Protect Cedar Rapids Committee airs first TV ad in tax-extension campaign

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Protect Cedar Rapids Committee aired its first TV ad on Wednesday as it begins its campaign to make the case for a 20-year extension of the city's 1-percent local-option sales tax to help pay for flood protection, to fix streets and to provide property-tax relief.

The first ad features Mayor Ron Corbett, who on Wednesday said the ad was intended as a “report” on what he said has been the city's responsible use of the existing local-option sales tax. Ninety percent of the tax revenue goes for matters related to flood relief and 10 percent for property-tax relief.

In the ad, Corbett tells viewers to go to the city's Web page at www.cedar-rapids.org to see exactly where the city has spent “every dollar” of the local-option sales tax revenue. He says the city has bought out more than 800 properties to date, demolished some 750 and built more than 400 new homes.

“We will rebuild, stronger and smarter,” he says.

He tells the viewers that city government belongs to them, not to the city manager, City Council or the mayor.

“I want you to know how proud I am to be part of a community where neighbors are willing to lend a hand to neighbors in need. For that, thank you,” he says.

Corbett doesn't mention the May 3 vote on the tax-extension ballot question, though the Protect Cedar Rapids Committee's logo, “Protect & Invest East & West, Vote Yes May 3,” appears as the ad ends.

The “East & West” reference is to committee's push to find funding for flood protection on both sides of the Cedar River. An Army Corps of Engineers flood-protection plan, which will be part of the city's more comprehensive plan, provides for protection on just the east side of the river.

The Protect Cedar Rapids Committee is headed up by Pat Baird, retired president/CEO at AEGON USA Inc., and includes Corbett, council members Monica Vernon and Justin Shields, Kim Reem, Susie Wienacht, Doug Wagner, Betsy Houston and Jen Neumann, Neumann reports. Neumann, a partner at de Novo Marketing, is helping with public relations for the committee.