Cedar Rapids scales back request for state CAT funds

City Hall has scaled back its request to the Vision Iowa Board in hopes of securing $3 million in state Community & Tourism (CAT) program funds to help with building the city's new library and the NewBo City Market.

City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said the city's revised request comes in response to a cutback in funds for the CAT program.

The Iowa Legislature had passed a measure in previous years that would have provided $12 million to the CAT program in the fiscal year that began July 1 and another $12 million in the next fiscal year. However, legislation passed this year reduced this year's allocation to $5.32 million while Gov. Terry Branstad has cut back a legislative appropriation of $15 million for the program next year to $5 million.

"We had to re-evaluate our request in the context of reduced dollars to the program," Pomeranz said.

The city submitted its application for CAT funds at the start of 2011 with a request for $5 million to help with the city's Convention Complex project and $1.5 million to help with the library project and $1.5 million for the NewBo City Market one. The city now has withdrawn its request for CAT funds for the Convention Complex project and is focusing its CAT application on the library and market projects.

Pomeranz said the Vision Iowa Board reacted favorably at its meeting last week to Cedar Rapids' scaled-back CAT application.

"We got what felt like a warm reception," the city manager said. "But no commitments."

The Vision Iowa Board is expected to have a decision on Cedar Rapids' application in September or October, Pomeranz said.