It doesn’t seem possible that the month of May is almost gone. MMCRU High School graduation was Sunday (May 21) and other than Mark Brighton’s Elementary Track Meet on Tuesday, May 23 that is all for the 2022-2023 school year. Last day of school for students is Thursday, May 25.
I received a phone call from S. Schachterle that the Des Moines newspaper had an article that Gov. Reynolds had signed for exemption on property taxes. Gov. Reynolds had signed a $100 M property tax cut that helps seniors, veterans and limits city revenue growth. It provides new property tax breaks for seniors and military veterans and reins in how much money local governments can collect in taxes.
The law requires cities and counties to use growing revenue to cut property taxes. The law sets up a system for cities and counties to use a portion of their revenue growth to lower property taxes each year for the next four years. The law divides cities and counties into three tiers, bases on whether their revenue grows by less than 3% annually, between 3% and 6% or above 6%. It establishes a formula that requires local government to use a portion of any revenue growth above 3% to lower property taxes.
Iowans 65 and older and military veterans will see new property tax exemptions. The law provides an additional $6,500 homestead property tax exemption for Iowans 65 and older. It more than doubles a property tax exemption for veterans by increasing it to $4,000 in taxable value. That’s expected to provide $50 million in tax breaks for seniors and $7 million for veterans statewide.
Forms are available at tax.iowa.gov Then search “homestead pdf” If you have no way of getting these, go to the Library and the librarian will help you. The application had to be received by the county assessor on or before July 1 in the year in which the credit or exemption is first claimed. Filers must be 65 years or older and Veterans can apply, also. Don’t put filling this form off until later—find time to do it now. I thank Steve for letting me know of this.
He gave me a form to fill out and when I showed it to Zachary that night, he didn’t have time to look it over (playing a game on phone.) I put it in a top drawer in my China Hutch where anything of importance goes. The next day I went to get this form and found it was gone! I figured it had gone over the top and back of the drawer and had fallen down to the next compartment. I took everything out of the “below” compartment and found nothing—except this area was completely sealed off and nothing would ever get down and into it. I tried to raise up the drawer and pull it out but it would not budge. Then I noticed that the scholarship papers were almost missing from this drawer. I saw the last of them way to the back and I did get them out.
Even Zachary couldn’t get the drawer out. The next morning I was going to call and get another form when I called Zachary and asked him if he would stop by and pick it up. He asked if I had looked on top of the dining room table as he had finally got the drawer out. I went to see if he had “wrecked” it, but all was good. It was surprising what was under the draw that couldn’t go any where else. Even the drawer is sealed off! Zachary’s 2008 Income Tax papers. a 2014 Marcus Fair Cooking School book, a calendar, some paid off notes from a bank, and a couple of letters were all under this drawer. I was surprised that the drawer would even open with all that was under it! And, no there was no money found!
In the bottom compartment there was a box that I was not aware of. It was Jean’s and was filled with her collection of shot glasses. Even her name tag from work was there as well as a small envelope with some of Bethany’s first teeth.
Finding that form was a good thing but that next morning at 2:30 a.m., my television was making a queer sound. My cat at the bottom of the bed immediately took off—so I know it was not my imagination. This has happened shortly after buying it. There are times that it is hard to restart after I have unplugged it. There is also a smell that is left behind. Bethany said it was from the Canada smoke. I informed her that when it happened the first time, there was not Canada smoke. I think she has lost her sense of smell as well as taste.
The smell didn’t go away until the middle of the next morning. Meanwhile I had checked out one of William Krueger’s books from the Library and decided I would read this as long as the television wasn’t going. Krueger was a recent speaker that the Friends of the Library had come to Marcus. There will be more on him later.
Steve received word Sunday that the Sioux City Journal will be changing when they will be printing newspapers. As of June 20, 2023 the Journal is making changes. They are eliminating the print edition for Wed., Friday and Sunday. New print edition will be Tues., Thursday, and Sat. (the weekend edition). All of home delivery will be converted to mail delivery. They will still have single copy retail outlets that will be carrier delivered (whatever that means.)
They will still have opportunities for delivery to single copy retail locations and post offices. (Somehow these papers have to still be delivered to post offices or places where paper have been dropped off—so there is a need for someone to drive these papers to these designated places.)
Steve’s last delivery date will be Sunday June 18, 2023. At the end of contracted services, each contractor will be provided $150.00 on service incentive for all contractors that fulfill the remaining requirements of their contract. (Somewhere in a contract signed by a person, there probably is in small print, that the Journal has a way of getting out of the contract without a problem.) The Journal has been advertising for carriers as that is a way of supplementing a person’s income—and now this is no more!
Steve has been delivering these Journals for over 10 years no matter what the weather might have been. Even though he now has a 5 day job at school, he still was delivering papers early in the morning on three of these school days. It will be a change for him that is for sure! Now I wonder when the Journal will be notifying people that are used to home delivery. I suppose they will suggest to subscribe on line and read rather than go to the post office!
I received an obituary of Betty Knudson. It is hard to believe that she has passed away. There will be a service for her on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church located at 3000 12th Avenue at Coralville, IA 52241. In lieu of flowers, send cards and memorials to Chuck Knudson at 3 Russell Slade Blvd. 3202, Coralville, IA 52241.
Remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost friends/loved ones to death, have had their lives changed, have health problems some of which are terminal, are still struggling to make ends meet even thought they have a job, be with those who have graduated as they journey into the next phase of their lives, help those who desire “wants” rather than “needs” that prestige isn’t everything and be with those who are still trying to shorten the distance between family/friends to build a bridge instead of a wall. Consider your blessings that you are not “homeless”, living under a bridge, trying to find food to eat and wearing the same clothes day after day. I will close with this quote from Sophocies (496 B.C.-406 B.C.) Greek poet: “One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love.”