Page Ten
N/Warren Town and County News
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Legislative Newsletter
Stan Gustafson
Iowa House Representative District 25
stan.gustafson@legis.iowa.gov
HSB165: I have been receiving lots of e-mails and phone calls about HSB165.
When talking with Iowans, we frequently hear concerns and frustrations about
the growth of their local property taxes. Just recently, Iowa taxpayers began
receiving new property assessments with many seeing increases of 10% or more.
Residential property taxes have increased by 19.01% since FY15 while the
Midwest Consumer Price Index has increased by 3.72% over the same time. In
short, HSB 165 establishes strong taxpayer protections and
transparency measures while also ensuring local governments can
continue to meet the critical needs of their citizens. HSB 165 will stow
the dramatic growth of property taxes while also providing local property
taxpayers with more transparency in how they are taxed and how their tax
dollars are used. Oftentimes, local governments ride a wave of increased property
valuations without reducing the tax rate levies accordingly. This means that
when assessments go up 10%, but the levy is unchanged, property owners are
faced with a 10% tax increase. HSB165 allows local governments to balance the
budgetary needs by adjusting the levies. This bill puts a soft cap of 2% on annual
budget growth for local governments. This is a reasonable limit that takes into
account the needs of cities and counties with both growing and declining
populations. HSB 165 empowers taxpayers to reverse excessive budget increases
that aren't supported by local residents through a vote of the public. Local
governments can still increase their budget by more than 2%, if necessary.
However, a city council or county board of supervisors must take a public vote to
do so. If taxpayers see the need for the increase and support it, nothing happens
and the increase goes into effect. If taxpayers don't support this increase, they
can collect signatures and call a referendum to reduce the increase to 2%. If the
local residents see the need for a higher budget increase, they will support it at
the ballot box. HSB 165 will not hamstring local governments from
providing core services that citizens depend on or from meeting
obligations. If you want a more in-depth analysis of this bill, please e-mail me
at stan.gustafson@legis.iowa.gov
BUDGET: This week the House passed three important budget bills and sent
them to the Senate: RIIF, Admin/Reg, and HHS. Here are some highlights from
each of those budgets: Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF): $200M
invested in FY20 to improve infrastructure at state facilities and Regent
universities, $24M invested in major and routine maintenance to ensure
safe state buildings and facilities, $17.5M to make technology upgrades at
state departments to ensure modern and efficient government, $5M for the
Broadband Grant Program to increase access to high-speed internet in rural
Iowa, $2M invested in recreational trails to improve quality of life for Iowans
and attract new residents, and $1M to study the possibility of moving the State
Historical Museum to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Administration &
Regulation: $2M to update and improve the Dept. of Revenue's systems
to ensure efficiency and security for taxpayers, $4.7M to ensure safe health
facilities like hospitals and nursing homes through inspections and licensing,
$575,000 to fund food safety inspections at restaurants and grocery stores to
protect consumers, $2.6M to fund the Child Advocacy Board which represents
the interests of abused and neglected children, S75,000 funding increase to support
the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program to protect survivors of
abuse, and $18M to fund IPERS administration which provides retirements
benefits to hundreds of thousands of Iowans.
HF766 the Health and Human Services Budget is being debated today. Here
are some highlights of the plan: it funds the Medicaid program which provides
health coverage to thousands of low-income and disabled Iowans, invests significant
resources in mental health services and provider training, makes child care more
affordable for low-income families, and reduces caseloads for DHS social workers.
Once it is passed by the House, it goes to the Senate for debate and approval.
HF 647, now HF768, was passed out of the House Ways & Means Committee
and is awaiting full consideration by the House in thefinal days of session. HF
768 restructures/reinstates the beginning farmer tax credit program that was
originally created in 2007 and significantly amended in 2013 with provisions
that included automatic sunset of some provisions added in 2013. It was then
modified by 2014 legislation with the automatic repeal occurring on January 1,
2018. This legislation reinstates a restructured form of the ag asset transfer tax
credits program, but renames it the 'Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program'.
However, it does not reestablish the custom farming contract tax credits that
expired on January 1, 2018.
Soil Temperature: Here is the website for soil temperature:
extension.agron.iastate.edu/NPKnowledge/soiltemphistory.html
Form
653.C1
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
NOTICe OI~ PUBLIC HE:ARING
AMENDMENT OF FY2018-2019 CITY BUDGET
The City Council of Norwalk in WARREN & POLK
will meet at 705 North Avenue, Norwalk, IA
at 6 p.m. on 5/212019
(hour) (Date)
,for the purpose of amending the current budget of the city for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019
(year)
by changing estimates of revenue and expenditure appropriations in the following programs for the reasons
given. Additional detail is available at the city clerk's office showing revenues and expenditures by fund type
and by activity.
County, Iowa
Revenues & Other Financing Sources
]-axes Levied on Property 1
Less: Uncollected Property Taxes-Levy Year
Total Budget
as certified
or last amended
51657,138
2 0
Net Current Property Taxes 3
Delinquent Property Taxes 4
I-IF Revenues 5
Charges for Services
5,857,136
Current
Amendment
0
0
0
0 0
3,190,300
0
Total Budget
after Current
Amendment
0
5,857,136
0
3,190,300
Other City Taxes 6 985,367 0 985,367
Licenses & Permi~ 7 346,400 90,000 436,400
Use of Money and Property 8 90,700 185,000 275,700
Inte~ovemmental 9 2,236,830 0 2,236,830
10 5,967,000 290,000 6,257,000
Special Assessments 11
Miscellaneous 12
Other Financing Sources 13
Tranfers In 14
Total Revenues and Other Sources 15
Expenditures & Other Financing Uses
Public Safety
35,000 20,000 55,000
416,200 220,000 636,20fl
8,278,000 1,093,000 9,371,000
2,791,700 784,090 3,575,790
30,194,633 2,562,0g0 32,876,723
4,150,100 104,500 4,2 ,60C
2,007,200 165,000 2,172,206
15,000 0 15,000
1,412,000 56,000 1,468,00
2,040,006 26,300 2,066,30
915,900! 143,700 1,059,60
2,906,600 173,500 3,080,10
6,929,000 341,300 7,270,30
20,375,600 1,010,300 21,366,10E
8,613,600 1,393,000 10,006,60
26,969,400 2,403,300 31,392,70
2,791,700 784,090 3,575,79
16
Public Works 17
Health and Social Services 18
Culture and Recreation 19
Community and Economic Development 26
General Government 21
Debt Service 22
Capital Projects 23
Total Government Activities Expenditures 24
Business Type / Enterprises 25
Total Gov ACtWitles & Business Expenditures 2E
Transfers Out 271
Total Expenditures/Transfers Out 28
Excess Revenues & Other Sources Over
(Under) Expenditures/Transfers Out for Fiscal Year 29
Beginning Fund Balance July 1 30
31,781,100 3,187,390 34,988,49
-1,586,467 -505,300 -2,091,76~
11,647,276 0 11,647,27E
Ending Fund Balance June 30 31 10,060,809 -505,300 9,555,50
Explanation of increases or decreases in revenue estimates, appropriations, or available cash:
: = : i ;
Revenue increases mainly due to building permits, special assessments & charges for services. Increases in
expenditures mainly due to; 1 ) Public safety training & wage expenses and transport vehicle, 2) Public Works street
construction, 3) General Gov't IT equipment & services, 4) Debt Service due to issuance of 2018A & 2018B bonds 6)
Capital Projects-library HVAC and community improvement programs, 7) WRA surcharge payoff, storm water
detention and DMWW fees.
There will be no increase in tax levies to be paid in the current fiscal year named above. Any increase in
expenditures set out above will be met from the increased non-property tax revenues and cash balances not
budgeted or considered in this current budget. This will provide for a balanced budget.
Jean Furler, Finance Director
City Clerk/Finance Officer
2019 Congressional Art Competition
Each Spring the Congressional Art Institute sponsors the Artistic Discovery
Contest to recognize and encourage the artistic talent across the nation. High
school students throughout the Third District are invited to submit original pieces
of art to Rep. Axne's office. The final day to submit artwork is April 30th.
The first-place winner will receive two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C.
to attend a reception held in their honor on June 24th. Additionally, the first-
place winner's artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.
Each Third District high school student may submit one piece of artwork.
There is no limit to the number of submissions per school. The artwork must be
an original piece no more than 28 inches by 28 inches, 4 inches in depth, andS'
may not weigh more than 15 pounds. ':
Submissions should be sent Rep. Axne's Des Moines District Office (400 East.
Court Avenue, Suite 346, Des Moines, IA 50309). Or, participants can take a
photo of their artwork and email it to IA03.ArtContest@mail.house.gov. Included r
with the artwork submission must be a Student Information & Release Form
and a 100-200 word summary of your piece. This must be attached to the email
or printed and sent with the artwork to the Des Moines Office.
More information can be found online at https://axne.house.gov/services/art-
competition.
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
Notice of Shedfrs Levy and Sale
WARREN COUm S.EmR S O RCE- Po Box =z, (m)
IN
STATE OF IOWA )
)
WARREN COUNTY )
THE IOWA D~STRICT COURT FOR WARREN COUNTY
SS
Docket No.
No.) }
NOTICE OF LEVY
PLAINTIFF : WELLS FARGO BANK, NA
V$
DEFENDANT: BENDER, ROBERT
DEFENDANT: REVERE BANK
DEFENDANT : INDIANOLA. CITY OF
DEFENDANT : PARTIES IN POSSESSION
As a restdt of the judgwmcd rendered in the above mf~enced x~Jtt sase, an axeoJtiefl was issued bY the court to ttm Sheriff of this
co~'dy. The e0mcuf~n ordered the Sate of defendant(s) dghts, tlt~, and intere~ in Rea~ Estate Property to satisfy the judgment. The
property to be sdd is:
LOT 45 EXCEPT THE SOUTH 15 FEET THEREOF. AND THE SOUTH 30 FEET OF LOT 44. WHITTIER ADOmON. CITY OF
INDIANOLA. WARREN COUNTY, IOWA
Street ~ldress ~ L ST INl:)l,ed~.JL.: IOWA 50125
The desc~)ed p~ty wit be ~Te~d fo~ sa)e a~ p~ic e~c~n fo~ cash ontY as ~k)ws:
! 0~16/2019 I 10:00AM .J!~)'l W2NDAVE,; ~rE2
Th~ sale not sui~ct to mdempt~n.
Property e=~rnl~0n: C,e~in mo.ey o~ Wope~ ma~ be exempt. Contac~ your attorney promlX~y to review =pedro ~,s of the
law and 1~ aplxQpdme nofice, If ~e.
: $14~,476.26 i ~;~.~.00 ~ PLUS ]4.6~%of$144,176.~'6m~ 01~19= !~ ~oNTHONYCRN~C (:~Ie)234-
,082.~6
04~ 1/2019 !B~m S. Yes !
