What to know about Bettendorf's tax levy rate, planned budget

Bettendorf City Council will hold a special public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on its proposed tax levy on Tuesday at City Hall.

Here's what to know. For more information or to look up the proposed city levy rate's impact on a specific property, go to bettendorf.org/budget .



Bettendorf is proposing to keep the levy rate the same at $13.11 per $1,000 of taxable value. According to Bettendorf's public notice, the city proposes to collect $38.

8 million in total property taxes, up from $37.4 million the previous year. Of that, $21.

95 million is from the Consolidated General Fund Levy, up from $21.44 million the previous year. There are a few other ingredients that impact Iowa residents' property tax bills.

The state-calculated rollback, which, as the name implies, rolls back how much of the assessed value on a home is taxed, rose from 46.34% to 47.43% this year.

That means property taxes without a change in the levy rate will go up slightly. This also was not a reassessment year, meaning assessed property values did not change unless the owners made significant improvements or sold or purchased the property. With all that in mind, according to the city of Bettendorf, the mean home valued at $321,952 without an increase in assessed value would see an increase of $46 on the city portion of their annual property taxes.

The mean commercial property valued at $1.277 million would see an increase of $21 on the city portion of their property taxes. Although the city is holding the line on the tax levy rate, the city is proposing increasing sewer, storm water, and solid waste fees to fund improvements to the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, other sewer infrastructure and future replacements of solid waste trucks and carts.

Bettendorf is proposing a 22-cent increase in sewer fees, which would equate to an increase of $19.36 for the average residential user annually. Storm water fees are proposed to go up 10 cents to add about $1.

20 annually, and solid waste fees are proposed to add about $4.44 annually to the average residential user in Bettendorf. For the year, the fee increases and expected tax increase from the rollback change totals about a $71 increase for the year for the average Bettendorf homeowner, according to Bettendorf's budget documents.

Bettendorf will consider the utility fee rate changes at their 7 p.m. Tuesday regular meeting.

According to Bettendorf's budget presentations, the city is facing rising costs from negotiated labor contracts, liability insurance (up 55% from four years ago), health insurance (8% higher than the previous fiscal year), and vehicles and equipment expenses are exceeding 10% increases annually. Bettendorf absorbs those costs through new property valuation, non-property tax revenue sources and reductions in other costs, according to the city's budget presentation. The proposed budget does not include additions to staffing.

In 2024, Bettendorf raised the tax levy rate by $0.46 to continue funding six new firefighters after a federal grant expires and to hire other new staff. Finance professor Dan Roccato joins FOX6 WakeUp with more on how to protect your refund.

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