Suburban cities and counties across the Des Moines metro are preparing their budgets for the coming fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The Register asked Altoona, Ankeny, Dallas County, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines about any changes in their property tax levies, staff and programs compared to the previous budget year.
Here are changes to look for in each community.
Altoona
Property tax levy: $10.75, no change
Changes: The city’s budget for the year ahead is mainly focused on completing a new public works facility at 1511 17th Ave. SW, a new satellite fire station at 2300 25th St. NW, and road widening and other infrastructure improvements in the area of the future Robinson heavy manufacturing facility, said city spokesperson Adam Bowersox.
The city is hiring three new firefighter/EMTs to staff the new fire station. But Bowersox said Altoona has delayed any other hiring for the 2027 fiscal year “due to uncertainty at the Statehouse concerning property taxes.”
Ankeny
Property tax levy: $9.90, no change
Changes: The city’s budget includes adding 10 full-time equivalent employees: two police officers, a school resource officer police sergeant, a fire inspector, a firefighter/paramedic, a park maintenance technician, an information technology technician, an equipment operator, a traffic technician and a utilities operator, according to spokesperson Amy Baker.
Capital improvement projects in the budget include transportation, utilities and park development, such as widening or other improvements on West First Street and South Ankeny Boulevard, the second phase of the High Trestle Trail Experience Park — the addition of a side path and play areas — and the first phase of developing the 20-acre Canyon Creek Park.
The owner of a $330,000 home in Ankeny will see an annual increase of $108 and a business owner with a property assessed at $1.39 million will see an annual cost increase of about $2,501 — taking into account property tax, utility franchise fees and utility rates, Baker said.
Dallas County
Property tax levy: $5.26, a 16-cent decrease
Changes: All existing programs remain and no staffing has been cut, according to Rob Tietz, the county’s finance and operations director.
Grimes
Property tax levy: almost $10.70, no change
Changes: The budget includes completing improvements at Lions Park including to playground equipment, beginning construction of a public administration building at Waterworks Park that will house staff from the Grimes Community Complex and City Hall, and road and sidewalk improvements, according to city spokesperson Whitney Tucker.
The city has proposed a 3% franchise fee on utilities Tucker said would cost an average homeowner $2.71 on their combined gas and electric bills each month. City Council would still need to approve the proposal. Tucker said the fee would pay for four additional firefighter/emergency medical services members of the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire District, two fire support staff and three additional Polk County Sheriff’s deputies — one officer assigned to each shift.
Johnston
Property tax levy: almost $11.39, a 5-cent decrease
Changes: Johnston’s budget includes 11 new positions, including two police officers, three firefighter/paramedics and one firefighter/EMT, according to finance director Sarah Swisher. Other new staff include a human resources director and senior building inspector. The human resources director, an enterprise applications and IT coordinator, and a utility billing specialist are all partly or fully funded by the city’s water and sewer enterprise funds. Johnston is paying for about 61% of the costs for the new positions within the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire District.
Urbandale
Property tax levy: $9.98, a 5 cent decrease
Changes: The City of Urbandale is adding three employees — a police officer, a human resources specialist and a construction coordinator in the building maintenance department, according to spokesperson Derek Zarn.
Waukee
Property tax levy: $12.80, no change
Changes: The City of Waukee is adding a code compliance officer/rental inspector, two full-time firefighter/paramedics, two full-time police officers this summer, one additional police officer mid-fiscal year, and a streets laborer, according to spokesperson Heather Behrens. A records technician at the police department and an outreach librarian at Waukee Public Library also will move to full-time from part-time.
Capital improvement projects in the budget include continuing the extension of University Avenue to close the gap between Warrior Lane and Sixth Street and improve intersections, widening Northeast Alice’s Road in partnership with the City of Clive and making Walnut Street a one-way street in the Downtown Triangle that will enable it be converted to a pedestrian area for events. The CIP budget also includes continuing the renovation of the old public safety building on L.A. Grant Parkway that will allow community development staff to leave rented space in an annex building behind City Hall.
There are no cuts due to budget constraints, Behrens said.
West Des Moines
Property tax levy: $10.80, no change
Changes: There are 4 ½ fewer city employees in the budget because of consolidations of duties and other moves such as retirements, promotions and vacancies, but no layoffs or terminations, according to city spokesperson Janet Wilwerding. There is about one fewer employee each in parks and recreation, public services, engineering, IT services and human resources.
Wilwerding also said there are no major program service cuts in the budget.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at PSitter@usatodayco.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Here’s what’s in Ankeny, Waukee and other Des Moines suburbs’ budgets
Reporting by Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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