Voters in Johnson County will contend with a $30 million county conversation bond this November. But how much will it cost residents if it is approved?
The county Board of Supervisors has approved the final language for the bond, which will be used to develop and improve trails and parks and improve air and water quality.
If passed, the bond would result in an estimated average increase of $7.09 per $100,000 of assessed property value on top of the property tax the supervisors set each year.
The measure must be approved by a 60% “supermajority” of voters during the Nov. 5 general election. The rate increase would apply to residential properties, if approved. The $7.09 figure could be added to the property taxes that would take effect in Fiscal 2026 on July 1, 2025.
More: Johnson County Supervisors OK language for $30M conservation ballot initiative. What to know:
What are these bonds going to be used for?
The $30 million bond is intended to acquire and develop “lands with public access provided, in order to protect the water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; protect forests to improve air quality; protect natural areas and wildlife habitat from development; and provide for parks and trails” under the management of Johnson County Conservation, according to the approved ballot language.
Conservation Program Manager Brad Freidhof told the county Board of Supervisors that unlike in 2008, when a similar, $20 million bond referendum was on the ballot, the county had experience and guidance for voters about what these projects have already done in the past.
“We have a portfolio of projects that we have done since 2008 that we think is really representative of what we would continue to do going forward,” Freidhof said.
Some of the projects that came from the voter-approved 2008 referendum include:
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Clear Creek Conservation Area & Clear Creek Trail from Coralville to west of Tiffin
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Ciha Fen Preserve in Lisbon
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Hoover Trail from Ely to Solon
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Cedar River Crossing in Solon
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Pechman Creek Delta in Lone Tree
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Mehaffey Bridge Trail over the Iowa River
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Malinda Reif Reilly Fen & Prairie in Solon
More: From the Clear Creek Trail to F.W. Kent Park, outdoor adventures await in Johnson County
How much could property taxes rise?
Using current Fiscal 2025 numbers as a reference point, the bond measure would raise property tax rates per $100,000 in taxable value from $298.02 to $305.11, a tax increase of about 3.2% for every $100,000 in taxable property value.
That example is not perfect, as the current tax levy rate includes the increase resulting from the final year of a similar, $20 million, 15-year conservation bond approved by voters in 2008.
In that election, voters approved the bond referendum by a narrow 61-39 vote, clearing the required 60% supermajority by a single percentage point.
If the county supervisors set the Fiscal 2026 property tax rate at $320 per $100,000 of assessed value for residential homes in the county — a roughly average tax rate over the past three fiscal years — then the total property tax amount due to the county would be $327.09 for every $100,000 in property value, amounting to a 2.2% increase.
According to online realtor Zillow, the average value of a home in Johnson County is approximately $300,000, meaning the increase would amount to a $21.27 increase in property taxes paid to the county each year.
More: Vote for the Iowa City Press-Citizen Student of the Week
Would the increased tax rate be a flat rate increase?
No.
The referendum allows the supervisors to approve an increase larger than the estimated $7.09 per $100,000 figure. The amount of property taxes paid each year because of the conservation bonds may vary depending on what projects are on the docket.
The $7.09 number is a yearly average and was reached using the assumption that the conservation funds are distributed to projects evenly throughout the 20-year bond period, for an average of about $1.5 million per year.
The $30 million price tag attached to this year’s referendum is also merely an estimate and is not binding.
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Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Johnson County’s $30M conservation bond will increase property taxes
