It’s no secret that Iowans are frustrated with property taxes.

Every year, we find ourselves paying more and more just to live in our own homes. The problem isn’t assessments, complicated rollback formulas, or what’s happening in the state legislature.

The real issue with property taxes is how local governments are spending our money. The good news is that now is the time of year when we can take action to address our taxes.

Keep an eye on your mailbox around March 20, 2024, for notices about public budget hearings for your city, county, and school district.

The notification looks like a spreadsheet, and it might not be clear what will happen to your tax bill. Use information from the notification and assessor in our Property Tax Calculator to see if your bill will increase.

However, the most important information is the date, time, and place of your public hearing.

If you don’t understand what you are looking at, click here to contact us.

We will be glad to review the information the local governments sent you and determine whether it will increase your property taxes.

These hearings give local elected officials a chance to explain why they need to increase your tax bill and take more of your hard-earned money. But more importantly, it’s your chance to tell them how a tax increase would affect your household budget. After all, your budget should be what matters most!

As Americans, it’s our duty to participate and ask questions of our government.

That’s why we’re urging all Iowans who care about their property tax burden to attend and speak at their city, county, and school budget hearings.

Examples of what others have said:

• “Will your proposed budget increase my property tax bill?”

• “Please don’t play the blame game. I know the assessor only places a value on my property, but YOU create the budget and determine the amount of my tax bill.”

• “I didn’t buy ________________ because my property tax bill went up.”

• “Inflation destroyed my budget. I had to decide what I could buy and what I couldn’t. The city/county/school needs to do the same.”

Your feedback can have real consequences and might help control your property tax bill. Even hearing from just a few people on an issue could signal a groundswell of opinion. So, it’s crucial for you and your neighbors to show up and share how property tax increases impact your lives.

Download our Property Tax Public Hearing Guide for a template of what to say when you attend your public budget hearing.

Amplify the voice of taxpayers by sharing this information with your neighbors. Working together we can start to see some property tax relief!