Mayor Halloran reports: Council’s plan for now is a 5-year sales tax; 20% for property-tax relief, 80% for flood relief

The Cedar Rapids City Council’s preliminary draft of ballot language for a March 3 local-option sales tax vote will ask voters in Cedar Rapids to approve the 1-percent tax for five years beginning April 1, Mayor Kay Halloran reports.

Additionally, the draft language calls on the revenue raised by the tax to be used in Cedar Rapids in two ways: 20 percent of the revenue would be used for property-tax relief; and 80 percent would be used for flood protection and for the acquisition and rehabilitation of flood-damaged housing, the mayor said.

Halloran noted that the language is in draft form and could change.

The Cedar Rapids City Council indicated Wednesday evening that it is at the ready to put a local-option sales tax on the ballot March 3.

It is awaiting word from Des Moines to see if the Iowa House follows the Iowa Senate and gives the city and others in disaster areas permission to set aside current timing procedures and get the measure on the ballot on March 3.

The legislative measure, as now written, would require cities intending on a March 3 vote to approve a measure by Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Halloran said the City Council is prepared to vote to put the measure on the ballot before the Feb. 3 deadline once the Legislature approves it and the governor signs it. Halloran has said the governor has told her he will sign the measure.

A 1-percent tax is expected to raise between $18 million and $23 million for the city of Cedar Rapids, city officials have estimated.