Articles left reader with more questions

To the editor:

Please explain, if possible, what is going on with the Cedar Rapids Community School District budget and the Cedar Rapids property assessment process.

According to The Gazette's March 12 article 'School taxes could rise, but how much” the '… District is proposing to raise property taxes up to an additional 8 cents for every $1,000 of taxable value. But that could change, depending what the Legislature does.” This is based on the Senate proposal to raise the education fund by 4 percent whereas if the House proposal to raise the fund by 1.25 percent is passed it would result in a reduction by 6 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. Furthermore, if a 2.5 percent increase is approved by the Legislature then the levy rate would remain unchanged. Why does the district levy rate go down when the state education fund also goes down?

There was a second article dealing with the property tax assessment ('C.R. sends out new home rates,” March 12. This article explained (or tried to explain) the 'new” process used by the assessor resulting from new software. I applaud the incorporation of 'new” technology, but I have to question the step where each property is increased by 10 percent to 'align values with the Iowa Department of Revenue's manual of building costs.” What the heck is that? Please excuse my ignorance regarding how our tax system works, but I certainly don't feel more informed having read both of the referenced articles.

Gordon Taylor

Anamosa