A Critical Debate, Whacks and All

Today's print column.

It turns out, based on this past week, that “pinata” is Spanish for “Ron Corbett.”

From the moment word reached local citizenry that the Cedar Rapids' mayor was poll-testing a 20-year local-option sales tax extension for flood protection and roads, the whacking began.

You sold us a five-year tax, now you want 20? Whack. You strayed from the ballot language we approved last time, so how can we trust you? Whack. Let's start a petition to cancel the current tax. Whack.

There are legitimate beefs, to be sure. Corbett and Co. have much explaining to do.

And besides, whacking is fun. I love it. You love it.

Whack, whack, whack. Fun, fun, fun.

What's much less fun is leading a city gut-punched by record flooding, knowing that it will be much tougher to recover, harder to encourage investments in the city's heart, without full-scale flood protection. It's also no picnic knowing that you have a responsibility to future generations to avoid bungling this crucial moment.

And if you were in those shoes, by now you'd know the feds are no longer impressed by our big flood. The Army Corps of Engineers looks into its flawed crystal ball and sees little risk of another epic surge, and little need for a comprehensive protection system. Forget the haywire climate and its deluges. They recommend an east-side-only Band-Aid, with a cost-benefit score of 1.0. The west side gets faith-based protection. Good luck.

And if you were mayor, you'd have heard rumblings that the president's budget won't fund any projects with a score under 3.0. In Congress, slicing is in, spending is out. It's highly unlikely that even the Band-Aid will be funded.

The state Legislature might help. But you know from experience that the Statehouse is like a restaurant where you order a baloney sandwich and the waiter brings a cocker spaniel. You're optimistic, but you don't know what you'll get.

What about local dollars? You could raise property taxes, but that's a lead balloon full of bricks. Maybe you can get a gambling license. But the current casino cartel never will let that happen.

So, perhaps, you can extend the sales tax. You're going to catch hell for even making the suggestion. But at the very least, this city will have a real public debate over one of the most important decisions in its history.

And you'll find out, once and for all, if voters hate you, the council, government, taxes, etc., more than they fear another flood - a disaster with social and economic consequences that will make the pain of a penny tax look like a mosquito bite.

Even if voters decide it's a tax they won't pay, it's a debate they must have, whacks and all.

Comments: (319) 398-8452; todd.dorman@sourcemedia.net