Iowa Code 24.2A – Budget statements to owners and taxpayers
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1. For purposes of this section only:
a. “Budget year” is the fiscal year beginning during the calendar year in which a budget is certified.
b. “Current fiscal year” is the fiscal year ending during the calendar year in which a budget for the budget year is certified.
c. “Effective property tax rate” means the property tax rate per one thousand dollars of assessed value and is equal to one thousand multiplied by the quotient of the current fiscal year’s actual property tax dollars certified for levy divided by the total assessed value used to calculate taxes for the budget year.
d. “Political subdivision” means a school district, a county, or a city.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 24.2A
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- fiscal year: shall mean the period of twelve months beginning on July 1 and ending on the thirtieth day of June. See Iowa Code 24.2
- following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Internet: means the federated international system that is composed of allied electronic communication networks linked by telecommunication channels, that uses standardized protocols, and that facilitates electronic communication services, including but not limited to use of the world wide web; the transmission of electronic mail or messages; the transfer of files and data or other electronic information; and the transmission of voice, image, and video. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Internet site: means a specific location on the internet that is determined by internet protocol numbers, by a domain name, or by both, including but not limited to domain names that use the designations ". See Iowa Code 4.1
- property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
- tax: shall mean any general or special tax levied against persons, property, or business, for public purposes as provided by law, but shall not include any special assessment nor any tax certified or levied by township trustees. See Iowa Code 24.2
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
2. a. On or before March 15 of each year, each political subdivision shall file with the department of management a report containing all necessary information for the department of management to compile and calculate amounts required to be included in the statements mailed under paragraph “b”.
b. Not later than March 20, the county auditor, using information compiled and calculated by the department of management under paragraph “a”, shall send to each property owner or taxpayer within the county by regular mail an individual statement containing all of the following for each of the political subdivisions comprising the owner’s or taxpayer’s taxing district:
(1) The sum of the current fiscal year’s actual property taxes certified for levy for all of the political subdivision’s levies and the combined property tax rate per one thousand dollars for such tax amount for the current fiscal year.
(2) The combined effective property tax rate for the political subdivision calculated using the sum of the current fiscal year’s actual property taxes certified for levy for all of the political subdivision’s levies under subparagraph (1).
(3) The combined amount of the proposed property tax dollars to be certified for all of the political subdivision’s levies for the budget year and the proposed combined property tax rate per one thousand dollars for such levies.
(4) If the proposed property tax dollars specified under subparagraph (3) exceeds the current fiscal year’s actual property tax dollars certified for levy specified in subparagraph (1), a detailed statement of the major reasons for the increase, including the specific purposes or programs for which the political subdivision is proposing an increase.
(5) An example comparing the amount of property taxes on a residential property with an actual value of one hundred thousand dollars in the current fiscal year and such amount on the residential property using the proposed property tax dollars for the budget year, including the percentage difference in such amounts.
(6) An example comparing the amount of property taxes on a commercial property with an actual value of one hundred thousand dollars in the current fiscal year and such amount on the commercial property using the proposed property tax dollars for the budget year, including the percentage difference in such amounts.
(7) The political subdivision’s percentage of total property taxes certified for levy in the owner’s or taxpayer’s taxing district in the current fiscal year among all taxing authorities.
(8) The date, time, and location of the political subdivision’s public hearing required under subsection 4.
(9) Information on how to access on the political subdivision’s internet site the political subdivision’s statements under this section and other budget documents for prior fiscal years.
3. The department of management shall prescribe the form for the report required under subsection 2, paragraph “a”, the statements required to be mailed under subsection 2, paragraph “b”, and the public hearing notice required under subsection 4, paragraph “b”.
4. a. Each political subdivision shall set a time and place for a public hearing on the political subdivision’s proposed property tax amount for the budget year and the political subdivision’s information included in the statements under subsection 2. At the hearing, the governing body of the political subdivision shall receive oral or written testimony from any resident or property owner of the political subdivision. This public hearing shall be separate from any other meeting of the governing body of the political subdivision, including any other meeting or public hearing relating to the political subdivision’s budget, and other business of the political subdivision that is not related to the proposed property tax amounts and the information in the statements shall not be conducted at the public hearing. After all testimony has been received and considered, the governing body may decrease, but not increase, the proposed property tax amount to be included in the political subdivision’s budget.
b. (1) If the political subdivision is a county, notice of the public hearing shall be published not less than ten nor more than twenty days prior to the hearing in the county newspapers selected under chapter 349.
(2) If the political subdivision is a city, notice of the public hearing shall be published not less than ten nor more than twenty days prior to the hearing in a newspaper published at least once weekly and having general circulation in the city. However, if the city has a population of two hundred or less, publication may be made by posting in three public places in the city.
(3) If the political subdivision is a school district, notice of the public hearing shall be published not less than ten nor more than twenty days prior to the hearing in a newspaper published in the school district, if any, and if not, then in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district.
c. Notice of the hearing shall also be posted and clearly identified on the political subdivision’s internet site for public viewing beginning on the date of the newspaper publication and shall be maintained on the political subdivision’s internet site with all such prior year notices and copies of the statements mailed under subsection 2. Additionally, if the political subdivision maintains a social media account on one or more social media applications, the public hearing notice or an electronic link to the public hearing notice shall be posted on each such account on the same day as the publication of the notice.