The Jefferson City Council is looking to finalize its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The City is proposing an overall tax levy rate for the 2024 fiscal year that starts July 1, 2023 of $15.43 per $1,000 of property valuation, which City Council member Harry Ahrenholtz says is a slight increase from the current fiscal year’s rate of $15.32. The further breakdown of the levy sees the general fund tax levy increase from $12.90 to $13.34, while the debt service levy is projected to drop from $2.42 to $2.09. 

Following the Iowa Legislature correcting a property tax issue where some multi-residential properties mixed in with single family residential properties, counties and cities received an extension to certify their budgets to the state by April 30th. However, Ahrentholz believes they are confident that even with a possible $100,000 in reduction of revenues, their original proposed budget will remain virtually the same.

“We’ve done everything we can for our department heads to take a very, very close look, whether it’s personnel, or new equipment, or repairs, or anything else, (make it) as tight as you can. We feel like they’re doing that. Thankfully so, because when you hit times like, not only are we going to be faced with just this year, but this is something that we’ll carry on down the road.”  

 

The public hearing for the 2024 fiscal year budget is scheduled for the next City Council meeting at 5:30pm on March 14th. The Council will then consider adopting the budget following the hearing.