Gomers: What's going wrong

By The Gazette Editorial Board

LEFT OUT: It made sense to hire the reputable consultant firm Frew Nations Group to design and build the Cedar Rapids Event Center project. Their specialized expertise for this complicated, extensive project was beyond the realm of the city's Five Seasons Facilities Commission, which oversees operations of the Paramount Theatre, Ice Arena and U.S. Cellular Center and will add the Event Center after it is built. But we, too, wonder why city leaders didn't include the Commission when they sought out a consultant for the project and also why Frew Nations Group, once hired, didn't invite the Commission's input during the design process, as commissioners complained about last week. After all, the commissioners have to run the place and maintain a budget.

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MOVIE TAX CREDIT FLAP: Nearly 80 percent of the $32 million in state tax credits granted to 22 film companies that filed claims for the incentive to do business in Iowa did not provide proper documentation, state Auditor David Vaudt announced last week. The scandal that broke last year and revealed inadequate oversight by the Iowa Department of Economic Development also has prompted the Iowa Attorney General's Office to file a lawsuit against those involved in producing or pursuing 15 of those movie projects. And further illustrating how lax the IDED's oversight was, the Attorney General's Office earlier in October said that review of

158 registered projects have led to 72 projects having their registrations revoked so far.