Black Hawk County, IA – The Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on Monday, April 21, to approve the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. which includes a 3.7% increase in tax askings—an additional $1.36 million—bringing the total to $38.29 million, accounting for 45% of the county’s overall revenue.
While an increase was necessary, the approved budget reflects the County’s ongoing commitment to maintaining essential services while minimizing the burden on taxpayers. The table below shows the estimated tax impact of the FY26 increase across various property classes:
Property Class | FY 2026 Tax Impact |
Residential Urban | +2.91% |
Agricultural | +2.43% |
Residential Rural | +1.87% |
Commercial | +1.06% |
Industrial | +0.90% |
Note: Figures reflect sample impacts and vary based on individual property valuations and levy components.
During the meeting, board members emphasized the collective effort to minimize the impact on taxpayers, despite state-level changes that complicated the budgeting process. They worked closely with departments to keep the increase as low as possible while still meeting the county’s needs.
As the fifth-largest county in Iowa by population, Black Hawk County ranked eighth in total tax asking based on the FY 2025 budgets, while maintaining the sixth-highest overall property valuations, demonstrating a balanced approach to economic stewardship and public service delivery.
During the presentation, Finance Director Michelle Weidner outlined several key decisions made by the Board that helped limit the tax increase. These include:
- Funding capital projects through general reserves or using general obligation bonds, minimizing direct impact on taxpayers.
- Zero increase in staffing for the upcoming fiscal year.
- Department-wide efforts to reduce expenses wherever possible.
The FY 2026 budget goes into effect on July 1, 2025. For additional details or to view the full budget, please visit the Black Hawk County website at: https://blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov/687/Financial-Reports or watch the public hearing on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@blackhawkcountyiowa.