State property tax law requires government entities that levy property taxes to inform the public of the tax rate they plan to collect before certifying their annual budgets for the upcoming fiscal year and that’s what caused some disagreement at the West Burlington City Council this week.
The Hawk Eye reports that during Wednesday’s regular meeting of the West Burlington City Council, Councilor Andy Crowner introduced a motion to publish a levy rate of $10.10 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for fiscal year 2027, but a majority of the council did not support the proposal and instead approved a higher published rate of $10.30 per $1,000, consistent with the recommendation from city administration.
City Administrator Gregg Mandsager explained that while the council retains the ability to reduce the levy following the required public hearing, state law prohibits increasing the rate beyond the published figure if budget discussions later show additional revenue is needed to maintain city services.
