TAX LEVY HEARING
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a new general fund tax levy for the county’s 2024-25 budget, after a public hearing this morning.
The new levy was reduced to $3.43 per thousand in Fiscal year 2024-25, down from the current $3.50.
While the levy was reduced from the current budget year, tax dollars increased, because tax valuations increased. Property values this year totaled 1.92 billion dollars in Plymouth County, while for next year, they will increase to 2.07 billion. Tax dollars raised in the next fiscal year will be 7.12 million, compared to the current 6.86 million. The Additional General Fund dollars bill be put toward salaries and insurance premiums. The increased Rural Fund dollars will be put toward secondary road use.
ROAD BUDGET AND CONSTRUCTION
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved their road construction budget and plan today. This plan includes a total of 15.7 million dollars in construction, of which the county will spend 4.7 million for bridge and culvert projects. Another 6 million dollars in federal bridge and resurfacing projects are in the plan, and some 4.1 one million dollars in state funding for bridge and repaving projects. The 2025 projects are part of a five year plan for road and bridge replacement construction in Plymouth County.
NAIA BANS TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS
10apr24
The Council of Presidents of the colleges and universities of the N-A-I-A has voted unanimously to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports competitions. Corey Westra is the commissioner of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, which includes Iowa N-A-I-A schools Morningside, Briar Cliff and Dordt Universities, along with Northwestern College. He says the decision was made after a lot of examination.
A total of 11 Iowa schools are part of the N-A-I-A. Westra has been the co-director of the N-A-I-A national tournaments for women’s basketball and volleyball that have been held in Sioux City the last several years.
Westra says the new policy expands to cover regular season sports.
Westra says he supports the decision as a lot of though went into it.
The policy takes effect with the start of the 2024-2025 fall ports season in August.
IOWA EXPANDS POST-PREGNANCY COVERAGE IN MEDICAID
The Iowa House has sent the governor a plan to extend post-pregnancy Medicaid coverage for new mothers and infants.
State Representative Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says the state currently supports post-partum care for a limited time, but covers more women.
The bill reduces the number of people eligible, but extends more benefits.
The change in income guidelines target benefits for women who need it the most.
This bill will improve Iowa’s standing among the states for post-partum care.
It’s essential to expand post-partum care for low-income Iowans
Democrats say the state can and should spend the extra seven MILLION dollars to keep that higher income threshold for the program. A federal law approved three years ago gave states authority and funding to expand postpartum coverage in the Medicaid program. Iowa will soon join 47 states that have approved the expansion.
SENATE ADVANCES PIPELINE-RELATED BILL
A bill to give property owners resisting a proposed carbon pipeline a new legal option has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate. It’s already passed the Iowa House by a wide, bipartisan margin. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says it’s time for the legislature to act because it’s cruel to make people wait three years to learn whether Summit Carbon Solutions will get eminent domain authority to seize their land. Under the bill, property owners along a proposed hazardous pipeline route could go to court after a permit application is filed for a ruling on whether developers would have eminent domain authority to seize land for the project. A lobbyist for Summit Carbon Solutions says the bill would have a chilling effect on the project and is written to frustrate development of pipeline infrastructure.
SIOUX CITY WOMAN TO APPEAL VOTER FRAUD CONVICTION
A Sioux City woman who is the wife of a Woodbury County Supervisor plans to appeal her voter fraud conviction. Woody Gottburg reports Kim Taylor will have a new attorney.
Guy Weinstein has been appointed to represent Taylor in the appeal. Taylor was sentenced to four months in prison and four months home confinement back on April 1st. She was convicted last November by a federal jury on 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting.
