WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) – The City of Waterloo is sharing information to better inform the public about the Iowa Department of Revenue’s rollback order that took place last month. When the Black Hawk County Assessor’s Office determines the market value of a property in January 2024, a rollback percentage is applied to determine the taxable value of the property. The property tax levy is applied to the taxable value, thereby determining the property tax bill. The rollback order, which will impact taxes in September 2024 and March 2025, drops the percentage of residential property that is taxable from 54.6501% to 46.3428%. Officials say this is the largest drop in the residential rollback in over 20 years. City officials say that while the decrease is a sign of strong growth in residential property values, the City’s property tax revenue will be limited – thus affecting the fiscal budget for the coming year. They say that only when Black Hawk County assessors release their valuations, will the impact become more clear.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The federal infrastructure law is infusing $57 million to make Interstate 380 six lanes from Highway 30 to the Shueyville-Swisher exit. The expansion will happen in conjunction with the airport interchange getting overhauled to accommodate more truck traffic. The I-380 expansion project in Cedar Rapids has one neighborhood concerned. They’re worried about traffic noise once the extra lanes are added, saying they can already hear the interstate as is. The derecho in 2020 took out a lot of the trees in the neighborhood, and with that buffer gone, noise from the interstate can be heard every day. The Iowa Department of Transportation has done a noise study for the area and found that the increased noise from the expansion project doesn’t increase enough to justify mitigation. Although a sound barrier isn’t currently in the plans, it also isn’t completely out of the question for the future. Iowa DOT did say a row of trees will be left standing between the neighborhood and the interstate to help mitigate the noise.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Wednesday at approximately 9:30 a.m., emergency crews responded to the 200 block of 24th St NE for a report of a house fire. Responders arrived to find heavy smoke throughout the home and fire in the basement. The fire was contained mostly in the basement and extinguished quickly. Ventilation fans removed excess smoke and allowed for a complete search of the home. Three dogs were in the home at the time of the fire. One was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two were given oxygen therapy on the scene. An adult female and two children were able to escape without injury. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Brian Ohorilko, the long-time administrator for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, is leaving his post. In a statement, the chair of the IRGC thanked Ohorilko for his nearly 20 years of service, and explained that Ohorilko is leaving to take a job in the private sector. Tina Eick, a public service manager with the IRGC, has been appointed Interim Administrator of the Commission. The racing and gaming commission plans to appoint a new administrator in January.
