The Spencer City Council held a special meeting Monday evening to discuss their proposed property tax levy.
According to a presentation, there’s an increase to the property tax to provide funding for public transportation. The tax revenue supporting public transportation will begin on July 1st, 2026, covering about $38,648.
During the meeting, Kevin Robinson, city manager, said the increase is due to RIDES requesting funding from the city since the agency is experiencing budget reductions, as first reported by Explore Okoboji.
RIDES is a service in Northwest Iowa providing public transportation for people, including seniors and individuals with disabilities, for work, medical, and essential needs.
Hugh Lively, chief executive director of RIDES of Spencer, told Siouxland Public Media on Tuesday that RIDES had been running a deficit for the past year in the city, and we needed to increase the funding to cover the deficit.
Lively added that the proposed tax is enough to cover and continue the program, and RIDES appreciates its partnership with the city of Spencer.
RIDES provides services for 9 counties, including Clay and Dickinson Counties.
