Johnson County should look to up Linn and past LOST

Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty residents should take some advice from their neighbors to the north in Linn County when they head to the polls this November and vote “yes” on the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST).

Used by the majority of Iowa communities, this “penny tax” would add a penny of tax to every dollar spent. It doesn’t apply to groceries, utilities, gasoline, hotel/motel rentals, or prescription drugs, protecting the most vulnerable neighbors in the region.

This is especially essential when you consider the dwindling federal funding.

So what would this new revenue stream fund? Affordable housing in all three cities, funding for local nonprofits, streets, sidewalks, trails, and parks, plus a new recreation center in Coralville and a new fire station in North Liberty. LOST revenue will capture and reinvest what visitors are already spending in Johnson County, which was more than $458 million in 2023.

Linn County residents have repeatedly voted “yes” to LOST taxes, generating millions for road projects in Cedar Rapids alone.

Today, the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City metro areas largely function as one dynamic region and this extra revenue will undoubtedly support residents and visitors for years to come. Personally, I saw the fruits of the last LOST campaign in Iowa City as a native of the community, which brought forward flood protection, including a crown jewel in Iowa City’s park system: Riverfront Crossings Park.

Let’s build a future region we can all be proud of. Vote “Yes” on November 4!

Quentin Mislag, Iowa City native

Chicago