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Des Moines County schedules public hearing on proposed property tax levy; auditor warns mailed example notices may confuse residents
Summary
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors set a public hearing for April 1, 2025, on the proposed property tax levy and payroll; the county auditor cautioned that state-issued example notices showing a 10% value increase are illustrative and may cause confusion among property owners.
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors voted to set a public hearing on the proposed 2025 property tax levy for 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in the board chambers at the Des Moines County Courthouse.
County Auditor staff warned the board that the mass mailer homeowners will receive includes a state-generated illustrative example that inflates assessed values by 10% across counties. "So those numbers could change," an auditor's office representative said, adding that the example could prompt calls from property owners who see an apparent large increase on the mailed notice.
The auditor's office explained the notice is required by state code and uses a uniform 10% adjustment in its example to show how levy rates and values interact. The representative said the county's actual assessed values and proposed levy rates are presented elsewhere in the packet and that, for most residential properties in Des Moines County, the projected change in tax bills will be much smaller than the example suggests.
Board members said they expect phone calls from confused residents when the mailers arrive and urged staff to be ready to explain the difference between the state's illustrative example and the county's actual valuation and rollback figures. The board directed the county budget officer to prepare the required summary notice for publication.
The hearing will give residents an opportunity to comment on the proposed levy before final adoption.
