Coralville Courier

It's Unofficial: Coralville votes down tax

CORALVILLE, IA. -- The vote tally in Coralville was 963 voting against the tax, 956 voting for the tax - a slim seven vote victory for Ax The Tax supporters.

Those results are preliminary however, as there are 45 absentee ballots out there that have not been turned in according to Johnson County Auditor Tom Slockett.  In order to be counted those absentee ballots had to be postmarked no later than today and need to be delivered to the auditor's office by Monday.

Joining Coralville in defeating the tax, were North Liberty, the unincorporated areas of Johnson County, and the portion of West Branch in Johnson County.

Approving a tax hike were Iowa City, Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Solon, Shueyville, Swisher and University Heights.  

The defeat of the tax in Coralville is a blow to the 'Yes For All' pro-tax folks, because Coralville's array of shopping venues and hotels would have generated the lion's share of tax revenue.  That money would have been pooled, with all cities approving the tax able to collect portions of the pooled money in accordance with a formula handed down by the state.  

And although the results are still preliminary, voters should note that the 'Yes For All' campaign and their cohorts outspent 'Ax The Tax' by about 10 - 1.  'Yes For All' Co-Chair Sue Dvorsky was seen tearing in a KCRG-TV9 report - with the news that Coralville had voted down the tax.

Click here for the results from the Auditor's Office.

Get out and vote!

Today is voting day folks!  Get out and vote “no” on the Mother Nature sales tax.  If this were to pass, we would pay more taxes on nearly everything that we buy, from books, to eating out at restaurants, to diapers.  The sales tax would hurt students, working Joes, and the elderly because a sales tax is the most regressive of all taxes and it won't stop there.  We would pay 16.6% more in taxes if this were to pass.

If you are unsure of your polling location, you can go to http://www.johnson-county.com/auditor/lst_precinctPublicEntry.cfm to find out where to go.  You must vote at your specific polling location.  If you are not registered to vote, you can do so at your polling location. 

For more information on the proposed sales tax increase, go to www.axthetax.net

Are Coralville leaders giving voters half-truth information?

In attempting to convince Coralville voters to support their proposed flood mitigation projects and vote yes for the Mother Nature tax, some city leaders are using a talking point that goes something like this:

Twenty percent of the businesses in Coralville that were hit by the flooding aren't coming back.  If flood walls, levies, and berms aren't built the argument continues, then the next time flooding comes, even more businesses will decide not to return.

We've read that argument being made by officials like City Administrator Kelly Hayworth in the newspaper, we heard it at the Coralville tax forum and elsewhere during the course of the Mother Nature Tax campaign. 

Side note:  Does Hayworth have a crystal ball?  How does he know even more businesses will decide not to return?  How does he know another 500 year flood is coming?

It's an emotional argument because it tugs on flood fears and sympathy for those impacted.  Nobody likes to see anyone suffer from Mother Nature's rath.

It's also a fiscal argument, because businesses no longer in business can't generate property tax revenue for the city.   $$$$$ is key to the city's stance.

So it's an appealing argument from the city's perspective, done so in the name of building flood walls, levies, berms, and pump stations in order to protect small businesses. 

But is the twenty percent claim true?  Is it fair of city officials to leave voters with the impression that there is this big 20% void in the community's business sector and that flooding was the sole cause?

Here is a short list of companies that had several feet of water in their location forcing them to close and that location's current day status.  This list is not all inclusive and research into this matter is ongoing.

Closed by Flood	Will reopen	Will NOT	Location Status
Cookies by Design	?		Space for lease
Coin Laundry on 2nd Ave.	x		Recently reopened
Coral Bay Aquarium	x		Relocated to 2nd Ave
Coral Lanes		x	Replaced by Randy's Floor & Tile
Electric Beach Tanning Salon	?		Initially wasn't going to reopen but did
Game Day Iowa	x		Relocated to Corridor Way Plaza
Indian Mix ethnic grocery		x	Replaced by Taj International Foods
Lone Star		x	Space for lease
Los Cabos Restaurant		x	Replaced by Sparti's Gyro
Mekong Restaurant	x		Demolition pending, moved to I.C.
Movie Gallery		x	Space for lease
Peking Buffet	x		Demolished
Saigon to Bangkok Restaurant		x	Replaced by Cactus Mexican Restaurant
Sleep Resource	x		Expanded into space vacated by Coral Bay Aqua.
Sluggers		x	Space for lease
Taco Bell		x	Demolished
Technigraphics		x	Replaced by Pro Care Home Medical
Village Liquors		?	Space for lease
2nd Ave. car wash		x	Unoccupied
Pella Windows	?		Unoccupied
Star Auto	?		Unoccupied
The Futon Shop	?		Space for lease
Tayeeb Ethnic Grocery		x	Unoccupied

Nobody wants to see businesses go down as a result of an act of God, but these things do happen.  And just like plants that sprout up after a forest fire, so to do businesses in a community.   Look at the above list, some of those businesses have indeed come back contrary to some pro-tax claims.  Like new growth plants in a burned down forest, new businesses have cropped up in Coralville replacing what existed prior to the flood.  New businesses like AbuMart - an ethnic grocery - have filled pre-flood vacant spaces in the flood zone. 

Let's not forget that in the case of a new business situation like AbuMart and their move into the flood zone, spaces were vacant and available in large part because of a souring economy.  That's key.  So while the flood may have been the nail in the proverbial coffin for businesses not coming back, business owners not in a position financially to retool and rebuild were on the road to closure anyway.  It wasn't just the flood, but pro-tax people aren't telling you that part.  Imagine no flood, but more vacant spaces as a result of the declining economy.  City officials are keeping that part out of the story because it undermines their agenda, but it's the reality.

The point here?  Don't take pro-tax arguments at face value.  There's more to the story.  While the "Twenty percent of businesses aren't coming back" may have some truth in it, it's not the whole truth.  Some relocated, some were replaced, some are pending return, some won't - but that 20% gone/void argument - deserves some scrutiny.

Ax The Tax Educating Public In Final Days Of Campaign

IOWA CITY, IA. -- Members of Ax The Tax are gearing up for the final days of campaigning heading into the May 5 vote on the proposed local option sales tax, a.k.a. the Mother Nature Tax.
 
Armed with a fresh order of yard signs, new radio ads, and doing a lot of door-to-door knocking, the group is aggressively educating the public on the other side of the coin regarding the tax hike, so voters can truly be informed on election day.
 
The Ax The Tax campaign is a broad-based grass-roots effort to vote down the proposed tax hike, conveying an educational message of Regressive Taxation, Accountability, and Common Sense.
 
Some voters aren't aware of how regressive a sales tax is.  Meaning people of lower or fixed incomes are affected more as it assumes a greater percentage of their income.  Asking this group of folks to pay for infrastructure projects is an unfair burden to them.
 
In terms of government accountability, according to Tina Potthoff of the Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO), a conservative estimate of $155 million has already been given to Johnson County for flood related projects as of March 2009.  Ax The Tax is waiting for actual numbers from Doug Elliot of East Central Iowa Council of Governments, but unfortunately for voters doesn't expect to receive those answers from government before May 5. 
 
Voters also need to know that of the 11 city jurisdictions and the unincorporated areas of the county, only three have 2008 flood related projects on their ballot.  Flood project specifics however, are not mentioned.
 
As Ax The Tax moves forward with educating the voters of Johnson County about this unnecessary tax, voters are encouraged to visit www.axthetax.net for additional information. 

A railroad can be a good thing

A railroad can be a good thing.  Yet, there are problems with railroads.  The railroad behavior of the Iowa City Press-Citizen is problematic.  On Tuesday the “Ax the Tax” leadership met with the editorial board of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. They were attentive to the concerns and questions we raised about the May 5 Sales Tax vote and plans for that potential money.  Though non-committal as to their position, several times they nodded their heads as if to say, “Yes, that’s true,” or “Good point.”  They were honest about meeting with supporters of the tax increase also.
 
In contrast, I was informed by the Editorial page manager of the Iowa City Press-Citizen that, no, they were not inviting us for an editorial board meeting to discuss the sales tax.  In fact, they had already met with the “Yes for all” group and were going to endorse the sales tax increase the next day, Wednesday.  When asked why the “Ax the Tax” group had not been invited, the response was less than enlightening, just “we didn’t.”

The newspaper industry is in turmoil; people dropping subscriptions and cutting advertising.  One of my neighbors is currently on a second one-week, unpaid furlough from the Press-Citizen.  That doesn’t remove their responsibility to do their job, to ask the “5 W’s and an H - Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How?”  As a graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism that phrase was drilled into my head, along with the idea that a journalist’s responsibility to the community was to ask the tough questions, be the bulldog, and get the facts.  We were taught to ask tough questions of government officials and never take their statements at face value.  We were to be the voice of the underdog, the poor, and the masses.  We represented the citizens.  We were not the lapdogs of the elite and privileged.  Unfortunately, the Press-Citizen management seems to have forgotten this role of the Fourth Estate. 

It’s disappointing following the public demonstration of concerns about government management, as shown by the 400 people who turned up of their own initiative at the April 15 TEA, ”Taxed Enough Already,” Party.  Those people were families, workers, teachers, retirees, elderly, and small business people who took time from their busy day to express their concern about government taxes and spending.  Those people deserve respect and for their concerns to be heard.  Those are the people the “Ax the Tax” group represents, not the political and business elite.  Yet we were not listened to by the Press-Citizen.

A Sales Tax is regressive.  Period.  It is always regressive and always negatively impacts the poorest among us the most.  National data shows that a worker making $15,000 will typically pay sales taxes on $6,800 of spending.  Every penny increase will cost that worker $68.00.  At 7 percent it will cost them almost $500 per year.  The Sales Tax just went up “only one penny” two years ago with the SILO vote.  The two combined total a 40 percent increase.  That is significant.  That will impact the poor, the students, and the retired. 

What is most troubling about the support for this tax by the political and business elite in Johnson County is that philosophically they should be opposed to a sales tax.  President Obama was elected specifically on the idea that the poor, middle-class, elderly, students, and retirees carry too much of the tax burden in this country, that this burden should be shifted to the wealthy.  Based on the November election returns the community supports this idea.  Instead they are publically and enthusiastically supporting the sales tax increase, instead of a property tax or user fees.  This moves the tax burden from large property owners and businesses directly to the poor and elderly.  They are encouraging a class warfare mentality, saying that 20 percent of the money will come from out-of-towners and students.  The idea espoused is that we should take their money; they can afford it, and keep our own.  Yet the Press-Citizen didn’t think the “Ax the Tax” group was worth hearing.

At the same time, local elected officials – the people who will be responsible for managing and spending these millions of dollars - have demonstrated serious management and accountability problems.  For example, voting for an $80,000 piece of artwork instead of funding a needed and promised fire station.  Firing the City Manager for some unknown reason.  Incurring $80,000 in penalty payments.   Not securing a FY 2010 earmark for the Coralville work from Congressman Dave Loebsack.  Wanting another $10 million for the Iowa River Landing, which was supposedly designed not to flood?  Allowing businesses and homeowners to build in the flood plain even after 1993.    But no interview by the Press-Citizen with the private citizens asking the hard questions and digging for the factual data.

The 2008 flood damage was significant.  People and businesses suffered financial losses.  However, this money will not buy homes or put cash in pockets.  In Iowa City and Coralville it will be used on “flood mitigation” projects, which have been hastily proposed and developed.   There may be other options, better and cheaper options.  But they are not being considered.  In rural Johnson County and the other cities, the money will not be used for “flood mitigation,” but general infrastructure.  These projects may be needed.  However, they should – especially during the worst recession since the Great Depression – if necessary - be funded from current taxes, not new taxes.  The “we want our share” mentality has led leaders of these communities to say, “The mall brings in lots of money, if we vote yes, we’ll get more.”  They are not about to let a good crisis go to waste.  Yet, the Press-Citizen wasn’t interest in hearing from “Ax the Tax.”

The “Ax the Tax” group is loosely organized and poorly funded; we are not the political and business elite of Johnson County.  We are taking the time from our own busy schedules to ask questions, to be involved.  We have shown up at forums, spoken on panels, and gone to TV interviews.  We have gotten yard signs out and made phone calls.  We have probably not done all we could, or followed up as well as we should have – but we are volunteers, we have jobs and families.  We still deserve to be heard.  You, the readers, of the Press-Citizen and the voters of Johnson County, deserve to be heard.  You don’t deserve to be railroaded.  Ax the Tax - Vote “NO” May 5.

Deb Thornton, Chair - Ax The Tax

Reasons to vote for the Mother Nature tax

Voters in Johnson County go to the polls on May 5 to vote on a 1 percent local-option sales tax.  The proposed tax, a.k.a., the Mother Nature Tax, is intended to generate *revenue* (money taken from your wallets and purses) so cities impacted by the 2008 flood can address flood recovery/mitigation concerns.  The state legislature made the proposal possible. 

So let's take a look at the projects being proposed by area cities.....

Iowa City:  They want to raise Dubuque Street, reconstruct and elevate the Park Road Bridge, and relocate the North Wastewater Treatment Plant out of the flood plain.  

The necessity of the North Wastewater Treatment Plant move is a valid need, but the other two projects are arguable at best.  The kicker is, these projects aren't listed on the ballot.  The wording on the Iowa City ballot is eyebrow raising vague. Why?  Was that done intentionally?  The revenue purpose the city lists reads: “100 percent for remediation, repair and protection of flood-affected public infrastructure and local matching funds for dollars received from any federal or state programs to assist with flood remediation, repair, and protection of flood-affected public infrastructure.”

What does that mean?  The city can change its mind on how it uses your money.  Without a specific project mention, the powers that be in Iowa City left themselves a lot of wiggle room.  If they don't want to put the money into Dubuque Street as *promised* during the campaign, they aren't legally bound to do so.  And never mind that these projects will not be effective in preventing the Iowa River from overrunning its banks and flooding the city. 

Do you have enough information to vote yes?

Did you know Johnson County is already receiving money for infrastructure needs from state and federal sources?  A conservative estimate from the Rebuild Iowa Office puts the amount at $155 million and rising.  How is that taxpayer money being spent?  The public has a right to know before we vote for another tax.  Did you know Dave Loebsack has submitted addtional funding requests for federal money to pay for Iowa City's projects, specifically outlining the Dubuque Street, Park Road Bridge, and the North Wastewater Treatment Plant?

Do you have enough information to vote yes?

Coralville:  The city wants to spend your money on berms, floodwalls and pump stations.  They have a nice little flood mitigation project handout identifying eight prioritized projects.

But like Iowa City's ballot, the wording on the Coralville ballot is also disturbingly vague.  The revenue purpose the city lists reads nearly the same as Iowa City's.  No specific project is identified.  So again, what does that mean?  The city can change its mind on how it uses your money.  Without a specific project mention, the powers that be in Coralville left themselves a lot of wiggle room.  This is the type of government manuevering that people are tired of.  Tea Party anyone?

Can we trust Coralville government officials to do the right thing with our money?  The city spent millions of taxpayer dollars uprooting homes and businesses in what is now called the Iowa River Landing area.  Despite objections, they spent millions more developing the city owned/taxpayer funded Marriott Hotel & Convention Center on the banks of the Iowa River - a known flood plain.   Now in hindsight, the city is asking taxpayers to cough up an additional $10 Million to "protect" that so-called "investment."  Plans to continue developing and attract new businesses to the Iowa River Landing area are still in motion.

How much tax money will continuing to develop in a known flood plain cost us in the future?  How smart is that?   How arrogant (stubborn?) is that of city officials?  

Did you know that Coralville officials do not know what impact their projects will have on downstream locations like Iowa City?    When asked at the recent Coralville tax forum what the upstream/downstream effects might be after the flood mitigation projects were in place, the entire panel to include representatives from Iowa City and North Liberty responded with, “That’s under evaluation.”

They don't know?

When asked if we'll get those answers before May 5, the response was, "No."

Do you have enough information to vote yes?

North Liberty:  The city wants to spend your money on a wish list focusing on multi-phased improvements for Highway 965.  Plans include intersection improvements, additional traffic signals, sustainable bio-swales, landscaping and other aesthetic enhancements.

Unlike Iowa City and Coralville, North Liberty specifically mentions their project on their ballot.  Kudos to North Liberty for doing so.  Voters would be able to hold elected officials accountable for how flood money is being spent.

But wait a minute......Flood money, Mother Nature Tax...... North Liberty wasn't adversely impacted by the flood of 2008 and do not have a single flood related project to address.  Therefore, if you abide by the spirit and intent of the Mother Nature tax given a special OK to do by the state - North Libery does not need flood money.

Do you have enough information to vote yes?

Mike Thayer's take on the Mother Nature Tax

Here's an audio clip of Mike Thayer's latest Real View:

Download Mother_nature2

Asking taxpayers to "prevent" Mother Nature is foolhardy

Johnson County has been hit hard by Mother Nature in recent years and make no mistake it will happen again.

Remember the flood of 1993?  It caused millions of dollars in damage.  In knee-jerk reaction, millions of taxpayer dollars in flood mitigation projects for the area were spent.

That worked out well didn’t it?

Not thinking things through and getting it right cost us.

So now as a result of the 2008 flood and under the guise of “solving Mother Nature,” local government is hurriedly trying to slap you with a Mother Nature tax.

I’ve heard Coralville city councilors like Tom Gill tell us that they want to move forward with flood mitigation projects using arrogant lines like, “It has been decided to solve the problem once and for all.”

We heard similar comments from officials after the flood of 1993. 

It is wholly arrogant for anyone to think they can prevent Mother Nature from doing her thing.  Further, it is unwise for taxpayers to give elected officials one dime to fight Mother Nature before we know what the cause/effect consequences of flood mitigation projects might be.  Not thinking things through will cost us.

When asked at the recent Coralville tax forum what the upstream/downstream effects might be after the flood mitigation projects were in place, the panel responded with, “That’s under evaluation.”

In other words, they don’t know.  Officials don’t know what they’re doing, but they want your money anyway and they want it now.

Vote NO on May 5.

Reasons to vote against the Mother Nature tax

1. First and foremost we need to start demanding accountability from our elected officials, for how they've spent the money they've already been given.  Unwise wants vs. need spending choices have been made, no serious budget cuts have been made whatsoever, officials blowing off the need to save for a rainy day, and their default to raise taxes for every little thing are unacceptable.
   
   
2. The area has already received and continues to receive funding from multiple federal and state sources to address flood recovery needs - you're already paying taxes for flood recovery and rebuilding.
   
   
3. The state does not mandate that revenue generated under this tax if passed, be used on flood recovery/mitigation.  Although ballots outline how the money is to be spent, the "intent" of where this money is spent could change. 
   
   
4. According to Tina Potthoff at the Rebuild Iowa Office, a conservative estimate of $155 million has already been given to Johnson County for flood damage/recovery.
   
   
5. Congressman Dave Loebsack has already requested $10 Million in federal funding for all three of Iowa City's proposed flood mitigation projects - the reconstruction and elevation of Dubuque Street, the elevation of Park Road Bridge, and relocating the North Wastewater Treatment Plant out of the flood plain.  
   
   
6. Given the sour economy, now is not the time to raise taxes on Johnson County residents, especially a sales tax which impacts lower income folks the most.  The proposed tax hike equates to a 16% increase on residents.

7. We can't trust Iowa City government officials to do the right thing with our money.  Iowa City Mayor Regina Bailey approved spending $80,000 for art at the same meeting that she nixed funding for fire department staffing.  Other examples of whacked out priorities include Iowa City government approving spending and/or purchases such as Wii consoles and games for $10,000, subsidizing a failing theatre $50,000 annually for several years, spending $62,000 on a survey for the downtown area that told us nothing we didn't already know about the area, $130,000 to renovate the city attorney's office...  That's the short list, there's more but you get the point...  Side note, the reconstruction and elevation of Dubuque Street, the elevation of Park Road Bridge, and relocating the North Wastewater Treatment Plant out of the flood plain have all been projects on the city's agenda for quite some time but not moved on.  

8. We can't trust the Iowa City Council - period.  They fired City Manager Michael Lombardo without warning and won't cite cause.  Timing is suspect.

9. We can't trust Coralville government officials to do the right thing with our money.  The city spent millions of taxpayer dollars uprooting homes and businesses in what is now called the Iowa River Landing area.  They spent millions more developing the city owned/taxpayer funded Marriott Hotel & Convention Center on the banks of the Iowa River - a known flood plain.   Now the city is asking taxpayers to cough up $10 Million more to "protect" that "investment."  Plans to continue developing and attract new businesses to the Iowa River Landing area are still in motion.  Further, the city's bond rating for $43 Million in general obligation bonds has been downgraded by Moody's, suggesting a lower level of confidence in city management as well as a possible credit issue.

10. The cities of Coralville and Iowa City spent millions of taxpayer dollars on flood mitigation efforts after the flood of 1993.  Those efforts didn't work.  City officials continue to push for building in flood plains (see #8 above).

11. The city of North Liberty was not impacted by the flooding, but plans to use this "opportunity" to grab taxpayer money to make changes to Highway 965.  Plans include landscaping and aesthetic enhancements.

12. Citizens in Johnson County already pay the highest county taxes in the state, at over $820 per person, or $3,300 for a family of four.

13. The average household in Johnson County already pays over $13,000 in federal taxes (see #1 above).  We rank in the top 10% in the COUNTRY for federal taxes.

14. Affecting residents' income effective July 1, 2009, voters in Johnson County approved a $20 Million bond issue in November 2008, authorizing the county to buy up unspecified lands, for unspecified uses.   

15. If passed, this new tax will also impact residents' income, effective July 1, 2009.

16. Property taxes in Johnson County are projected to go up.

17. On the table:  A proposed new jail and justice center for Johnson County costing taxpayers an estimated $60 Million+.

    
    A story regarding 'Reasons to vote for the Mother Nature tax' is pending....

Questions regarding the Mother Nature tax

With flood money available and coming in from state and federal sources, is it fair of city officials to ask their residents to pay even more in taxes via a proposed local option sales tax?

Despite the availability of money from other sources, Johnson County voters are being asked to go to the polls on May 5 to vote on a proposed local option sales tax.  The proposed tax has been labeled a "Mother Nature" tax, because money is to be taken from residents for acts of Mother Nature.  City officials think that with their proposed flood mitigation projects, they can prevent Mother Nature from doing her thing, never to flood us again.  It should be noted that millions of taxpayer dollars were spent on flood mitigation efforts after the flooding of 1993.  That worked out well didn't it? 

So are the area's city officials even asking for federal or state money?  And if they are, why aren't we hearing about it?

Yesterday the Coralville Courier ran a story about an announcement from Senator Grassley that nearly $5.3 Million was coming to Iowa for disaster recovery.  Sadly, none of that money is targeted for Iowa City or Coralville.  Cedar Rapids knew how to ask for and receive more than $2.7 Million of that money.  They've received A LOT of federal money.  You see Cedar Rapids named in these kind of announcements all the time, but NOT Iowa City or Coralville.  Why is that?  

Have city officials looked at all the options and/or the possible consequences of actions before asking residents to cough up more money?

Officials still don't know if high silt levels in the Coralville Reservoir might have been a root cause in the 2008 floods.  That is still being evaluated.  So why are residents already being asked to pay more in taxes?  

At a recent 'tax information' forum held in Coralville, Chuck Seberg, a resident of Coralville and a member of the tax opposition group "Ax The Tax" asked all members of the panel (city officials from Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty) if they had considered or inquired with the Army Corps of Engineers about dredging the Coralville Reservoir.  If the reservoir were to be dredged back to its original capacity he inquired, then future flooding could be avoided and "we wouldn't need to be talking about this taxation."  Members of the panel looked at each other in puzzlement, making it clear that dredging had not been considered.  Will we get an answer to Chuck Seberg's question before May 5th?  No.

Officials don't know if their proposed flood mitigation projects will have dire consequences to locations up or downstream.  That is still being evaluated.  So is it fair of city officials then to ask their residents to pay more in taxes via a local option sales tax before we know whether projects will be more harmful than good?  During the aforementioned 'tax information' forum, when asked pointedly what impacts the proposed flood mitigation projects might have to areas either upstream or downstream, Larry Weber from the University of Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research stated that upstream/downstream effects were still being evaluated.  Will we get answers as to the possible upstream/downstream effects before May 5th?  No.

Do our elected officials and their appointees know what they're doing?  Why are they moving forward with mulitiple million dollar projects if there are so many questions hanging out there unanswered?

At the League of Women Voters Tax Forum held last night, representatives from Iowa City, Coralville, and Johnson County were unaware of the following:

1. The total amount of flood damage in dollars incurred by Iowa City and Coralville
2. How much money has already been given to Johnson County communities through the "Rebuild Iowa" program 

You would think our elected officials would know stuff like that right?  It's their job to know such things.

According to Tina Pothoff of the Rebuild Iowa Office, the Johnson County area has been given more than $155 Million. 

Why haven't city officials shared with us or released to the media information about FEMA Infrastructure Funds?  Surely elected officials want area residents to be informed right?  How much of that $251 Million approved for Iowa is targeted for Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty?  Surely our elected officials are in the loop on this right?  It's their job to be doing this stuff on our behalf right?

Why haven't city officials shared with us or released to the media information about U.S. Dept. of Transportation Funds?   Surely elected officials want area residents to be informed right?  How much of that $23+ Million approved for Iowa is targeted for Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty?  Surely our elected officials are in the loop on this right?  It's their job to be doing this stuff on our behalf right?

Why haven't city officials shared with us or released to the media information about the Iowa Disaster Recovery Bill?  How much of that $56 Million is targeted for Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty?

Do officials not want this kind of news in the media because they fear such news will impact how residents will vote on May 5th?