Your invitation to attend a forum on the proposed local-option sales tax in Cedar Rapids and Linn County

I am writing in my Sunday, April 17, column in The Gazette about the forum The Gazette and KCRG-TV9 are co-hosting with ImpactCR on the proposed 1-percent Local Option Sales Tax before voters on May 3 in Cedar Rapids and Linn County.

The 1 percent sales tax would be extended until July 2034 to pay for flood relief, roads and some tax relief. The Gazette Opinion page weighed in already,on Sunday, April 10, about the May 3 vote and the previous day about a companion when it comes to local flood control -- state help.

If you haven't voted early and still have questions you'd like answered join us at Harrison Elementary School, 1310 11, Thursday, April 21, for the forum. Called “Decision Time: A community conversation on the May 3 LOST vote”, the forum will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

^th

St. NW, Cedar Rapids

This event will differ from the neighborhood meetings held by the Protect Cedar Rapids Committee, the group leading the effort to gain voter support for the tax program. Our intent is not to convince. Rather, we'll have panelists with views from both sides of the issue at a town hall-style forum.

KCRG-TV9 anchor Beth Malicki will moderate and I'll take questions from those of you who follow the event on KCRG 9.2 television, which will broadcast the forum live, or on www.TheGazette.com or www.kcrg.com, where we will have a live blog. You may submit questions via the websites at this special link.

ImpactCR, a networking group of Cedar Rapids area business people and emerging leaders, will have some questions, too. ImpactCR was interested in having such a forum when Malicki had initial conversations with the group. Folks at SourceMedia Group, which owns the newspaper, television station and websites, were interested in being partners.

My Sunday column explains why Harrison was selected, after we first planned to have the forum downtown.

The forum will meet a SourceMedia Group desire to foster community conversation about topics about which people care.

People certainly care about taxes, I am pointing out in my Sunday column. But they also care about moving forward from the 2008 flood, decent roads, good water and sewer systems and other public services, plus how well government handles all of that.

See you at Harrison or via the websites Thursday night.