Tax Hike, More Officers Proposed In Cedar Rapids Budget

CEDAR RAPIDS — A property tax hike to pay for flood protection and anticipated revenue from a reestablished traffic camera program to pay for 10 new police officers are highlights of a proposed Cedar Rapids fiscal 2020 budget unveiled Tuesday evening. The budget, which broadly previews city spending priorities, would increase the municipal property tax rate for the first time in a decade to support a 10-year, $264 million borrowing plan to cover much of the local share of a $750 million flood control system.“We all knew we were going to have to put a significant amount of investment in our flood control system,” Cedar Rapids council member Tyler Olson said earlier this week.