Voter turnout for sales tax issue ahead of 2009 pace

CEDAR RAPIDS - Voter turnout today was tracking better than the last local-option sales tax referendum in 2009, election officials said.

More than 5,600 people in Cedar Rapids had gone to the polls by 11 a.m., which equates to 6.45 percent of the registered voters. It was about 500 more voters in the first four hours than two years ago.

The best turnout was reported at Bethany Lutheran Church, 2202 Forest Dr. SE, where about 13 percent of the registered voters had already cast their ballots.

Marion was about 350 voters ahead of the 2009 pace, while the rest of Linn County was a few dozen voters behind.

Tom and Jo Pribyl had unanswered questions as they stepped outside after voting at St. James United Methodist Church earlier today.

“Why 20 years instead of five or 10?” Tom Pribyl said. “And why didn't they define how much would be used for the flood and how much would be used for road repair?”

The couple voted against the Local Option Sales Tax. They didn't make up their final decisions until Tuesday morning, though. Jo Pribyl said she was concerned by the length of the proposed measure.

“We just could not go the other way,” she said. “It was just too open, especially for that long of a time.”

Terry Knake, 64, saw it differently.

“You've just got to look around,” said Knake, motioning to an empty lot across the street from the church. “I drive through here to work every day, and it almost brings tears to your eyes.”

Bob Schaufenbuel, 66, declined to say how he voted, but said is in favor of protecting the residents from future flooding.

“I'm not much for increased taxes and everything, but we definitely need something,” he said. “We can't let this happen again, although I don't think I'll ever see the river get that high again.”

Roger Nelson, 58, said he decided to vote against the measure when the city bought the Crowne Plaza Hotel to make way for a new convention center. He said he hasn't seen proof that the city can responsibly manage the extra money.

“It's pretty bad when even the people who were in the flood are voting against it,” Nelson said.

The polls are open until 8 p.m. tonight.