Returning downtown right for supervisors

I would like to thank the Linn County Board of Supervisors for looking at all the facts when supervisors decided to move back to the old Administrative Office Building (now the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center). After looking at all the numbers, it was easy for me to see that for the county's taxpayers, the best solution was to return to the old location.

It would have cost millions of dollars to purchase “Linn County West,” then several million more to update it and turn it into permanent office space. It would have taken property off the tax rolls, and left an empty building in the downtown area. The Linn County West (Westdale Mall) space, after all those millions were spent, would still be attached to a dead mall that would be better off being torn down.

By taking the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state I-JOBS, the supervisors prevented raising local property taxes to renovate the building.

I applaud the supervisors for making the tough (and correct) decision to return downtown, and to do it despite all the rhetoric and badmouthing coming from another elected official there (no, not Supervisor Brent Oleson).

Duane J. Arnold

Cedar Rapids