Property Tax Reform

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• PCI mall plans being finalized
  Aug 31, 2010 — The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  ...fund an $8 million parking ramp for the medical mall. The city will use the difference between PCI's $300,000 current property taxes and the $1.3 million in taxes on the new property to finance the structure. That ramp will be connected to the medical mall via skywalk, Sundall said. Many people have suggested using skywalks to connect portions of PCI's new building so Second Avenue would not have to close, but Sundall said that negates the point of the medical mall....
• Many twists in quest for medical district
  Aug 22, 2010 — The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  As the Cedar Rapids City Council prepares for a possible vote Tuesday on PCI's request to close part of Second Avenue SE to build the mall, another twist was added to the mix. Mercy announced plans to build a $10.7 million Destination Cancer Center near 10th Street and Fifth Avenue SE, not far from PCI's proposed medical mall. The center will connect to Mercy's Hall Radiation Center, near the hospital's trademark fountain.
• I.C. weighs tax break for business park
  May 31, 2010 — The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  The money would go toward infrastructure upgrades and come in the form of economic development grants through tax increment financing, or TIF.
• Readybuild
  May 30, 2010 — The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  The city of Coralville has expressed interest in offering certified shovel-ready lots in its Iowa River Landing development. The University of Iowa is interested in shovel-ready lots at its research park in Coralville.
• Burlington council will consider move to offset debt associated with Manor project
  Apr 19, 2010 — The Hawk Eye
  ...the Burlington City Council will act on a plan to use local option sales tax funds to offset the annual loan payment associated with the $5.2 million Manor Revisited project. Since 2008, the city has paid more than $400,000 annually on $6.5 million borrowed through tax increment financing revenue bonds. The loan was taken out primarily to fund the Manor project. Tax increment financing district or TIF funds had been used to make the annual loan payment, City Manager Doug Worden...
• Cities see rise in property tax
  Mar 19, 2010 — The Hawk Eye
  The projected expenditures include $4.6 million of transfers. "It's balanced. It's not doing everything we want it to do, but it's staying within our means," City Manager Byron Smith said of the budget.
• City approves $5.95 million budget
  Mar 13, 2010 — The Hawk Eye
  Burlington City Council unanimously approved a $5.95 million budget for next fiscal year that retains the current tax levy. Under the 2010-11 fiscal year budget, the city's tax levy rate will remain at $9.86 per $1,000 of assessed value. The same wasn't the case for Burlington and Des Moines County. Due primarily to a spike in pension costs and health insurance premiums, both were forced to increase their property tax levies. The Burlington City Council OK'd a...
• C.F. council passes budget, 3 percent tax increase
  Feb 23, 2010 — Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
  Commercial and industrial property owners will both see slight decreases in the city's share of taxes. The situation can be traced to the state property tax rollback. This time, it's reversed," Mayor Jon Crews said. For the owner of a $200,000 home, the tax increase amounts to $31.56.
• Bill helps C.F. annex property on U.S. 20
  Feb 22, 2010 — Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
  Doris Kelley, D-Waterloo, comes from a district that includes Hudson and part of Cedar Falls. She sponsored the bill and said it met with little resistance. "It's a fair bill. It proposed annexing a portion of the property while agreeing not to annex any more land from Hudson for five years.
• Waterloo commercial projects seek tax breaks
  Feb 8, 2010 — Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
  San Marnan tax increment financing district. Based on the acquisition of land for the project and the new building having a value of more than $1 million, the development agreement would include one year of 67 percent property tax rebates followed by four years of 50 percent tax breaks. In other business, the council will consider applying for a $35,000 grant from the National Park Service for a "Preserve America Grant" to document the history of Sans Souci Island. The city is...