A champion for flood protection

By The Gazette Editorial Board

---

We can't help mulling over the May 3 referendum outcome. It still doesn't sit so well. But learning from the results is more important. And most important is not giving up on building better flood protection.

Voters spoke, at least did roughly one-fourth of registered voters who bothered to cast a ballot. But did they speak for the community at large when they rejected - by 221 votes - extending the local-option sales tax for 20 years toward comprehensive flood protection with portions going for street repairs and property tax relief?

Yes and no.

Yes - because many voters had a problem with the plan's parts or the way to fund it and/or their opinion of city leaders promoting it.

No - because, after hearing and reading much feedback, we're convinced this community's majority sees value in more flood protection.

Mayor Ron Corbett clearly was the face of the plan. He seemed tireless in his efforts to explain and promote its importance. He and other supporters traveled to Des Moines many times, lobbying legislators to garner state financing for the flood protection system - knowing it was contingent on Cedar Rapids metro voters agreeing to do their share. Lawmakers moved to the verge of finalizing support.

But they shelved the legislation soon after the referendum failed.

So far, Corbett and Council members haven't said much publicly about coming back with another plan and referendum anytime soon. The mayor told columnist Todd Dorman that any new proposal may well come from a citizens committee.

Perhaps that's conceding that the council has too much public baggage - albeit much of it undeserved, distorted, ugly, unfair or simply untrue - to lead and push another plan and referendum.

But we see a lot of “no” voters who simply prefer a plan with a single focus - building flood protection - and funding it over a shorter period of time. Remember the swimming pool project of a decade ago, financed by a one-year local sales tax with two-thirds voter support? It raised $15 million to repair and improve all the city's outdoor pools. A single target with easily measured results.

Comprehensive flood protection is, of course, a much bigger, more complicated and more expensive project. But it's also more important to our future. It's about investing in our city's large core, without which leaves our local economy and quality of life vulnerable.

So this is no time to quit on ourselves. Regroup, review and come back with a revised plan that addresses the thoughtful concerns of first-plan opponents and provides a high level of flood protection along both sides of our river.

Flood protection needs a champion. If not among our elected officials, then who? Our community cannot afford to have this challenge go unanswered.

n Comments: thegazette.com/

category/opinion/editorial or

editorial@sourcemedia.net