Rebuild Iowa Office: Opens satellite location in Cedar Rapids nearly eight months after Flood of 2008

It has taken nearly eight months, since the Flood of 2008 rolled through the City of Cedar Rapids, but a Rebuild Iowa Office has opened a satellite location here in Cedar Rapids. For more information on recovery in the Corridor... the following web site has been set up since the early days of recovery.

Information on the 1% LOST, local option sales tax vote for March 3, 2009.

Linn County Board of Supervisors Approves Local Option Sales Tax Resolutions

Cedar Rapids City Council Approves LOST Resolution

The City of Cedar Rapids Budget in 2006 was $292 million. Today, the city budget stands at $351.7 million.

From the sounds of it, city water rates will increase 14% and property taxes will raise six to ten percent, depending on whether it is commercial, industrial or residential property. The new 1% local option tax could raise the budget as much as $18 million per year. Plus, a six to ten percent increase in property taxes, which account currently for 24.1% of the $351.7 million budget, could likely add another $5 to 6 million?

It looks like the $292 million city budget before the vote to change the Cedar Rapids form of government in 2005 has gone from $292 million to a future budget of roughly $375 million, in less than four years into the new form of government?

The City of Cedar Rapids have a long recovery ahead, as The Gazette article on July 12, 2008 predicted, one month after the June 2008 flood. Our City Manager pointed out recently...

“So far, the City of Cedar Rapids has only received $38 million in Community
Development Block Grant funds. In comparison, ten years ago the City of
Grand
Forks, ND received $135 million from the federal government within 90
days of
its devastating flood,” - Mr. James Prosser, City Manager

Cedar Rapids was and needs again to be an economic engine in the State of Iowa. With a $5 to $6 billion now being communicated, the early projections appear to be vastly understated from today's figures being discussed within the community. This link talked about $1 billion for Cedar Rapids. It appears early numbers may have hurt our community, as compared to other cities that received aid in the past.

Further, unlike back in April 1997, when the Grand Forks was devastated by a flood, the City of Cedar Rapids faces road blocks in Washington D.C. and with the current economy. Further, leadership needs to come from somewhere.

Regardless of the Flood of 2008, efforts by our City Manager and City Council were in place to find ways to increase revenue for the City of Cedar Rapids. Lobbying efforts were in full gear as the City of Cedar Rapids celebrated the "Year of the River" in 2008.

The Solution likely isn't in new taxes. But, like the advise that Ed Failor, Jr. President of Iowans for Tax Relief gave to State of Iowa and our Governor: "The problem is out-of-control government spending and budgets."

What if Cedar Rapids took the current budget and cut out-of control government spending and took the savings and put it into Flood mitigation and infrastructure priorities?

"We know from experience that when you raise taxes during an economic
downturn, you hurt the economy," - Steve
Forbes

"Raising taxes — we tried that in the Great Depression.
We tried
that in the 1970s. We tried that in the 1990s. I don't know why we
have
to run
this bad movie again." - Forbes

We currently have a $351.7 million budget. The solution for the near future is better priorities and cuts in wasteful programs. Not more taxes. If we don't maintain our economic engine in Cedar Rapids, we may end up even worse off than we are now.

Further, Iowa's Tax System isn't outstanding. Instead of overhauling the system, our State Legislature is looking to expand tax options for cities and counties. We need to find ways to encourage growth in Cedar Rapids, not discourage it.

Per the Chamber of Commerce release today:

The 1% local option sales tax is not for flood mitigation infrastructure, but...

"The ballot language states that 90% of the tax will fund the acquisition and
rehabilitation of damaged homes, as well as, support relief efforts toward
damages caused by the 2008 Cedar River flood. While 10% of the funding will be
used to offset the property tax burden."

The original discussion reported last week was as follows: "the draft language calls on the revenue raised by the tax to be used in Cedar Rapids in two ways: 20 percent of the revenue would be used for property-tax relief; and 80 percent would be used for flood protection and for the acquisition and rehabilitation of flood-damaged housing," according to The Gazette's Rick Smith and comments from the Mayor.

peace

Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce announces new CEO

The Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce is going back to hiring a Chamber Executive, rather than a former political type appointment, to be CEO of our local chamber.

On the surface, this is great news.

Shannon Meyer, President of the Melbourne-Palm Bay, Florida Area Chamber has been named our new Chamber CEO according to an e-mail press release from the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce this morning.

The following e-mail was received today from the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce:

Dear Chamber Members:

Good news! The Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Search Committee has completed its task and is proud to present you with the next CEO of our organization.

After reviewing more than 200 nationwide and local contacts, more than 100 applications, and interviewing more than 25 candidates; Shannon Meyer, CEO of the Melbourne-Palm Beach Florida Chamber of Commerce, has accepted our offer to become the next leader of our Chamber on December 1, 2008.

Ms. Meyer comes to us with eight years of executive experience in two Chambers. She is described by many of her colleagues as "collaborative, creative, energetic and empowering."

Distinguishing points of her career as CEO of both Chambers are that she increased membership in both organizations by double digits and strengthened the community perception and effectiveness of the Chamber(s).

Ms. Meyer is also a member of the US Chamber of Commerce's Committee of 100 - an exclusive group of the top 100 Chambers in the Country - and typically consisting of CEOs from much larger communities.

A native Midwesterner, she is excited to move back to the Midwest at a crucial time in our community - to help rebuild our community and region, better than ever. We look forward to not only bringing her experience and energy to our organization, but to the Corridor. Ms. Meyer will be in Iowa in November, we look forward to introducing her to the Chamber and our community at that time.

We would like to extend our thanks to the Chamber CEO Search Committee, who began this process on May 14 and have done more than just due diligence in this matter, resulting in a top-notch candidate. The committee consisted of: Chuck Peters, Cassie Willis, Linda Bendixen, Carroll Reasoner, Scott Byers, Tom Anderson, Mark Long and Kristin Novak.

Thank you,

Brad Hart, Chair, CEO Search Committee

Allen Witt, Board Chair, CEO Search Committee Member

We all should look forward to new leadership at the Chamber and welcome Shannon Meyer as our next Chamber Executive. Cheers!

peace