Property taxes will see decrease in coming year, council says

By Rick Morain

Jefferson Herald

Property taxes for Jefferson city government in fiscal year 2022-23 will be down about 4.7 percent, according to budget documents presented to the city council at its regular meeting Feb. 8.
Taxable property in Jefferson in the fiscal year starting July 1 will pay taxes estimated at $1,629,053, according to the budget workshop documents. This year that figure is $1,708,678, nearly $80,000 higher.
The comparison includes property taxes for the general fund and debt service. It doesn’t include property taxes on utilities, which are computed using a different formula.
Taxable valuations on property in the city are down for next year compared to this year, primarily with respect to commercial property and a reduction in the residential tax “rollback” percentage assigned by the state.
With the total taxable valuation in the city reduced, the levy rate will rise for 2022-23. This year’s total levy rate for city government in Jefferson is $14.91; next fiscal year it will be $15.32, an increase of 41 cents or about 2.8 percent.

Computation of tax dollars from any individual property will depend on the taxable valuation for that property and the budgets of other taxing bodies, such as the county and the school district.
The city will hold a public hearing on its 2022-23 budget next month prior to its adoption.
On other matters, the council heard a presentation from Adam Schweers, president of the Highway 30 Coalition. Schweers requested $5,000 from the council to help fund a $97,000 study by Snyder and Associates on the advisability of four-laning the highway across the state.

The council appeared favorable to approving the request, but deferred action until budget preparation.
The council approved the annual tax abatements, OK’d a Class C beer permit for Dollar General and a Class C liquor license for the Jefferson Community Golf Course, and appointed councilmember Pat Zmolek to the wage and benefit committee.

The council by resolution approved a plat of survey for 105 and 107 N. Chestnut on the east side of the square. The property needs to be legally separated into two parcels to allow for the individual sale of the two addresses.
The council heard a presentation on activity of Greene County Development Corporation (GCDC) by the group’s executive director Ken Paxton. Also approved was the city’s quarterly appropriation of $12,500 to GCDC.
Police chief Mark Clouse told the council that the Iowa Department of Transportation has approved turning lanes at the north end of Grimmell Road on Highway 30 to facilitate access to Greene County Community High School.
The Jefferson City Council meets regularly the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, 220 North Chestnut.