Public comments on county tax levies

VINTON — Benton County residents addressed with the Benton County Board of Supervisors at a hearing for the proposed tax levy for fiscal year 2026 March 26.

Hayley Rippel, county auditor, explained differences between assessed and taxable valuation and how the state’s rollbacks effect different classifications of property.

The amount of valuation growth in the county affects the general basic and rural basic levies, Rippel said.

The legislature has forced the county to reduce both of these levies, due to growth in the values of more than 2%.

The County is always working in three calendar years at once, said Rippel. Current tax collection is based on the 2023 values. The FY26 budget is based off the 2024 valuations.

The Assessor is now sending out the 2025 Assessments which will be used for the FY27 budget. These are assessment increases, not tax dollar increases, Rippel said.

This is one of those unfunded mandates passed down to the county to send this mailing that is hard to understand, said Rippel.

The total levy that the county collects in tax dollars is not only the county’s dollars, but portions are disbursed to the cities, schools, fire districts, townships, Ag Extension, E911 and EMA and assessor. All of these entities make up the consolidated tax levies.

Public comment centered on rollbacks, unfunded mandates and exemptions.

One resident saw a new $350,000 vehicle for the sheriff’s office as wasted money. “We don’t need an assault vehicle in Benton County,” he said. He felt money for security is also wasted money, pointing out that Benton County is one of only three counties in Iowa where a person is required to go through security to get a driver’s license and pay taxes.

“I think just about everybody that comes in and asks for a wage increase got it. I think everybody in here is asking for a tax decrease. Are we going to get that?” he asked.

“Our Social Security didn’t go up as much as our taxes are. We’re going negative every year. Our buying power keeps going down and down and down. When’s it going to stop?”

Supervisor Chairman Tracy Seeman explained how equalization and Tax Increment Financing work and how they affects the county’s budget.

Another resident said Benton and Boone Counties have similar population, but Benton pays more in commercial property taxes. People come to Benton County for its lower cost of living. If they wanted higher cost of living, they’d live in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids, the resident said.

Higher taxes might drive these people away from Benton County.

Residents also commented on pay increases, focusing on union, non-union and elected officials. The need for security at the courthouse and service center were also debated.

“So there just seems to be no accountability from any level exactly, which is a problem,” said a resident. “That’s why we vote for people, and we expect them — when we vote for them — to do their bidding for us, and it seems to me that none of that is working the way it should be.

“We have representatives that should be going to Des Moines to fight for our needs.”

“I hear what everybody’s saying and I believe we need to make some cuts,” Supervisor Ron Tippett said.