[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6353338,"mediaKeyId","2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d","parentId",2221409,"title","Finance director previews fiscal 2026 budget, warns of $2.3 million adjustment need by 2028","audioSeconds",1031,"startMs",3309000,"endMs",4340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d&start=3309&end=4340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d/thumbnail_3309000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6353338/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Finance-director-previews-fiscal-2026-budget-warns-of-23-million-adjustment-need-by-2028","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353338-9028dd00c4b19a73f0fd91c8a6055ebe/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403201&Signature=GZ97n4k63AQXdgybSZoZQhgo7qq45vlRFvgr00gReGvATPMz42Fe05FNNXE~y9GnWdiiSxpspxY6wpDNenRZhvsJLOugOQtSB-mv1BBu6ixl1tVnWvBPcHW5UG8lWE3l5FeszMPsSP87atkNMoXEZhFlcYm-qLqFzTNdEOBB2P80Yyf9ZEeo4ZQK3qLsdj0ekLDVQZ7s2EOuNSrkGAqWtG8BERAEdxALkbdSOeXO2FgvOCgkwIepOTiI8bTlyZkJH5-I37vkZVL7usj5J7Yvy4gFVjETBKJwXgXxLJq67rCFOAx19wcuhmCaLmzDhqCu9jBpxRZTRL0uuz5hVDwZNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Waterloo","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","Finance Director Bridal Wood presented the city’s initial fiscal‑2026 budget update, describing current revenue collection, fund balances, valuation changes and a timeline for upcoming budget and levy hearings.

Wood said the city has received about 53% of budgeted property taxes and other city tax revenue is at roughly 52% of expectations for the fiscal year. She summarized general‑fund expenditures for fiscal 2025, noting 45 cents of every dollar went to public safety and the unassigned general‑fund balance stood at 37.1% as of June 30, 2024. \"Our actual fund balance for the general fund was a little over $41,000,000 with the unassigned being the $27,000,000,\" Wood said.

She reviewed the budget process and timeline: department capital improvement meetings are complete, personnel budgets were prepared using fiscal‑25 staffing levels, and departments were asked to avoid adding new spending requests while the city addresses levy pressures. Key dates Wood outlined included setting a pre‑levy bond hearing date and holding the statutorily required separate public hearing to propose tax levies (the city plans to set the levy hearing date and hold the hearing in April to meet state filing deadlines).

Wood also summarized property‑tax rollback changes for fiscal 2026: the residential rollback rose to about 47%, agricultural rollback increased modestly, multi‑residential properties are taxed at the residential rate and commercial/industrial/railroad classifications receive the residential rate on the first $150,000 and 90% thereafter. She said taxable valuation rose about 3% overall, while certain homestead and military credits doubled in total dollars, reducing taxable base in some categories.

Council members asked how recent revenue losses — including automated traffic‑enforcement (ATE) receipts — and new local option sales tax timing affect the city’s budget targets. Wood said the city still projects a modest levy growth (about 1.97% providing roughly $400,000 more than last year) but must plan to reduce the levy by about 0.81 points by fiscal 2028, equivalent to approximately $1.8 million. She summarized the current 'bull's eye' of about $2.3 million the city needs to address.

Wood said staff have been communicating with state legislators and regional coalitions about the fiscal impacts of state actions on local budgets. She recommended departments look for revenue increases and expense reductions and noted staff would present more detailed levy and budget options in later sessions prior to the April final budget hearing.

No final levy or budget adoption occurred at the work session; Wood's presentation set the schedule for public hearings and asked council to submit any alternative budget ideas by Feb. 19 so staff could incorporate them before state filing deadlines.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Waterloo Council Work Session - Monday, February 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Finance director Bridget (Bridal) Wood presented initial fiscal‑2026 budget information, fund balances, property tax rollback changes and a timeline for hearings; council discussed levy growth, lost automated traffic‑enforcement revenues and the need to find roughly $2.3 million to balance future years.","taxTitle","Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa","taxId",3694,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6353342,"Police propose online pet‑licensing system and higher fees; council raises access and enforcement questions",2203,817000,3020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d&start=817&end=3020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d/thumbnail_817000.jpg","/articles/6353342/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Police-propose-online-petlicensing-system-and-higher-fees-council-raises-access-and-enforcement-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353342-a1e95a24d27d8d606bb9cfa20ba7b3ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403201&Signature=AzNakMYaYXMt~ZNSPyQc-jGOxMYTZ85Y5rbi0GIz2vPc0tpZ0itjK~Az5rDTDlF2f54nmaQ1r2FhzfZR5MRUVxC7W3xnUiUAIb98QD~oyhVkeOPR9PzV5IKeSMyiNny~8la1BZf5ro8hSCZlkf-urgZPK~0gJbV6zoJy6WeW61T2N3UaEPf367jOERnV14OWmYqgrC2P5VYYusg83X8y0O-bshSLoRQ-GMiMkOOBMs0ATwlwHq2QQ4bHkQelfWT5ZzcpM0~4E0X08UW4rTG5-ws2B1ShJ1bUF5Y8LCeNFgpxHP67WxxHswN4mInriMvaVSVb-2pGCvrTmq8h4eHV0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City police and animal control officials reviewed proposed changes to the pet‑licensing program and a planned contract with DocuPet to run an online licensing system.

Rob Duncan, chief of police, said the proposal moves pet licensing from the street‑department process to the police department and would include an online vendor, DocuPet. \"There's an ordinance change, most of it's wording just to go from the street department to the police department,\" he said.

Sergeant Jeff Tyler, who oversees animal control, told council the current licensing system is \"outdated\" and underused; licenses now must be purchased in person at city offices or at Cedar Bend Humane Society. Tyler said DocuPet would allow online purchases and automated renewal notices and could increase compliance. \"They average 20 to 30% a year in license people who will be purchasing more licenses every year,\" Tyler said, citing vendor performance in other jurisdictions.

Tyler outlined proposed fee changes and operational details: increasing license fees (current local fees cited at $5 and $10), proposing $15 for altered animals and $25 for unaltered animals under the new system, combining the dog‑park pass into the license fee, and switching from a calendar year to a 365‑day rolling license. He said the DocuPet start‑up fee is $5,000 for calendar-year licensing and $4,000 if the city adopts 365‑day rolling licenses; vendor transaction fees would be covered by a $2 convenience fee.

Tyler and the vendor representative, Michael Lambert of DocuPet, said the system offers multiple access routes for residents who cannot or will not use online services: mail‑in applications, over‑the‑phone orders, and in‑person point‑of‑sale at city counters. Lambert said DocuPet would handle renewal mailings and tag fulfillment and would provide marketing support; he said the vendor currently serves more than 250 communities and has about 2.5 million registered animals in its network.

Council members raised several concerns. Several asked how enforcement would work and whether animal control officers would cite noncompliant owners; Tyler said initial rollout would emphasize education and a grace period, with citations used as a backstop. When asked about access for older residents, Tyler described outreach plans and said police records staff can assist residents at the front counter or officers can help in the field when practical. Lambert confirmed DocuPet can run targeted mailings using the city's last 3–5 years of license records as part of its marketing and compliance push.

Councilmembers also asked about dog‑park revenue: Tyler said last year dog‑park revenue totaled $3,493 and projected initial revenues under the new fee schedule would be lower during rollout, though he expects license numbers and revenue to grow over time. Tyler said the parks department had indicated it could accept $1 per license for park maintenance under the new model.

No ordinance or contract was approved at the meeting. Staff said they would provide citation amounts, clarify vendor contract terms (including contract length, auto‑renewal and a 90‑day opt‑out), confirm vendor startup and transaction fees, and follow up with local veterinarians about sharing rabies‑vaccination records to streamline licensing verification.","Police and animal‑control staff described a move from an outdated, in‑person license system to a DocuPet online platform, proposed higher license fees and a change to a rolling 365‑day license period; council members asked about access for older residents, enforcement, vet integration and dog‑park revenue impacts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6353347,"Council reviews two parking-rate proposals, leans toward keeping paid on‑street parking",631,169000,800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d&start=169&end=800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221409-39698dd091f98305f459441691ae677d/thumbnail_169000.jpg","/articles/6353347/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Council-reviews-two-parking-rate-proposals-leans-toward-keeping-paid-onstreet-parking","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353347-122aa37b6fd3376e237754a0010a44af/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403201&Signature=hBW4YBwgveDqiImwyOMQQAyZsHuUFUb3rWM4I9oIfuxiKEDhxrBRzOQcQb31F99m-VF1WFupgJWUo~Y6-PTTGtr1TL~gzQWTsMfQzyeqB~PtGeAItVx6eqqviuJ3yZkGyAykjD42SkCVDpmSLFyaVs4~VuWVMBYP2YHL8RzrpnkDmVMiImRwAa~YEirETjm4oiAbCZArW3DIczi~thx-HfVcSweSvpQWRhjJjXD2tIEOLYUVOlYuV1wapqyXbUR9gpL46~h95Rnd5CRn9V3mjJil626NLtpG4bcU3qK-ecWr7NOfgx9JY8pxffmTgb9SlqjCfrvAVxnBXZNxz2MprA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waterloo City Council held an extended discussion about proposed changes to on‑street and ramp parking rates and enforcement during a work session. Richard Wood, the city finance director, presented two proposals and projected revenue impacts from offering free on‑street parking.

Wood said the city’s parking consultant modeled revenue changes tied to free parking windows and a $1-per-hour base rate in metered areas. \"If we were to offer 30 minutes of free parking, we could see a revenue reduction of around $55,000 a year. If we did 60 minutes free, it'd be roughly $74,000 a year. And if we did 90 minutes for free, it'd be roughly around $86,000 a year,\" Wood said.

The two options were: offer 60 minutes of free on‑street parking then $1 per hour after that, remove some \"grab and go\" locations, raise citation fees and add a citation‑forgiveness program; or keep no free on‑street parking, set $1 per hour, keep grab‑and‑go spots, increase citation fees and cut the all‑day ramp rate in half (from about $12 to $6) while keeping the first ramp hour free. Wood noted kiosk technology would allow coupon codes for businesses to prepay customer parking.

Council members questioned revenue tradeoffs. One council member asked Wood to translate estimated meter revenue losses into property tax levy impact; Wood said 30 minutes of free street parking equates to about a 2¢ increase on the levy and 90 minutes about 4¢. Council members favored the second proposal, which keeps on‑street paid parking and reduces the all‑day ramp rate, both to limit budget impacts and to begin building a dedicated parking fund, Wood said.

Council discussion also covered enforcement hours and citation structure. Under the proposals, the city would keep standard enforcement hours but add a second citation if a vehicle remained noncompliant after four hours and a third citation for not registering all day; towing would be considered after 24 hours. The council discussed keeping Saturdays free downtown to support merchants; the Mayor Pro Tem said she did not believe the city should start charging to park on Saturdays and said she favored proposal two.

Questions were raised about potential revenue loss from cutting the ramp all‑day rate in half; Wood said he did not have ramp usage detail on hand but could provide it. Council members also discussed repainting and new signage where meters were removed and enforcement of three‑hour limits at certain spots.

No ordinance change or new rates were adopted during the session; the council directed staff to return with follow‑up information, including detailed ramp revenue impacts and implementation specifics.

Votes at the meeting included approval of the session agenda and minutes, and a motion to adjourn. The council did not vote on the parking proposals at this session.

The council will consider additional information and a recommendation in a future meeting before any ordinance amendments or rate changes are adopted.","City finance staff presented two options for updated on‑street and ramp parking rates; staff and several council members favored a plan that keeps paid on‑street parking, halves all‑day ramp rates and raises citation fees while preserving weekend exemptions for downtown merchants.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance director previews fiscal 2026 budget, warns of $2.3 million adjustment need by 2028

Police propose online pet‑licensing system and higher fees; council raises access and enforcement questions

Council reviews two parking-rate proposals, leans toward keeping paid on‑street parking