Tax will benefit all who drive on roads

Please vote yes on May 3 to help fix our roads. A “no” vote means continued bad roads or increased property tax to pay for repairs and insufficient flood protection.

Everyone who lives or works in Cedar Rapids will benefit from the extension of the 1 percent local-option sales tax. Not everyone was directly affected by the 2008 flood, but we all suffer indirectly from things like the loss of government facilities. We all face the threat of future flooding.

But so importantly, we all drive on deteriorating roads that need repair. The continued sales tax will share road repair costs with everyone who uses the streets, whether they live or work in Cedar Rapids. Spreading the income and expenditures over a 20-year plan is a responsible way to help our city now and in the future. Remember, the sales tax still will not be charged on things currently exempt from sales tax (like groceries).

Karen Guse

Cedar Rapids