Voters in this year’s city-school elections will determine the fate of 56 bond proposals that would raise a total of $1.7 Billion dollars to build or renovate public facilities for things like schools, fire stations, and libraries.
That calculation comes from the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. The group asked Iowa’s 99 counties auditors for information about this year’s city-state elections. Eleven of this year’s bonding proposals are the same or similar to previous plans which got majority support from local voters, but missed the required 60 percent approval in the 2023 or 2024 elections. The largest bonding proposals are for schools and athletic facilities in the Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and West Des Moines School Districts.
In addition, voters in a few counties will also decide whether to raise local property taxes to finance ambulance services. In 2022, nearly 59% of Calhoun County voters supported an EMS property tax levy — but it failed because it needed 60 percent support. Voters there will consider the measure again tomorrow. Buchanan, Clay and Washington County voters are also deciding whether EMS is an essential service that should directly get funding from local property tax revenue. EMS referendums already have passed in 21 counties.
See a complete list here:
