Tax opponents, get involved from start

Where were all the people from We Can Do Better CR when all of the plans for the local-option sales tax were being presented to the public during the planning stages?

I am tired of people coming out and putting down plans when they have no desire to be involved in the planning from the beginning. Over and over, I heard complaints that there was no plan, but when I looked on the city website, I found an explanation of each project. I heard that Mayor Ron Corbett “threatened an increase in property tax.” This is not a threat; it is a reality.

If we don't collect the money like most other Iowa cities through the local sales tax, we will have to collect it through property taxes or a tax on our utilities. Either way, people from outside the county who live and work in Cedar Rapids, Marion or Hiawatha won't contribute to street repair and you can be sure they will use our parks and any other improvements we make to the city.

Pat Lahr

Cedar Rapids