Coralville, Iowa City, and North Liberty City Councils have all chosen to put a 1% Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) on the ballot this November 4, 2025. Our three largest municipalities are among only 17 cities in the entire state of Iowa not collecting this tax. A local option sales tax will help us capture and reinvest what visitors are already spending in Johnson County and allow each community to fund what matters to their residents.

 

Capturing Visitor Spending 

University athletics, great shopping, cultural events, and more draw millions of visitors to our area every year. In 2024, Johnson County saw 5.1 million visitors – and those visitors made nearly 30 million trips to individual stores and restaurants. That is a massive influx of visitor spending, especially compared to the approximately 152,000 people who live in Johnson County. 

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In 2023, visitors spent more than $458 million in Johnson County. That’s nearly $3,000 spent for every one Johnson County resident. 

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If all three cities pass a local option sales tax, they will collectively receive over $22 million every year and ensure visitors are paying their fair share for the public services they utilize.  

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Local Option Sales Tax is a Proven and Popular Funding Tool 

Almost every other city in Iowa collects a local option sales tax. In Johnson County alone, six communities have a local option sales tax: Lone Tree, Solon, Swisher, Tiffin, University Heights, and West Branch. This places Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty in the extreme minority and means that you are likely already contributing sales tax dollars to other communities you visit. 

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Local option sales tax does not affect the cost of most basic household expenses: groceries, rent and mortgage payments, utilities, vehicle payments, gasoline, or prescription drugs. It requires a majority of voters to vote “yes” to pass. 

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A local option sales tax is a proven and popular funding tool, providing cities flexibility to fund what matters to their residents. 

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Vote Yes for local option sales tax on November 4.