LOCAL OPTIONS VOTE RESULTS

"In a second trip to the polls, voters in the five cities that rejected the tax in March turned around and approved it in a landslide Tuesday.

The one-percent sales tax increase goes into effect July 1 in the cities that approved it Tuesday, putting it into effect throughout the county. Voters in Cedar Rapids, rural Linn County and eight other cities approved the tax March 3.

The tax will last for five years.

Almost 80 percent of Hiawatha voters approved the tax. The unofficial final tally was 599 votes to 155.

"We got the word out that they were going to pay it in Cedar Rapids and they weren't going to get the benefit," Hiawatha Mayor Tom Theis said. "The first time we didn't get our message out correctly."" - Cedar Rapids Gazette