I received the following e-mail last week on the March 3, 2009 Local Option Sales Tax vote for the City of Cedar Rapids and Linn County, Iowa...
On March 3rd many of our members will vote whether or not to approve a 1 cent local option tax. The link below is to the Linn County Auditor’s webpage which outlines the revenue purpose of each municipality that is eligible for the tax as well as the ballot language.
http://www.linncounty.org/content.asp?Page_Id=963&Dept_Id=6
Here is some general information about the election taken from the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Sales tax election
■ Ballot question — Should your city (or county) of residence be authorized to collect a 1 percent localoption sales and services tax from April 1, 2009, until June 30, 2014? Each city and the county will say on the ballot how the tax revenue would be used.
■ Date of election — Tuesday, March 3
■ Polling place hours — 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
■ Where to vote — Go to your regular polling place.
Residents of Bertram, Central City, Coggon and Prairieburg will not vote because those cities already collect the local 1 percent sales tax.
■ Last day to register to vote — Feb. 20
■ To vote absentee — Go to the Auditor’s Office at Westdale Mall by March 2 or request an absentee ballot by mail before Feb. 27.
■ How it will work — Each city’s voters determine whether the tax will be collected in that city. The metro area does not vote as a bloc. If, for example, Cedar Rapids voters approve the tax and Marion voters reject it, the 1 percent tax will be collected in Cedar Rapids but not in Marion.
Or if voters in all the cities approve the tax and those in the unincorporated areas reject it, the county will not share in tax proceeds.
■ Questions? — Call the Linn County Auditor’s Office, (319) 892-5300.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids on 2/23/09
I will be attending the following meeting today:
Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Monday, February 23, 2009
12 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Speaker and Program:
Doug Neumann, Economic Planning & Redevelopment Corporation - Progress/Problems
Friday, February 13, 2009
Legislative Lunch, February 13
I am attending the following luncheon:
Here is your chance to visit with your legislatures, ask questions and discuss important issues. This is a Q & A, panel lunch and will be held in the Chamber Board Room from 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cookies and drinks will be provided, please bring a lunch. This event is free for Chamber members; please RSVP here to attend. We hope to see you there.
Note: This meeting has changed from Saturday mornings, going forward it will be held on Friday afternoons.
Our businesses are members of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce.
Here is your chance to visit with your legislatures, ask questions and discuss important issues. This is a Q & A, panel lunch and will be held in the Chamber Board Room from 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cookies and drinks will be provided, please bring a lunch. This event is free for Chamber members; please RSVP here to attend. We hope to see you there.
Note: This meeting has changed from Saturday mornings, going forward it will be held on Friday afternoons.
Our businesses are members of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Economist: Obama is more of the same from Bush
I just received the following e-mail from The Economist today:
Dear Reader,
Dear Reader,This week could have marked a turning-point in the an ever-deepening global slump, as Barack Obama produced the two main parts of his rescue plan: a $789 billion stimulus plan and his outline for a (probably even more expensive) bank bail-out. This double offensive could have broken the spiral of uncertainty and gloom that is gripping investors, producers and consumers across the globe. Alas, that opportunity was squandered. Mr Obama ceded control of the stimulus to the fractious congressional Democrats, so the fiscal boost is less efficient than it should have been. The financial-rescue blueprint, touted as a bold departure from the incrementalism and uncertainty that had plagued the Bush administration's Wall Street fixes, is depressingly more of the same: timid, incomplete and short on detail. That is the judgment of our cover leader this week.
Here are some other pieces from this week's issue you might also be interested in. You can click straight through to each one and read it online at Economist.com using the links below.
John Micklethwait
Editor in Chief
The Economist
THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
How a model economy fell to earth
All the more reason for Obama to intervene in the Middle East
Why electronic books could save newspapers
A special report on the new middle classes in the emerging markets
The business behind the games
Monday, February 9, 2009
Legislative update for 2/9/09 from nwyc.com
First, a comment on the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids meeting and Linda Langston's comments today.
There were 70 disasters in 33 states in 2008. Of those disasters, eighty-one percent (81%) of the money from the Federal Government went to two states (Louisiana and Texas). Back when Grand Forks, ND and Hurricane Katrina occurred, there were not many natural disasters in comparison, in numbers, to the disasters of 2008, including the Flood of 2008 in Cedar Rapids.
With 81% of the Federal recovery relief going to only two states, help for Cedar Rapids is coming very slow at the Federal level. The economic impact of the flood is large and will likely take the next 10 years of consistent hard work to fully recover.
Please ask your Federal Representative or Senator, what are they doing to aid those impacted by the Midwest flooding of 2008?
Thank you
We received the following e-mail from National Write Your Congressman today:
REVIEW:
President Signs SCHIP
The House passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by an overwhelming majority. The program calls for $32.8 billion to be spent to insure children from lower-income homes through 2013. An estimated 2.4 million children who would have access to private insurance are also expected to join the rolls. The House approved the measure on a 290-135 vote with the backing of most Democrats and 40 Republicans. The plan sailed through the Senate and the President has signed it into law.Over the next four years, up to 13 million children could be covered by the plan, which will be funded by a 62-cent increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes, bringing the total federal excise tax to $1.01 a pack.(H.R.2)
Stimulus Package Continues to Take Shape
Senate moderates searched for a compromise that would reduce the size toward $800 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which lawmakers are calling the economic stimulus package. Key Democratic moderates said that they were close to a deal that would win support from a small group of Republican centrists and perhaps give the package enough votes to pass.With lawmakers expressing a desire to complete this legislation, the talk of broad bipartisanship that surrounded early stimulus discussions has vanished as Senate Democratic leaders attempt to secure a bare minimum of Republican support. Sixty votes are needed to pass the bill and send it to conference with the House. (H.R.1)
Stimulus Package — Mortgage Aid Republican leaders have called for mortgage aid for homeowners to be included in the stimulus package. According to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), the suggested proposals for subsidized mortgage refinancing at rates of 4.5 percent or lower would cost between $300 million and $1 trillion. (H.R.1)
Buy American Lawmakers have agreed that provisions should be stripped from the House
and Senate stimulus bills requiring the use of made-in-the U.S.A. steel, iron or other goods in these financed projects. Reports showed that more Americans would lose jobs than gain them under these stipulations. (H.R.1)
Pell Grants in Stimulus
Boosts in Pell grant funding have emerged as a key point in the debate among Republicans and Democrats over whether certain spending provisions belong in the economic stimulus bill.Both the Senate and House stimulus proposals include more than $140 billion in education spending, but Republicans have zeroed in on Pell grant funding as an example of what they say is non-stimulative spending in the legislation. (H.R.1)
Trade Adjustment Assistance in Stimulus
Lawmakers reached a bipartisan compromise that is expected to open the door to the reauthorization and expansion of a long-stalled program that helps workers who are put at a disadvantage by foreign trade. The agreement on the Trade Adjustment Assistance program provides training, wage protections and unemployment assistance to workers struggling with competition from international business.The reauthorization was expected to be attached to the economic stimulus legislation but that became uncertain when Republicans objected. (H.R.1)
Congress Told “Treasury Paid Too Much” A valuation study by the Congressional Oversight Panel — a watchdog created by the bailout law (P.L. 110-343) — found that the Treasury Department “paid substantially more for the assets it purchased under the Troubled Asset Relief Program than their then-current market value.” (H.R.384)
PREVIEW
The Senate will continue to consider details of the economic stimulus package. Lawmakers will consider food safety loopholes and examine the recent outbreak of salmonella-contaminated peanut butter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promised more proposals from minority members would be considered after the stimulus package is completed.
Click here to view the R&P Report as a PDF
There were 70 disasters in 33 states in 2008. Of those disasters, eighty-one percent (81%) of the money from the Federal Government went to two states (Louisiana and Texas). Back when Grand Forks, ND and Hurricane Katrina occurred, there were not many natural disasters in comparison, in numbers, to the disasters of 2008, including the Flood of 2008 in Cedar Rapids.
With 81% of the Federal recovery relief going to only two states, help for Cedar Rapids is coming very slow at the Federal level. The economic impact of the flood is large and will likely take the next 10 years of consistent hard work to fully recover.
Please ask your Federal Representative or Senator, what are they doing to aid those impacted by the Midwest flooding of 2008?
Thank you
We received the following e-mail from National Write Your Congressman today:
REVIEW:
President Signs SCHIP
The House passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by an overwhelming majority. The program calls for $32.8 billion to be spent to insure children from lower-income homes through 2013. An estimated 2.4 million children who would have access to private insurance are also expected to join the rolls. The House approved the measure on a 290-135 vote with the backing of most Democrats and 40 Republicans. The plan sailed through the Senate and the President has signed it into law.Over the next four years, up to 13 million children could be covered by the plan, which will be funded by a 62-cent increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes, bringing the total federal excise tax to $1.01 a pack.(H.R.2)
Stimulus Package Continues to Take Shape
Senate moderates searched for a compromise that would reduce the size toward $800 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which lawmakers are calling the economic stimulus package. Key Democratic moderates said that they were close to a deal that would win support from a small group of Republican centrists and perhaps give the package enough votes to pass.With lawmakers expressing a desire to complete this legislation, the talk of broad bipartisanship that surrounded early stimulus discussions has vanished as Senate Democratic leaders attempt to secure a bare minimum of Republican support. Sixty votes are needed to pass the bill and send it to conference with the House. (H.R.1)
Stimulus Package — Mortgage Aid Republican leaders have called for mortgage aid for homeowners to be included in the stimulus package. According to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), the suggested proposals for subsidized mortgage refinancing at rates of 4.5 percent or lower would cost between $300 million and $1 trillion. (H.R.1)
Buy American Lawmakers have agreed that provisions should be stripped from the House
and Senate stimulus bills requiring the use of made-in-the U.S.A. steel, iron or other goods in these financed projects. Reports showed that more Americans would lose jobs than gain them under these stipulations. (H.R.1)
Pell Grants in Stimulus
Boosts in Pell grant funding have emerged as a key point in the debate among Republicans and Democrats over whether certain spending provisions belong in the economic stimulus bill.Both the Senate and House stimulus proposals include more than $140 billion in education spending, but Republicans have zeroed in on Pell grant funding as an example of what they say is non-stimulative spending in the legislation. (H.R.1)
Trade Adjustment Assistance in Stimulus
Lawmakers reached a bipartisan compromise that is expected to open the door to the reauthorization and expansion of a long-stalled program that helps workers who are put at a disadvantage by foreign trade. The agreement on the Trade Adjustment Assistance program provides training, wage protections and unemployment assistance to workers struggling with competition from international business.The reauthorization was expected to be attached to the economic stimulus legislation but that became uncertain when Republicans objected. (H.R.1)
Congress Told “Treasury Paid Too Much” A valuation study by the Congressional Oversight Panel — a watchdog created by the bailout law (P.L. 110-343) — found that the Treasury Department “paid substantially more for the assets it purchased under the Troubled Asset Relief Program than their then-current market value.” (H.R.384)
PREVIEW
The Senate will continue to consider details of the economic stimulus package. Lawmakers will consider food safety loopholes and examine the recent outbreak of salmonella-contaminated peanut butter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promised more proposals from minority members would be considered after the stimulus package is completed.
Click here to view the R&P Report as a PDF
Rotary Club Meeting for Monday, February 9, 2009
Robin Tucker will be attending the following meeting today:
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009
12 p.m at
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
Today's Speaker and Program:
THE ECONOMIC PLANNING & REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (EPRC) - STATE & FEDERAL LOBBYING EFFORTS
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
State of Iowa 2008 Election Report
The Secretary of State for the State of Iowa has issued the Iowa Secretary of State 2008 Report. Some interesting information is compiled in the report.
For example the table of contents is as follows...
Introduction
- Letter from Secretary of State Michael A. Mauro pg. 1
- About the Office pg. 2
Elections and Voter Registration
- Voter-Verified Paper Trail pg. 3
- Election Day Registration pg. 4-5
- Challenging a Voter’s Qualifications pg. 6
- Reduced Provisional Voting pg. 6
- Statewide Voter Registration System (I-VOTERS) pg. 7
- Ballot Couriers/Absentee Ballot Affidavit Review pg. 8
- School Board Elections pg. 9
- Special Election Dates pg. 9
- Turnout and Satellite Voting Stations pg. 10
- Vote Centers pg. 10
- Electronic Transmission of Absentee Ballots pg. 11
- Polling Place Accessibility pg. 11
- Civic Events pg. 12
- 2009 Legislative Proposals pg. 13
Business Services
- Corporations pg. 14
- UCCs pg. 15
- Notaries pg. 16
- Miscellaneous Filings pg. 16
- 2009 Business Services Advancements pg. 16
Monday, February 2, 2009
Today's Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids meeting
ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
12 p.m.
Topic and Speaker at Today's Meeting
JOHN SMITH, PRESIDENT & CEO, CRST
JOHN SMITH, PRESIDENT & CEO, CRST
CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC PLANNING & REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (EPRC)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Welcome February 1, 2009: Super Bowl Sunday and Super Bowl XLIII
Our home town paper, The Gazette, put together a 12 game spread in today's paper headlined:
C.R.'s Warner Returns to Football's Biggest State
SUPER AGAIN
SUPER AGAIN
For Iowans today, it's hard not to go with hometown, home state QB Kurt Warner and his Arizona Cardinals, despite the black & gold of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We hope everyone has a great Super Bowl Sunday here wherever you may be today!
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