There were two questions on the ballot on Tuesday night that were to act as funding streams for the proposed $13.38 million renovations and addition at the Carroll Recreation Center. The first measure asked voters to approve the elimination of a 2024 sunset on the city’s Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) that would then allow them to utilize about $7.6 million for the project. The tax, however, benefits city taxpayers as 25 percent is used for property tax reduction with the remainder being allocated to road construction and other as-of-yet unidentified projects. City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, says the voter approval of 52.7 percent on that question is a win for not only Carroll, but the entirety of Carroll County.
The other question asked voters to approve the issuance of up to $5.9 million in General Obligation (GO) bonds to help fund the Rec Center project. That vote, however, failed at 45.7 percent when 60 percent plus one was needed. Pogge-Weaver says the pandemic may have played a role in this outcome.
These results, he says, will send the council members back to the table to begin a conversation on where they go from here.
The council does have the option to bring this plan or another back to the public for a vote in six months on the next designated special election date in March. Totals from this election and a comparison with the Library/City Hall special election are included below.
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Sept. 8, 2020
1,752 ballots were cast with a 24.49% voter turnout
- Public Measure C—To authorize imposition of a local option sales and service tax in the City of Carroll that will continue without repeal of existing local sales and services tax at the rate of one percent (1%) to be effective from January 1, 2024, until repealed.
- 914 Yes votes
- 819 No votes
- Measure passes at 52.7%
- Public Measure D—Shall the City of Carroll enter into a loan agreement and issue its General Obligation capital loan notes in an amount not to exceed $5,900,000 for the purpose of the construction, reconstruction, improvement, enlargement, extension and equipping of a recreation center?
- 793 Yes
- 951 No
- Measure Fails a5 45.7 percent
Library City Hall referendum vote certified by Carroll County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 7, 2017
2,909 ballots were cast
- Public Measure E—Shall the City of Carroll, Iowa enter into a loan agreement and issue its General Obligation capital loan notes in an amount not exceeding the amount of $3,800,000?
- 1,803 Yes
- 1,106 No
- Measure passed at 61.98 percent
