The New Politics of Local Funding for Flood Control Infrastructure

The city of Cedar Rapids has traditionally struggled to generate funding for flood control projects from local sources. As flooding increases and federal support decreases, the political calculus for flood control infrastructure has changed.

September 10, 2018, 11am PDT | James Brasuell | @CasualBrasuell

Residents prepare for the Cedar Rapids Flood of 2016.

Jonathannsegal

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"Cedar Rapids officials are proposing a 10-year bonding plan that could require yearly property tax increases to pay for a $550 million flood control system…to protect the east and west banks of the Cedar River," reports B.A. Morelli.

The local property tax would cover half the price of the plan, with the rest coming from funds already promised by state and federal governments. Local officials cited in the article report growing public support for the bond and new flood control infrastructure. Morelli also reports that flooding is occurring more frequently in the region, and as recently as this weekend.

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Cedar Rapids proposes tax increases with 10-year plan to pay for flood control

Published on Thursday, September 6, 2018 in The Gazette