District 2: Taylor Nelson

Our leaders have focused too much on downtown, while neglecting neighborhoods, small businesses, roads, infrastructure and safety.

We need flood protection on both sides of the river. It will have a profound effect on the retail market and the values of properties on both sides. Giving away parcels is unacceptable. What may seem like a worthless lot will become a valuable asset with flood protection.

The city cannot afford sweetheart deals and must avoid conflicts of interest, such as the purchase of the TrueNorth property and sale of the former library to TrueNorth. The Gazette has reported: “ ... FEMA has now suggested ... that the city demolish the existing library on First Street SE and replace it on the site with a new library built one foot higher in the flood plain than the old one.”

Instead, the city purchased the TrueNorth property for $6 million above the assessed value (Editor's note: the city agreed to cover TrueNorth's moving and replacement costs). We sold the former library to TrueNorth for $250,000 with more than $900,000 in projected property tax assistance over 10 years. I wonder why we didn't rebuild on the old site as FEMA recommended.

Many city residents feel that the local-option sales tax has been misused. Even after the LOST Oversight Committee voted down using LOST funds for the True North property acquisition, the council OK'd $4 million of LOST funds for it.

The downtown hotel failed to make money before. What will be the difference now with the new city project? We should have made a much bigger convention center and relocated the hotel to the river, making one side an integral part of the flood wall and freeing some federal funds for flood protection.

Why, after four years, does my opponent talks about neighborhood needs when we have yet to see a general budget line item for neighborhoods or neighborhood centers?

Many roads need to be repaved (not just chip rock and oil) and of the same quality as main arteries.

The Department of Justice found “the rate of sworn officers was 2.4 per 1,000 inhabitants in the nation in 2010.” Accordingly, Cedar Rapids is 98 officers short. We need more officers in neighborhoods.

The city must lower property taxes, revitalize neighborhoods, improve roads and be more accountable in spending.

I intend to be a lifelong resident here and can help others of my generation to do the same.

Taylor Nelson majors in political science at Kirkwood Community College. He's a published playwright and he owned Gus's Drywall, closed because of the 2008 flood. Comments: pro@prodigy.net