Local-option tax support group donates extra funds to flood-recovery agencies

Five local helping-services agencies involved in the community's flood recovery are getting surprise cash gifts.

The money is coming from citizen group CREST - Cedar Rapids Extended Sales Tax - which campaigned to convince voters to extend the city's local-option sales tax for 10 years to help build a new flood-protection system for Cedar Rapids.

The ballot measure went down to defeat on March 6, as had a similar measure in May 2011.

Bradley Hart, an attorney at Bradley & Riley PC and a CREST founder, on Thursday said the amount being donated from CREST's leftover campaign funds is about $26,800.

In total the group raised about $100,000 in its unsuccessful ballot effort.

The five non-profits groups receiving funds are the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids, CrossRoads Mission, Horizons's Meals on Wheels Program, Olivet Neighborhood Mission and Habitat for Humanity for its project at 623 H Ave. NW.

"I'm sure these area non-profits will put the funds to good use," Hart said. "… (This is) a positive use of the funds in the ongoing efforts to help people recover from our flood and to assist so many in need."