Winterset resident objects to Madison County budget, cites repeated property tax hikes

Jessica Hobbs, a Winterset resident, used the public comment period to object to Madison County's proposed budget, saying it would raise property taxes again and urging supervisors to reduce spending. "I'm here today to object to this budget, which gives us another increase in our property taxes," she said.

Hobbs told supervisors Clint Clifton and Fitch she opposed recent tax decisions, saying, "Last year, supervisors Clint Clifton and Fitch raised our county taxes by 17%." She said the current proposal adds "another 5.8%," which she tied to caps under a "new property tax law," and added that "with compounding, our county top taxes have increased nearly 25% in the last 2 years." These figures come from her remarks during public comment; the transcript does not record an independent confirmation or a response from county officials.

Hobbs singled out the assessor's budget and personnel costs, saying Clifton and Fitch "voted in favor of over a 12% increase in property taxes for the assessor's budget," and asserting that the assessor's budget includes raises "7 to 22%" and an additional $5,000 she described as a "slush fund." "We do not need to give the assessor a $5,000 slush fund," she said.

She also criticized a proposed $100,000 purchase of election equipment, saying the equipment has "old software" and is "certified to 30 year old standards," and questioned whether that expense is necessary. "We do not need to spend a $100,000 on new election equipment that has sold that has old software on it, and it is certified to 30 year old standards," she said.

Hobbs objected to additional salary increases for elected officials and county employees, noting that last year she said raises averaged "10 to 19%" and arguing that further increases are unnecessary. She raised a transparency concern, saying there had been no posting on the county website about the assessor budget or an assessor hearing two weeks earlier. "This demonstrates a glaring lack of transparency," she said.

Hobbs framed her appeal in the context of state fiscal controls, saying some local officials were upset with the Iowa Legislature for imposing caps on spending and arguing Madison County's recent spending supports those caps. She concluded by asking supervisors to "go back and sharpen your pencils and give the taxpayers, your constituents, some relief."

The transcript records Hobbs' assertions and requests during public comment but does not include responses from supervisors or staff on the record. No formal vote, motion, or decision was recorded in the provided excerpt after her remarks.