Funding cuts, infrastructure issues concern new mayor

    GRUNDY CENTER — Upcoming state budget cuts and the upcoming street light project are the largest areas of concern for new Grundy Center mayor Brian Buhrow as he enters his first term in office.
    Buhrow, who was sworn into office last Monday, said tax cuts passed by the Iowa legislature a year ago could hit cities hard.
    “It’s going to create problems for us making sure that our budget’s in line,” he said.
    Last year the legislature passed the equivalent of a 10 percent tax cut on commercial properties. Beginning in fiscal 2015, businesses will pay property tax on 95 percent of their assessed value. In fiscal 2016, that number drops to 90 percent. In addition, Buhrow said businesses that have a residential component, such as downtown businesses that have apartments above them, will be able to apply the higher residential rollback to that portion of their property. He said this will also affect businesses such as Arlington Place and the Pheasant Hollow apartment complex.
For more of this story, see the Jan. 9 Grundy Register.