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Board adopts FY26 budget adjustments; county stays under $3.50 levy cap
Summary
Supervisors approved a package of FY26 budget adjustments to remain under the state $3.50 levy cap, moved some sheriff vehicle maintenance costs to the rural levy and scheduled the required public budget hearings in April.
Black Hawk County supervisors voted March 4 to adopt a set of fiscal-year 2026 budget adjustments that county staff said bring the county’s general levy below the statutory $3.50 cap and narrow a remaining general-fund gap to about $200,000.
Auditor/Finance staff reported that total property-tax requests for FY26 reflect an overall increase in collections of about 5% and outlined the estimated percent increases by property class: urban residential ~4.21%, commercial ~2.2%, industrial ~2.08%, rural residential ~3.36% and agricultural ~3.89%. Staff said those increases reflect higher collections requests and changes in assessed valuations; staff will publish detailed rates per statutory notice requirements.
As part of the adjustments, the board authorized shifting $40,000 of sheriff vehicle maintenance costs from the general fund to the rural levy, a change staff said better aligns costs with where vehicles are driven. The board adopted the cumulative adjustments by motion; staff indicated additional fine-tuning of salary and line-item entries could follow but that the changes put the levy at about $3.46 (below the $3.50 cap) and that the county’s urban residential rate remains below the state average.
The board set administrative dates for the budget process: staff indicated they will upload budget documents and publish notices to meet the state’s publishing and filing timelines; the board agreed to hold the maximum levy hearing and a budget-adoption hearing in April (staff suggested April 21 at 10 a.m. for the adoption hearing). Staff said a separate hearing would be scheduled to permit pre-levy entries tied to potential bond first-year payments.
