Branstad addresses questions at Rotary and to The Gazette Editorial Board on Monday

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Terry Branstad was the program this Noon at the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids, then visited with The Gazette's editorial board at 1:30 p.m. Some of the topics discussed at both venues ...

• Commercial Property Tax reform


• Reducing the size of state government


• Flood Mitigation for the City of Cedar Rapids


• Education


• Improving Iowa's business climate


• Environmental concerns


• Local concerns and past Economic Development

It was a good program and Branstad was very open to a Q&A with Rotarians today, who asked a variety of questions.

peace

Wow, August is about to wrap up... Where did our Summer go?

It's been a busy month. Students headed back to schools and colleges. The final weekend in many ways seems like the final weekend of Summer, before we head into Labor Day weekend and September shortly.

In Cedar Rapids, Mt. Mercy College has become a local university, as of this past week.

Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids becomes a university ‎- Radio Iowa
An eastern Iowa school is the second in the state this month to change from a college to a university. Mount Mercy ...

Mount Mercy Change to University Began Years Ago‎ - KCRG
Mass Celebrates Mount Mercy Name Change‎ - KCRG

This past Tuesday, August 24Th, we learned that the City of Cedar Rapids is taking the first step towards the closing of two blocks of Second Avenue SE for a medical mall.

Council Votes 6-3 to Close a Piece of Second Avenue SE‎ - KCRG
By Tracey McCullough CEDAR RAPIDS — After lengthy comment this evening from ... the council voted 6-3 to close a two-block stretch of Second Avenue SE to ...

BBC finds connections between Katrina, Cedar Rapids disasters‎ - Iowa Independent
“The government says 'because you initially helped yourself we won't help you'”, says Nancy Kasparek, president of US Bank in Cedar Rapids. ...

July unemployment rate remains flat in Corridor‎ - TMCnet
Area jobless rate holds steady at 6.3 percent‎ - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

Lake Delhi damage could top $150 million, dam repair may cost $5 million - The Gazette
Damage from late July flooding that breached the Lake Delhi dam could top $150 million and repairs to the dam itself could ...

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PCI says that Skywalks "won't work" and closure of Second Avenue is necessary for Cedar Rapids

The Medical District will have a new skywalk over 8Th Street SE near Mercy Hospital, but the citizens and taxpayers of Cedar Rapids are being told it "won't work" for the proposed Medical Mall along Second Avenue SE, between 10Th and 12Th streets. The popular public street needs to be closed and given to a private organization.

Open Houses are being conducted this week in Downtown Cedar Rapids and The Gazette is reporting ...



Skywalks as an alternative to closing Second Avenue won’t work for PCI - The Gazette
Skywalks an Alternative to Closing Second Avenue Won’t Work for PCI - KCRG-TV
Closing a stretch of Second Avenue SE is necessary to facilitate patient flow through the Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa’s proposed new medical “mall” at 10th Street SE and Second Avenue SE, the physicians group has said ...

The group and other representatives of the new Cedar Rapids Medical District are holding open houses:

• Wednesday, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The open houses will be held in The Ballroom at the Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel

The two groups will discuss the Medical District as well as PCI’s plans to build the mall inside the district.

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More Public Spending on the way for the City of Cedar Rapids

Talked to a newer Cedar Rapids resident who was concerned about his rising property taxes today at work. He estimated his taxes were going to rise as much as $2,200. He found out about the changing tax climate in our community, when he and his wife went to refinance his house of two years and property taxes came up.

City seeks $12.2 million in I-JOBS funds for amphitheater, fire stations - The Gazette
The City Council is seeking to secure $12.2 million more in state I-JOBS disaster-related funds in a statewide competition for a remaining pot of about $30 million in such funds ...
Council members look at sprucing up gateways into city - The Gazette

While the City of Cedar Rapids needs to rebuild, the questions regarding the designs and costs of flood mitigation infrastructure leads one to pause. The State and Local community typically has to come up with a 35% match with the Federal government.

The Corp of Engineers is still working on the recommendations for our community. Right now, there are significant differences between what our community wants to see vs. what the Corp has been suggesting.

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It's a Party at the University of Iowa ...

It's not just football fun at the University of Iowa ...

Iowa makes Princeton Review’s Top 10 party school list - The Gazette
The University of Iowa has made the Princeton Review’s list of Top 10 party schools in the United States ...

Look at this photo from the Gazette story above ...

The Iowa City community and the University of Iowa are trying to change things though ...

Impact of 21-only starting to be seen - Iowa City Press Citizen
For supporters of the city's 21-only ordinance, the early returns look promising. ... be an indicator that Iowa City is no longer becoming a drinking destination for out-of-town ... Gang activity not new to Iowa City...
Ferentz to campaign for 21-only ordinance - Iowa City Press Citizen
“The city of Iowa City has already gone through this process before where ... was the top strategy to deal with underage and excessive drinking. ... passed the new ordinance through this spring in a series of 6-1 votes. ...

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New Political Party being formed in the State of Iowa

In order to form an official political party in the State of Iowa, the supporters of a new political party must run a candidate for either the office of President or the office of Governor. If the candidate receives 2% of the vote, the State of Iowa will officially recognize the political party.

Local Cedar Rapids residents and citizens from outside the City of Cedar Rapids have decided to form a new political party. Here's a link to the The Citizen Action Party.

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City of Cedar Rapids continues push to close Second Avenue for Medical Mall

The headline on the Saturday morning newspaper's front page of The Gazette is entitled "Study: C.R. can handle closed Second Avenue." PCI wants to have the City of Cedar Rapids close Second Avenue SE from Tenth to Twelve streets, so PCI can construct a Medical Mall.

The City of Cedar Rapids now has a "draft report" that is a "work in progress" ~ the current "report does not include any cost figures related to the considerable changes to the city's street infrastructure that are premised in the report."

The article reports about the recently completed traffic study by Anderson-Bogert Engineers and Surveryors, Inc. of Cedar Rapids. Reporter Rick Smith wrote that the traffic report: "says the city street system also appears to have sufficient capacity to handle other development that might come nearby and a 'fairly generous' growth in traffic."

What about the cost?

What about the need for taxpayers, citizens and guests to our community needing to "find their way for a few years," if Second Avenue SE between 10Th and 12Th streets is closed and Second and Third avenues remain one-way in certain locations and revert back to two-way in other locations? Between the river and 5Th Street SE, will all our current one-way avenues remain one-way?

This past week we heard there is some people in our community that want to close a portion of Third Avenue SE near the Museum of Art. Did the study include that future recommendation, as well?

How far will this suggestion go with the current City Council?

Mayor Ron Corbett reported again on Monday that the study to close Third Street SE for the Event Center expansion will soon begin. Currently, you can take Third Street SE west to get onto I-380. The City of Cedar Rapids has already closed First Street SE at Eighth Avenue for the new Federal Courthouse.

The City of Cedar Rapids has closed a street in the past for PCI. Seventh Street SE between Eighth and Seventh avenues was closed for one of PCI's current properties in Cedar Rapids. PCI plans to consolidate facilities currently located in SE Cedar Rapids into one Medical Mall.

What will happen to PCI's current facilities?

If Second Avenue isn't closed for PCI's planned Medical Mall, will they exit Cedar Rapids for Hiawatha? A local resident in Cedar Rapids suggested what is wrong with that?

Another local resident commented this week about Verizon's tunnel on Fifth Street beneath the street to connect two buildings that Verizon used for a time. Wouldn't a tunnel be an option as well?

Didn't the original Downtown Framework Plan discourage closing streets?

Typically, functional cities want traffic to flow throughout the community. Streets, trails, sidewalks and other types of paths connect neighborhoods and offer walkers, runners, bikers and vehicle traffic to enter and exit one neighborhood, one after another. They connect communities together. Another viewpoint on issue of closing streets, link.

Earlier this week:

Cedar Rapids man pickets; opposed to Second Avenue closure - The Gazette
Jul 26, 2010 ... GIVE ME A BREAK… when PCI starts offering health care for everyone in Cedar Rapids that uses 2nd Ave then they can close any street they ...

While The Gazette says "can handle closed Second Avenue" note the KCRG headline ...

Street System Could Cope with Closed Second Avenue ‎ - KCRG
CEDAR RAPIDS - A draft of a traffic study on the proposed closing of a section of Second Avenue SE to allow ...

Could we cope with a Closed Second Avenue SE between 10Th and 12Th Avenue?

• How many more streets in Cedar Rapids will be closed for private use?


• How many more streets in Cedar Rapids will be closed for public use?


• How will citizens be allowed to participate in the community dialogue and process?

Meetings set for August on Cedar Rapids Medical Mall proposal ... - The Gazette
Meetings set for August on Cedar Rapids Medical Mall proposal. Posted on Jul 13, 2010 by admin. An artist's rendition of the new Cedar ...

The City Charter promotes the important role of "citizen participation" for our community. In the Long-Term planning for our community, how do these projects measure up? Is the Medical Mall concept in conflict with other reports and plans formulated by the community or government?

Are the Mayor and remaining eight members of the City Council embracing our City Charter?

It appears a group of Landlords are upset with the City Council in regards to Chapter 29. Again, another group in our community has been asked to "find their way for a few years?"

Earlier in the month of July, the City Council on back to back 2Nd and 3Rd readings replaced the existing Chapter 29 with a complete new Chapter 29, drafted by professional staff in the Code Enforcement department and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

While citizens of our community have to live under our community standards in Chapter 29, a citizen board or commission was not used in this case. The same people who will enforce and implement Chapter 29, also wrote it.

What will be the impact be on affordable housing, economic development and the preservation and use of our current housing stock?

Landlord Group Sues City Following New Ordinance - KCRG
Jul 30, 2010 ... CEDAR RAPIDS - The Landlords of Linn County, a group that represents most landlords in ... Landlord Group Sues City Following New Ordinance ...

Why not utilize a Citizen Board or Commission in the legislative process in our community? Isn't that government 101? Isn't that more in keeping with our City Charter?

Why did our City Council rely on professional staff to develop and write public policy?

• Does Iowa Home Rule law permit the City to intervene and govern civil relationships?


• Equal Protection under the 14Th Amendment


• Are mandates into civil relationships appropriate by the City of Cedar Rapids?


• Is this good public policy to fix it later?

Yes, certain City Council members have supported the new municipal code, even though they have publicly stated, they don't have it all worked out yet. After all, it is a "work in progress" ~ like other public issues in Cedar Rapids.

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