Humboldt voters will decide levy after questions about vote

HUMBOLDT, Iowa (AP) - Residents of the northern Iowa city of Humboldt will decide whether to continue a nearly 30-year-old levy after an examination found no proof the issue had ever been put to a vote.

The issue arose in September when the Iowa Department of Management sought documentation on a law enforcement levy. After looking back through paperwork and seeking old newspaper articles, Humboldt City Administrator Aaron Burnett said officials couldn't find any "supporting documentation" for the levy.

"When you look at the amount of things that any local jurisdiction undertakes over 30 years, it's not surprising that at some point something isn't going to be handled properly," Burnett told the Fort Dodge Messenger (http://bit.ly/1vw5cPa). "It was probably just a natural human mistake."

Because of changes in budgeting practices it's not clear when the levy began, but Burnett says he thinks it first appeared on a 1986 budget.

Voters will decide the matter March 3.

This year, the levy will cost residents $1.13 per $1,000 of taxable valuation of property and raise $153,900 for the city. The money goes toward paying for law enforcement services shared by the city and Humboldt County.

If the levy is approved by voters, nothing will change.

"It's not an increase in taxes. It's not changing the way the police department is handled or managed," said Burnett. "It's just going back and providing that documentation."

If voters reject the levy, the city would cut construction projects and the replacement of vehicles. Service cuts could come later.

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Information from: The Messenger, http://www.messengernews.net