Our opinion: Dubuque middle school consolidation connected to state aid

On Tuesday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a 3% increase in supplemental state aid to public schools.

Dubuque residents concerned about the former must connect the dots to the latter.

The middle school consolidation plan is a direct result of the school district’s need to operate efficiently and put as many tax dollars as possible toward educating students. With state aid poised to increase at less than half the rate of inflation, school district coffers are shrinking. Consolidation would result in a reduction of approximately $3.4 million annually from the district’s operating budget.

Consolidating and closing schools — think the recent closure of Fulton Elementary — are the kinds of difficult decisions impacting our community borne out of state funding levels.

The problem isn’t that the state doesn’t have the money. The 3% increase in supplemental state aid equates to $107 million. As Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, points out, the state passed $106 million in proposed corporate tax cuts as well as the Students First Act, which has a year one price tag of $107 million.

Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, still has hopes of squeezing more dollars for public schools from the state through appropriations. Here’s hoping she can find traction with that effort.

Regardless, as Dubuque schools sustain major changes, remember the financial challenges begin in Des Moines.

After two decades of hard work, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque continues to grow philanthropic giving into programs that reach those in need.

When it was founded in 2003, the foundation was nothing more than a post office box in the Roshek Building and an idea to provide residents with a way to give back to their community. Two decades later, that post office box has expanded to a multi-floor office, 25 employees and more than

$100 million in assets, but its founding idea remains intact.

Since its founding, the nonprofit has awarded nearly $70 million in grants and hosts more than 270 nonprofit endowment funds in seven Iowa counties: Allamakee, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson and Jones.

Whether it’s grants to increase technological capacity within nonprofits, efforts to get free books in the hands of students at Title 1 schools, facilitating community conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting the development of an arts nonprofit or developing a program to improve early-grade level literacy in the area, the Community Foundation is making a positive difference in our community.

Congratulations to Executive Director Nancy Van Milligen and the Community Foundation team for bridging the gap between those who have something to give and those in need in our community. The foundation has turned the generosity of passionate donors into real programs and initiatives that help people throughout the area.

Dubuque City Council members this week preliminarily set the city’s maximum property tax levy amount for fiscal year 2024 at $26,546,601. That total represents a 1.6% increase over the previous fiscal year and equates to a maximum property tax rate of about $9.89 per $1,000 of assessed value, up from the current rate of $9.69 per $1,000.

City Manager Mike Van Milligen proposed an increase to cover raises for city employees as part of a recruitment and retention program. The city has struggled to hire and retain firefighters and police officers, among other positions. Additionally, the city will lose more than $627,000 in state revenue because of a state miscalculation in property tax valuations.

However, the amount that Van Milligen asked for was an increase of 0.7% — less than half of what the majority of the council agreed to. Council Member Susan Farber proposed the higher maximum levy. She said it would give council members more flexibility in determining how many city projects to fund next fiscal year.

When it comes to taxpayer dollars, governing bodies shouldn’t build in a cushion for what-ifs. Van Milligen and city staff spelled out what was needed, and the council decided to double it, just in case.

Credit goes to Mayor Brad Cavanagh and Council Member David Resnick for balking at that change and voting no. It’s unfortunate that clearer thinking didn’t carry the vote, but the tax rate is not set just yet. We urge council members to look hard at the figures, listen to their constituents and reduce the rate.