The Warren County Board of Supervisors approved the FY24 budget at their meeting Tuesday, which includes a $1 increase from $1.67 to $2.67 in the rural basic property tax levy in a 2-1 vote, with supervisors Darren Heater and Mark Snell voting in favor of the budget and Crystal McIntyre voting against.

A presentation at the meeting indicated that with the increase, a property worth $250,000 will have to pay an additional $100 in property taxes.

Supervisor Snell said he voted in favor of the budget and the increased tax levy rate to help maintain the current level of service to Warren County residents.

“Warren County is at a crossroads because of the growth we are having. With that growth comes needs for infrastructure, and with that infrastructure has maintenance of roads. You want to be able to maintain what we are doing if not be able to enhance what we are doing. So those are major considerations I felt were important to look at, and the sustainability of being able to pay for and support those types of infrastructure needs that we have.”

Supervisor McIntyre said she was not in favor of the budget due to the tax increase, she feels there are sufficient funds in the county fund balance to not have to raise taxes.

“I can’t justify a dollar increase when all it’s going to go to is the fund balance. I understand trying to offset our expenses and make sure that we are not using just fund balance dollars, but when we have such an overage in our fund balance it makes sense to spend that down. Then the next year match your expenses with what we are bringing in. But I cannot vote for something that is going to just be an increase to our fund balance instead of the actual expenses we are incurring.”

Residents expressed during the public comment period of the meeting, there would be an effort to appeal the budget decision to the state should it be passed.

According to the State of Iowa, appeals of local government budgets are handled by the State Appeal Board. Persons affected by the proposed budget, expenditure or tax levy, or by any item thereof, may appeal the budget by filing a petition and appeal with the county auditor of the county in which the local government is located.

That petition is forwarded to the State Appeal Board and a hearing is scheduled in the local area. It is intended that the conduct of hearings and appeals shall be simple and informal, subject only to rules prescribed by the State Appeal Board. The State Appeal Board may designate deputies to attend the local hearing.