Taxpayers get to pay for C.R.’s ‘grand’ ideas

Once again The Gazette has sided with the good old boys' downtown group with its Feb. 9 editorial “Not the state's business.” If the traffic cameras are not the state's business, whose business is it?

Remember, this city doesn't take federal rulings real well either. FEMA ruled against the Sinclair site and the city will appeal, even though this site has been largely vacant. Don't worry though, Cedar Rapids taxpayers, you will still get to pay for all the grand ideas this council has.

The money from traffic cameras will not help you on your property tax. Check out the franchise fees on your utility bills. I'm sure we will all want to vote to extend the “temporary” sales tax for 20 years. We will get to buy Smulekoff's. We are already in the hotel business, we might as well get in the furniture business.

The owner of the nine-hole short par-three golf course on the west side of the city wants the city to buy him out. Maybe we could promote this as Augusta National North? People could fly in to play, stay at our city-owned hotel, and the city could put lots of traffic cameras on the route to the golf course.

Dave Draheim

Cedar Rapids