Linn County Board of Supervisors Approves Local Option Sales Tax Resolutions

The Linn County Board of Supervisors today approved (3-1) two separate resolutions regarding a 1 percent local option sales and services tax. Voters in all Linn County jurisdictions (with the exception of Coggon, Bertram, Central City, and Prairieburg)will vote March 3, 2009, on whether to implement a local option sales and services tax. If passed, the tax will begin April 1, 2009. Each jurisdiction decides its own initiatives that would be funded by a local option sales tax. Coggon, Bertram, Central City, and Prairieburg already have a local option sales tax in effect and will not be participating in this vote.  

The first resolution approved by the Board of Supervisors set the local option sales tax sunset for June 30, 2014, or a total of five years and three months. This sunset will apply for all jurisdictions in Linn County.  

The second resolution approved by the Board stated that revenue from the tax for the unincorporated areas of Linn County would be used as follows: 

• Year 1 (April 1, 2009-March 31, 2010): 100 percent for flood recovery, including replacing flood-related Linn County revenue shortfalls and repair and replacement of flood-damaged Linn County property.
• Years 2-5 (April 1, 2010-June 30, 2014): Not less than 90 percent for construction and maintenance of Linn County secondary roads and bridges; and not more than 10 percent for conservation maintenance and improvements.

Supervisor Brent Oleson cast a dissenting vote because he did not support a local option sales tax that would last any longer than five years.  

CORRIDOR RECOVERY SPONSORS: