Budget Overview 2021/22
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TO OTHERWISE REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
The Ames City Council meets on Friday at 2:00 p.m. on Zoom. There is a single agenda item:
- 1. Budget Overview for Recommended 2021/22 Fiscal Year. In this meeting we'll review the numbers that staff believes will make the budget work in the coming fiscal year. The budget is grounded in the services requested by the City Council (present and past), such as streets, public safety, the Public Library, Parks and Recreation, etc. The staff determines how much it will cost to fulfill those requests, and we end up with a target dollar amount. The City also proposes funding sources to pay for that budget target, including property tax, state and federal grants, and utility and service fees. I highly recommend reading the City Manager's letter to the Mayor and Council describing the highlights of the recommended budget.
As part of the budget process, the City proposes a property tax levy. The tax revenue that the City is aiming for is based on the budget's estimates of what it takes to fund the services that City Council asks for, so that's what the levy is based on as well. In addition, the City's portion of the property tax is generally only about 1/3 of the total property tax that appears on property tax bills, because school districts, Story County, and other jurisdictions also levy property tax for their own budgets. This year, staff is recommending a decrease in the property tax levy. Even so, due to generally increased property assessments, this will result in a slight increase in the city portion of residential property tax bills - $3.03 per $100k valuation on average for residences, which amounts to an increase of 0.54%. This is well below inflation. Again, each property's tax change will also depend on any change in its valuation, so it might be higher or lower than this.
Next week, Council will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons at 5:15 to dive into the services being provided by the City departments and the budget resources used to provide them. Council generally will not take action on the budget until the Budget Wrap-Up meeting, scheduled for February 9 this year. Also, my recollection is that this set of budget hearings does not include time for the public to address council on the record. However, you may always contact us by email using the address above.
Here are a few other documents related to the budget.
Thanks for reading,
David Martin
Ames City Council, Ward 3
P.S. How about volunteering to serve on a board or commission for the city? This is a great way for residents to help shape the services and policies that we all depend on. Openings are available to people of all backgrounds, including ISU students and non-U.S. citizens. See current vacancies for next year here, the descriptions of each board/commission here, and the online application form here. Please apply by Friday, February 5.