The Feb. 23 Daily News had the budget estimate for Jasper County. It stated, “The board of Supervisors intends to levy general basic property tax rates which exceed statutory maximums,” and the budget requires a “general basic property tax rate that exceeds the maximum rate as established by the general assembly,” The major reason is “a reduced or unusually low growth rate in the property tax base for the county.”
What’s going on? Too many tax rebates and abatements by local and county government? Too much spending?
If there is little or no growth in the tax base, apparently all this so called economic development and spending has been a waste of time and taxpayer money. Yet we always have to pay for more.
This is getting ridiculous. How many tax increases do we need? I think a lot of people around here have some explaining to do.
Newton’s $17.14 tax levy tops the Des Moines metro area. Jasper’s new levy is more than Polk County. Now that’s something to brag about.
Carole Doane
Newton