Area residents get a chance to learn about taxes

Sept. 27, 2023

HARTINGTON — Three dozen Cedar County residents turned out last week to get a better idea on how their tax dollars are being spent and why some entities had to raise taxes.

Representatives from Cedar County, the city of Laurel, the city of Randolph and Wynot Public School were on hand at the joint public hearing to answer questions from area residents.

The “Truth in Taxation” hearing was established by the state legislature in 2021 in an effort to better inform tax payers about how their money is being spent as local governments vote on property tax increases.

Cedar County Clerk Dave Dowling said the county mailed out 8,617 postcards inviting Cedar County residents to attend the hearing. The postcards cost 45 cents each to mail out, he said.

There were no time limits placed on the meeting, but there were very few questions from the audience, so the hearing itself only lasted 18 minutes.

The four entities were required by state law to attend the special meeting because their boards were requesting to raise the property tax asking above the two percent.