Essential Estrogen

Former Iowa legislator and 2006 gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon will be in control of the microphone this Friday morning, replacing Jan Mickelson as host of the radio personality's talk show.

During the show, broadcast in central Iowa on Newsradio 1040 WHO and in eastern Iowa on AM 600 WMT, Fallon will moderate a discussion between opposing sides of the "Yes to Destiny" sales tax proposition for Polk, Dallas and Warren counties. Those outside of the listening area can put a glass to the wall by using WMT's live stream. The discussion will run from 9 to 11 a.m.

Afterward Fallon and Lynn Huess, his partner in I'M for Iowa, will provide their take on the debate.

"Project Destiny" is a local option sales tax, the culmination of months of discussion among business and community leaders. The proposition will go before voters Tuesday, July 10.

Local campaign officials say the plan will raise $750 million over 10 years through the sales tax increase. Proceeds would be split into thirds: One-third for property tax relief in each of the 41 communities voting, one-third earmarked for publicly announced government plans and one-third for regional "quality of life" projects. Participating cities have set a 10 year plan for use of their portion of the funds.

Proponents believe property tax burdens will be reduced and regional quality of life amenities will be enhanced. This, in turn, will allow the region to retain current employers and employees while attracting new ones.

Opponents say this plan is "the largest local option tax increase in Iowa history" and point to an April report by the Tax Foundation. In that report, Iowa is listed as 18th in the nation for state and local tax burden. Iowans, according to the report, will pay 11 percent of their incomes in taxes to state and local governments this year.

If passed, the third of the tax earmarked for "quality of life" project would be managed by a new 15-member board called the Tri-County Regional Authority. Funding would be distributed, according to YesToDestiny.org, for regional quality of life facilities (30 percent), recreational trails (25 percent), scientific, arts, cultural and historic preservation organizations (25 percent) and additional regional property relief through regional property tax equalization and transition (20 percent).