County taxpayers will be receiving county proposed FY26 budget and property tax hearing notices in the mail as part of new House File 718 mailing legislation.

A recent law change requires county auditors to mail a notice to county taxpayers by March 15th with state-specified information related to proposed local government budgets and proposed property tax rates (Iowa Code 24.2A). The information is for estimated taxes payable in September 2025 and March 2026. Property owners should receive a notice if they expect to receive a property tax bill in September.

The notice is not a property tax bill. It includes data for Fiscal Year 2026 proposed city, school district and county budgets but does not include proposed budgets for smaller taxing authorities, such as the community college, assessor’s office, townships, and agricultural extension service. 

The purpose of the notice is to provide taxpayers with information about the proposed city, school district and county budgets in time for the taxpayers to address the proposals at public hearings held before the budgets are considered. The date, time and location of the hearings are included in the notices. The property tax levels may be lowered after the initial hearings but not increased.

Included on the notice is the impact of the proposed city, school, and county property tax rates on both a $100,000 residential property and $300,000 commercial property.