Personal Taxes

LOST dollars could rebuild laundromat, buy laptops for school (03/15/10)
Twenty-nine area groups are vying for grants from Plymouth County's $100,000 Local Options Sales Tax grant pool. The requests range from $50,000 to demolish and rebuild the fire damaged Kraft Kleaners in Kingsley to $1,928 for the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department to buy rope rescue equipment to use with the aerial ladder fire truck...

Care package organization receives 50-laptop donation (03/11/10)
With laptops stacked 50 high, Kerri Stinton's storage room is more like a computer warehouse. But the laptops are actually a donation made to the Afghanistan Care Package Fund. Stinton, of Le Mars, started the care package program last August, following the deployment last July of her son-in-law, Scott Tillman, to Afghanistan...

LCS board will budget on anticipated allowable growth money (03/09/10)
Le Mars Community School Board of Education members gave their approval to a budget timeline that will culminate in a certified 2010-11 budget to be filed with the state by April 15, 2010. The board directed Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt to develop the 2010-11 budget working under the assumption of a 2 percent allowable growth in state funding and a Cash Reserve Levy of $750,000...

County budget passes without a hitch, despite 'no' vote (03/03/10)
Taxpayers had nothing to say Tuesday before Plymouth County's 2010-11 budget was finalized. The Plymouth County Supervisors approved the $21,891,804 budget with a 4-1 vote, after no one attended a public hearing.

City's $16 million budget approved for public hearing (02/17/10)
The city's 2010-11 budget is officially accepted by the Le Mars City Council. Now only one more step, a March 2 public hearing, remains before the city's adoption of a $16,164,421 budget for the coming year. The balance spending package will allow for continuation of the city's current $13.75 tax levy, said Bill Cole, Le Mars' assistant city administrator...

County construction means less LOST money for grants (02/16/10)
The Plymouth County Supervisors set aside $100,000 in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) money in their proposed budget to be used for grant requests. That's $80,000 less than last year -- but the county has two new major construction projects to pay for with LOST revenue in the next fiscal year...

Legislators and taxpayers talk budget, unions (02/15/10)
Iowa Legislators Rep. Chuck Soderberg and Sen. Randy Feenstra discussed the gaping hole in the state budget, union bills, ethanol requirements and state tax returns Saturday with about a dozen people at the Le Mars Public Library. Soderberg and Feenstra were in Le Mars for a legislative forum where they invite the public to come and ask questions and find out how the legislators feel about the current legislative session...

Huseman seeks re-election (02/15/10)
Rep. Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia) announced Friday he will be running for re-election to the Iowa House. Huseman represents Cherokee County, 10 townships in eastern and southern Plymouth County and nine townships in northern Woodbury County. "State government must manage Iowans' tax dollars wisely. ...

Peters pays it forward with Habitat for Humanity homes (02/11/10)
Rob Peters knows how much a Habitat for Humanity house means to a family. He and his three children moved into their home, the first built by Habitat for Humanity in Le Mars, just before Christmas 2006. Now he's even more involved and paying forward what he has received, serving as construction foreman for Habitat houses going up in the Riverside area of Sioux City...

Vander Plaats ready to put government on chopping block (02/09/10)
Gubernatorial hopeful Vander Plaats thinks he has some answers for Iowa's troubled economy -- and the top one is shrinking the government. Vander Plaats spoke Monday to about a dozen people at the Le Mars Pizza Ranch during a tour hitting all 99 of Iowa's counties...

TIF: a powerful tool being overused? (02/05/10)
Out of all 99 Iowa counties, Plymouth County is ranked second for using Tax Increment Financing (TIF). About 15.2 percent of the county's taxable valuation is in TIF, according to the Iowa State Association of Counties. TIF is a taxing tool different than regular taxes, according to Plymouth County Auditor Stacey Feldman...

Hotel/motel tax dollars may boost fairgrounds, chalk festival (02/03/10)
Twelve local agencies and organizations and the city are likely to be the beneficiaries of $36,033 in local option Hotel/Motel Sales Tax dollars this year. The Le Mars City Council received the requests for annual allocations of the sales tax revenue from the Hotel/Motel Sales Tax Advisory Board at its Tuesday session...

Budget changes add dollars for cemetery roads (02/03/10)
Finalization of the city's budget for the fiscal year 2011 moved a step closer to reality Tuesday. Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole shared with Le Mars City Council members current changes in the $16.1 million spending package. Changes resulting from last week's Jan. ...

Job training program revision, could limit local businesses (01/28/10)
One-half million dollars for Plymouth County business could be at stake as the State of Iowa discusses adjustments in funding to the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program. Plymouth County businesses that received job training funding in 2009 were Plymouth Energy - $250,612, Plymouth Oil - $153,000, Wells Dairy - $25,000 and Bodeans Baking Company - $63,403...

City squeezing its way to a balanced budget (01/27/10)
"Bare bones" and "lean" were the words used to describe the 2011 city budget during a Le Mars City Council workshop Tuesday. "We asked all the departments to make a 10 percent cut after we've had cuts the last two years," Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole said. "There is not a lot of cushion."...

LCS board cuts back early retirement policy (01/26/10)
A revision in the Le Mars Community School District's early retirement policy will be financially beneficial to the district while trimming some benefits to staff as well. It will continue to offer retiring certified staff with a contribution to the individual's medical insurance coverage...

City calls on state to retain road use tax funding (01/22/10)
The City of Le Mars has voiced its opposition to Iowa Governor Chet Culver and area legislators on the proposed use of state road use taxes to "bail out" other state programs. City Administrator Scott Langel asked that the road use tax system "be kept intact and available for its historical and intended purposes" and that the city's share of the tax monies be maintained...

Bohnenkamp appointed to LOST board (01/21/10)
The final seat on the Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board was filled Tuesday. The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors appointed Lynn Bohnenkamp, of Le Mars, to the District 1 seat of the board, which had previously been left open with no applicants to fill it...

Proposed city budget holds the line on tax levy (01/20/10)
The City of Le Mars is working to keep the tax levy at its current level in the proposed 2011 budget. The $16.1 million budget with $5.5 million in the general fund is similar to the current fiscal year 2010 budget of $15.9 million, Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole said...

Facebook safety: Keep predators out and friends in (01/07/10)
If you would have said "I'm going to go check my Facebook" 10 years ago, someone would assume you had a collection of mug shots you needed to thumb through. Fast forward a decade and seemingly everyone is on Facebook, the world's fastest growing social networking website, currently serving more than 350 million people...

Two members appointed to LOST Advisory Board (01/06/10)
At their first meeting in 2010, the Plymouth County Supervisors Monday appointed two people to three-year terms on the Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board. Curt Niehus will serve District 2, which covers northern Le Mars, from 160th Street north to the Sioux County line and surrounding areas. It is Supervisor Mark Loutsch's district...

Senator fears program, tax credit cuts loom to balance budget (12/29/09)
Iowa Sen. Randy Feenstra predicts the $1.1 billion budget deficit is the most important issue legislators will face come January. "There's going to have to be a lot of decisions made on how to either cut programs or cut tax credits to make a balanced budget," Feenstra said...

The Christmas Story (12/26/09)
St. Luke 2: 1-20 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city...

Daycare has kids thinking of others for Christmas (12/26/09)
During the holiday season, it's easy to get caught up in exchanging gifts with friends and family, especially for children. One Le Mars daycare provider, however, is challenging the kids she cares for to "think outside the box" and give back to others...

Soderberg says cuts could be significant and tough (12/18/09)
"The hole is pretty deep," Rep. Chuck Soderberg told the crowd of 70 people gathered at the Legislative Luncheon Thursday. "Now the challenge is to get out of that hole," the Republican said. "I believe if you don't involve everybody, it's going to be tough to get out of that hole."...

County injects $2,500 into drug court to sustain program (12/16/09)
Plymouth County's drug court is receiving a $2,500 boost from the county coffers. On Tuesday, the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved giving that sum of money to the program to keep it going through June 2010. Drug Court, which brings adults and juveniles facing drug-related charges in front of a panel of their peers for goal-setting, encouragement and enforcement, is low on money...

Remsen native propels Osmond to the top (12/01/09)
"Hamster, we did it!" That's the text message Donny Osmond sent Remsen native Adam Gentz after taking home the Dancing with the Stars trophy Nov. 24. Gentz, Osmond's personal trainer, had been working with the singer for three months in Las Vegas to build the strength, agility and endurance to dance his way to the top in the TV competition...

Holiday shoppers scurry downtown, retailers optimistic (11/30/09)
Christmas music played as people swarmed downtown Le Mars stores this past weekend making retailers hopeful for a positive holiday shopping season. "Our weekend went very, very well," said Robin Grosenheider, owner of Hotopp Jewelry & Gifts. "I was pleasantly pleased."...

LCS board begins process to cut $1 million from FY11 budget (11/11/09)
With a goal of cutting $1 million from the 2010-11 school year budget, Le Mars Community Schools Board of Education members approved timelines and processes for expense and elementary section cuts. "Administratively, we have been working on potential expenditure reductions already," Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt told the board at their Monday meeting...

LCS actors draw from experience in 'I Remember Mama' (11/10/09)
The year is 1910. In the spotlight is a Norwegian immigrant family, just scraping by in America. But the Hansons are not your average family. Before the curtain falls on Le Mars Community School's fall play "I Remember Mama," the audience will get tangled in the family's wayward family tree...

State rollback won't have big effect in Plymouth County (11/03/09)
This year's assessment limitations or rollback on Iowa property values announced by the Iowa Department of Revenue in October won't affect Plymouth County taxpayers much. That's according to Bob Heyderhoff, county assessor. Heyderhoff said even though it seems the difference is major between last years' statewide rollback on agricultural land of about 93.86 percent to this year's 66.27 percent, it's not going to be a big deal in Plymouth County...

Applications available for CVB Hotel/Motel Sales Tax grants (11/02/09)
Applications for approximately $40,000 in Le Mars Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Hotel/Motel Sales Tax funding will be available beginning Monday, Nov 16. Applications will be available online at lemarsiowa.com or at the Le Mars City Hall during regular business hours...

Ruden's massage therapy flourishing in downtown Le Mars (10/26/09)
Feeling a little anxious, neck a little stiff, have a pounding headache? Licensed massage therapist Shel Ruden, owner of Heavenly Healing Massage Therapy, said she might be able to help. Heavenly Healing settled into its new digs in downtown Le Mars at, 109 Plymouth St. N.W., Aug. 1...

Senator says cuts deliver hard blow to schools (10/13/09)
Last week Iowa Gov. Chet Culver imposed 10 percent cuts on all state departments to shore up the state's 2009-10 budget. "Everybody's going to feel the pain here," said Rep. Chuck Soderberg. "Some are going to feel it worse than others." For example, he noted, the 10 percent cuts will affect K-12 schools and human services departments, but until officials determine how the budgets will be trimmed the full impact won't be known...

First half property taxes due Sept. 30 (09/23/09)
Plymouth County Treasurer Linda Dobson reminds property owners that the first installment of real estate and mobile home taxes is due Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009. Property tax information may be obtained online at www.iowatreasurers.org or by calling the treasurer's office at (712) 546-7056...

Le Mars LOST dollars: All tied up at the moment (09/18/09)
Local Option Sales Tax spending is on pause for the city of Le Mars. Of the nearly $13 million in revenue from the one-penny sales tax projected to come into the city by 2016, $2 million has not yet been spent or committed to projects. "If the (Le Mars City) Council awards any more LOST dollars, it will delay payment of projects or the prepayment of loans," Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole said...

Locals would pay price if Cherokee MHI closes (09/15/09)
Closing the Cherokee Mental Health Institute (MHI) would be damaging for Plymouth County, according to area mental health professionals. Transportation costs for both the county and patients having to travel greater distances to other facilities to receive treatment and related agencies that rent space on the institution's campus could face hardships...

Family Fun Day raises money, awareness (09/10/09)
The Living Center's Family Fun Day will offer everything from carnival games to hotdogs to wagon rides Saturday. This year's event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Olson Cultural Event Center, in Le Mars. Family Fun Day is one of The Living Center's annual fundraisers, but it's not all about the money, said Teresa Shaver, executive director of the center...

City council OKs $200,000 dialysis center loan (09/02/09)
Efforts for a new dialysis services center in Le Mars moved another step ahead Tuesday as Le Mars City Council members approved a $200,000 unsecured loan to help the center become operational. The interest-free loan, coming from Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) money, is scheduled for payment "at the sunset" of the LOST program Dec. 31, 2016...

Sales Tax Holiday this weekend (08/07/09)
Time for back-to-school shopping. The 10th annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday runs today (Friday) and Saturday. Qualifying clothing or footwear with a selling price of less than $100 will be exempt from sales and local option tax. Businesses open on these days and sell qualifying items are required to participate...

Iowa Sales Tax Holiday August 7-8 (08/04/09)
The 10th annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday will be held Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8. Qualifying clothing or footwear with a selling price of less than $100 will be exempt from sales and local option tax. The holiday does not include Sunday. Businesses open on these days and sell qualifying items are required to participate...

Rants says his background fits the bill for Governor (07/16/09)
Iowa Rep. Christopher Rants has been in business and in government. And that, he says, is one thing that sets him apart among those vying for the Iowa governor's seat in 2010. The Sioux City Republican spent more than an hour Tuesday pitching his ideas to people at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars...

Ice Cream Days 2009 Schedule of Events (06/15/09)
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. "Cone Sculptures" crafted by area artists in various media for outdoor exhibit at The Arts Center, 200 Central Avenue SE. Sculptures will be auctioned to public bidders for private placement around Le Mars. 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Ice-cold root beer floats in the 1940's Miller's Leech diner, "Milestone Memories" exhibit of historic wedding dresses, five floors of history at the Plymouth County Historical Museum, 335 1st Avenue SW. Free admission...

College students speak out about new credit card rules (05/29/09)
The time when college students could use credit cards on their own to help pay school expenses is past. Last week President Obama signed a law that bans certain practices by card issuers including prohibiting young people from obtaining credit without parent approval. The changes go into effect in nine months...

Health care: Is the system broken and can we fix it? (05/22/09)
Barb Walter, owner of Close to Home, a local shop, said her health care costs are getting out of hand. For self-employed people like Walter and her husband, they have to find and pay for health insurance on their own. "It goes up every couple of months," she said of the price they pay. "And we have a high deductible to keep our premium lower. We have no co-pay."...

Hospital's patient costs will increase next year, but remain low (05/20/09)
Costs patients pay for services at Floyd Valley Hospital will grow for the second year in a row. Even with the 4.2 percent increase, inpatient and outpatient costs will still be lower than other area hospitals, both rural and metro, according to Daryl Friedenbach, director of financial services at FVH...

Hospital's patient costs will increase next year, but remain low (05/19/09)
Costs patients pay for services at Floyd Valley Hospital will grow for the second year in a row. Even with the 4.2 percent increase, inpatient and outpatient costs will still be lower than other area hospitals, both rural and metro, according to Daryl Friedenbach, director of financial services at FVH...

LOST money to renovate storefronts, new firehouse (04/22/09)
Four community projects are in line for Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) dollars as a result of action Tuesday by the Le Mars City Council. Council members approved the following: Prior to this, the council had planned to use LOST dollars to first repay debt for the new jail (the reason the LOST was put into effect) and for bonding to pay for the earliest LOST projects, according to City Finance Director Bill Cole...

Legislators challenge proposed tax changes: Who wins and who loses? (04/06/09)
A new tax law that would mean a tax cut for about one-half of Iowans and an increase or no change for the rest is at the center of legislative debate this week. Rep. Chuck Soderberg and Sen. Randy Feenstra visited with area residents in an open forum in Le Mars on that proposed tax bill and others Saturday...

Special tax break available for new car purchases this year (04/02/09)
The Internal Revenue Service announced this week taxpayers who buy a new passenger vehicle this year may be entitled to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase on their 2009 tax returns next year. "For those thinking about buying a new car this year, this deduction may give them a little more drive to make their purchase this year," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. "This deduction enables taxpayers to buy now and get cash back later on their tax returns."...

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