the Federal Government stimulus plan will include rebuilding infrastructure and housing impacted by the Floods of 2008 and other natural disasters in 2008? We did hear a little from the White House about Katrina and New Orleans on Inauguration Day.

Katrina
President Obama will keep the broken promises made by President
Bush to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. He and Vice President Biden will
take steps to ensure that the federal government will never again allow such
catastrophic failures in emergency planning and response to occur.
President
Obama swiftly responded to Hurricane Katrina. Citing the Bush Administration's
"unconscionable ineptitude" in responding to Hurricane Katrina, then-Senator
Obama introduced legislation requiring disaster planners to take into account
the specific needs of low-income hurricane victims. Obama visited thousands of
Hurricane survivors in the Houston Convention Center and later took three more
trips to the region. He worked with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to
introduce legislation to address the immediate income, employment, business, and
housing needs of Gulf Coast communities.
President Barack Obama will partner
with the people of the Gulf Coast to rebuild now, stronger than ever.

What about the past year's disasters, Mr. President? What about the City of Cedar Rapids, the State of Iowa and elsewhere impacted by Flood or other natural disaster, Mr. President?

Will President Barack Obama be a partner with the people of Iowa to rebuild now, stronger than ever?

We have five members of Congress, two U.S. Senators and of course Governor Chet Culver... what are they doing to help encourage our President to partner with the people of Iowa to rebuild now?

Cedar Rapids historic buildings make 'most endangered' list, reports The Gazette and properties impacted by the Flood of 2008.

The Gazette's article had another article on State agency overseeing disaster rebuilding efforts: Rebuild Iowa Office to face lawmakers' scrutiny.

A 20 percent Gas Tax increase proposal for the State of Iowa? What? Key lawmakers see debate on gas tax hike an article this past week in The Gazette reported. An eight cent increase represents a 20 percent tax increase.

And, what about the City of Cedar Rapids and plans to increase taxes soon?

Ten percent residential property tax increase proposal for the City of Cedar Rapids, including 7 percent and 6-7 percent for industrial and commercial properties, respectively!

Further, our city's leaders and the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce are working right now to propose an one percent local option sales tax for flood recovery. Will a local city sales tax include property tax relief for property owners, as the recent school sales tax did? Local option tax bill may mean C.R. vote in March, reports The Gazette.

How will Linn County get involved?

Will the State of Iowa make any future city sales tax permanent, like the State Legislature did with the school tax that was recently approved by Linn County and Johnson County voters in 2008?

Due to the impact of the local, state and national recession we are in, is any tax increase at this time good for our communities?

Another article of interest by The Gazette: Who owns Cedar Rapids City Hall?

peace