As fall approaches and local governments in central Iowa begin to put budgets together for the coming year, they will have to decide what to do with the extraordinarily high property tax assessment increases that homeowners and businesses received in
House Proposes Property Tax Transparency
Property tax assessments hit the mailboxes and the news this month and given such extraordinary (10 – 20 percent) increases, many people are fearful about what this will mean for their property tax bill. And rightfully so. Property taxes often
Tax Transparency Talking Points
HF 773 Talking Points Property Tax Transparency Trigger What the bill does: Starting in budget year 2021, if a city or county wishes to increase property tax revenue by more than two percent above the prior year, some extra
Property Taxes Fund Public Pensions
It’s September – time to pay property taxes! Most property owners will see a significant increase in taxes due this fall. Assessments were way up (8.2 percent for residential property in urban Polk County, for example), and most jurisdictions are
Spotting a Potential Flaw in Iowa’s Property Tax System
Next September’s property tax bills will shock many central Iowa residents and businesses. A closer look at tax statements will show that even though the property tax rate may not have changed, the tax bill may be considerably higher. The
Putting Local Property Taxes in Context
On Sunday Sept. 17 The Des Moines Register kicked off what we can expect will be a continuous refrain from local governments over the prospect of losing state property tax replacement funds. In 2013 the legislature cut back the portion
Cities Hold Rates Constant, But Collect More Revenue | 5.12.17
Local governments have completed their budgets for the coming year that begins July 1, 2017 (also known as fiscal year 2018). Everyone wants to know what’s happened with property tax rates in the new budgets. Have they gone up or
Boom times for city budgets
Property taxes were due on March 31, so for many people, property taxes may be top of mind right now. It’s always a good idea to turn the bill over and look at which local governments receive what share of