Presentation of the City Manager's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Copyrig hted
March 1, 2021
City of Dubuque Action Items # 7.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Presentation of the City Manager's Fiscal Year2022 Budget
Recommendation
SUM MARY: City Manager presenting the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget
recommendation. The City Manager will provide a presentation. The
recommended budget materials will be available on the City of Dubuque
website at https://www.cityofdubuque.org/2889/Fiscal-Year-2022-Budget
SUGGESTED Receive and File; PresentationSuggested Disposition:
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation-MVM City Manager Memo
Memo UPDATED 2/26/21
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation-MVM City Manager Memo
Memo
Budget Message
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation
DATE: February 26, 2021
It is my goal that the Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation will reflect the City Vision and
Mission Statements as established by the Mayor and City Council and be responsive to the
goals and priorities established by the Mayor and City Council in their August 2020 annual goal
setting session. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation includes a property tax rate
decreased of (0.93)%. This translates into the following:
% Change $ Change
Property Tax Rate -0.93% -$0.09
Average Residential Payment +1.62% +$12.49
Average Commercial Payment 0.00% $0.00
Average Industrial Property -0.30% -$14.20
Average Multi-Residential Property -6.15% -$116.55
In the midst of last year's budget process, the World Health Organization declared on March
11, 2020 that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Almost immediately the world economy began to
shut down.
Locally, unemployment skyrocketed from the lows of 2018/2019 of less than 2°/o
unemployment, to the February 2020 unemployment of 3.4%, to a 2020 high of 12.9% in April
2020. Since then there has been a steady decline to 3.5% in December 2020. However, this
low unemployment rate can be deceptive. From January 2020 (57,349) to December 2020
(51,760), 5,589 people have left the Dubuque County labor force. These are people who were
previously employed, or previously unemployed and looking for a job, that are now
unemployed and not looking for a job.
Everything I have heard and read indicates that the economic downturn in Dubuque has most
negatively impacted the hospitality and tourism industries, which are commercial businesses,
and individuals who mainly live in apartments. Recognizing this, I have tried to recommend a
budget that minimizes property taxes on commercial properties and multi-family residential
properties (3 units and above as defined by the State of lowa). I am doing this while trying to
have some additional resources to be responsive to the priorities of the Mayor and City
Council.
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Budget Message
You will recall that in the current year (FY21 beginning July 1, 2020) City budget that was
adopted by the Mayor and City Council in April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, there
was a property tax rate reduction of 1.8%, which lowered property taxes on residential
property, commercial property and industrial property, but did cause an increase on multi-
residential property. The change from FY20 to FY21 was as follows:
Property Type Average Property % Property Tax
Tax Cost Change Cost Change
from FY2020 from FY2020
Residential $1.09 less 0.14% decrease
Commercial $104.45 less 3.30% decrease
Industrial $132.61 less 2.81% decrease
Multi-Residential $158.73 more 9.13% increase
FY 2020 FY 2021 % Change
Property Tax Rate Property Tax Rate
$10.33144 $10.1440 1.8% Decrease
Dubuque then compares very favorably with the ten other cities in the State of lowa with a
population greater than 50,000 with having the lowest property tax rate.
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The above numbers relate to the current fiscal year, FY21. Now I will be moving to describe
how my recommendation will affect FY22 and beyond.
Dubuque would compare very favorably with these other cities when looking at debt in that with
using only 45% of the statutory debt limit if the FY22 Capital Improvement Program budget
recommendation is adopted, Dubuque would rank 5t" lowest of the eleven cities and very close
to the 44.68% average of the other cities.
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Budget Message
Percentage of Legal Debt Limit Utilized
100%
90%
80%
70% 64% 63%
57%
60% 53%
49% 49%
50% 45% 45% o
40/o
40%
27%
30% 22% 22%
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In addition, the Mayor and City Council have been good stewards of City funds and built up
healthy general fund reserves. The City maintains a general fund reserve, or working balance,
to allow for unforeseen expenses that may occur. The goal is to have at least a 20% general
fund reserve.
FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025
. - . . .
• . �• $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63
' , • - • - - • - - - 25.21% 24.72% 24.24% 23.76% 23.29%
As previous analysis has shown, the City of Dubuque is also one of the most efficiently run
cities in the comparison group of the eleven cities with a population of greater than 50,000.
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation is that the property tax rate be further reduced
from the current $10.1440 per thousand dollars assessed value to $10.0496, a 0.93%
decrease in the property tax rate.
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Budget Message
2035 VISION STATEMENT
Dubuque 2035 is a sustainable and resilient city and an inclusive and equitable community
where ALL are welcome. Dubuque 2035 has preserved our Masterpiece on the Mississippi,
has a strong diverse economy and expanding connectivity. Our residents experience healthy
living and active lifestyles; have choices of quality, affordable, livable neighborhoods; have an
abundance of diverse, fun things to do; and are successfully and actively engaged in the
community.
CITY MISSION STATEMENT
Dubuque city government is progressive and financially sound with residents receiving value
for their tax dollars and achieving goals through partnerships. Dubuque city government's
mission is to deliver excellent municipal services that support urban living; contribute to an
equitable, sustainable city; plan for the community's future; and facilitate access to critical
human services.
CITY OF DUBUQUE GOALS 2025
•Robust Local Economy: Diverse Businesses and •Sustainable Environment: Preserving and
Jobs with Economic Prosperity Enhancing Natural Resources
•Partnership for a Better Dubuque: Building Our
•Vibrant Community: Healthy and Safe Community that is Viable, Livable, and Equitable
•Livable Neighborhoods and Housing: Great •Diverse Arts, Culture, Parks, and Recreation
Place to Live Experiences and Activities
•Financially Responsible, High-Performance City
Organization: Sustainable, Equitable, and Effective •Connected Community: Equitable Transportation,
Service Delivery Technology Infrastructure, and Mobility
POLICY AGENDA items are issues that need direction or a policy decision by the City Council,
or need a major funding decision by the City Council, or issues that need City Council
leadership in the community or with other governmental bodies. The policy agenda is divided
into top priorities and high priorities.
2020-2022 POLICY AGENDA
TOP PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan: Implementation & Phasing: Implementation &
Phasing: As part of a commitment to create fun a variety of fun things to do for all, the
City is part of a team lead by the Dubuque racing Association who will implement the
Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan. The Plan identifies a strategy to redevelop the
island, beginning with the development of a Veterans Memorial and including
developing/redeveloping recreational amenities, business development, self-sufficiency
of Q Casino, and redevelopment of the 16th St Corridor onto the island. This work will
be done while focusing on the environmental integrity of the island with the US Army
Corps of Engineers and the lowa Department of Natural Resources. In the upcoming
18 months, the team will focus on completion of the Veterans Memorial and seeking
funding sources to implement the Plan. Funding support is included in the FY22 CIP for
this project.
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Budget Message
• Dream Center: Facilities and Programs: Self-Sufficiency Additional Funding: The
Dubuque Dream Center is a community outreach center committed to mobilizing youth
and families to build on Dr. King's Dream of transforming communities by embracing,
empowering, and unifying those who live there. The Center provides structured
academic programs, college and career preparation, and goal-setting where youth build
relationships with caring adults, have a safe place to belong, and participate in value
driven programs and activities.
Multiple City departments have existing relationships with the Dream Center. These
include funding for "Dream Center School Connectors" through the FY21 Purchase of
Services grant, Community Oriented Policing (COP) division assisting with mentoring
and recreation activities, Leisure Services partnerships to make connections with
current services and other organizations that will may be beneficial to them. The City
provided a $10,000 planning grant to prepare forADA improvements to their building,
which was approved for funding in the FY21 budget. In addition to $40,000 in operating
support in FY21 and FY22. The Dream Center has some capitals needs and resources
are being identified outside of the FY21 budget process as well. The City is providing
$276,000 to match some of their existing resources to complete a facility upgrade that
will qualify the Dream Center for over $800,000 a year in State of lowa childcare
subsidies. In FY22, an additional $10,000 in operating support is recommended to
provide support for 66 children for an entire year of programming.
• Equitable Fine and Fee Reform: Report, Direction and Actions: This project
examines how the City's fines and fee structures impact our most vulnerable population,
particularly communities of color. Key issues include a thorough analysis of quantitative
and qualitative data to understand impact, legislative advocacy at the county, state, and
federal level, and actions to restructure fine and fee schedules and practices. Staff
capacity to manage recommended programs will be key to successful implementation.
The Community Diversion & Prevention Coordinator (Police) and Community Outreach
Coordinator (Americorps) recommended for funding will increase that capacity and
assist in implementation of pilot program(s).
• Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan Implementation: In 2021, the City Council
prioritized the creation of an Equitable Poverty Reduction & Prevention Plan. The Plan
was delivered to Council by Public Works LLC, and lays out an implementation strategy
to reduce poverty, especially in communities of color. The FY22 budget recommends
funding for Public Works LLC to continue assisting the City in implementation. It also
recommends the creation of a new Office of Shared Prosperity & Neighborhood
Support. This department will be led by a Director of OSPNS (re-imagining the existing
Neighborhood Development Specialist for no net property tax impact) and also include a
Data Analyst and part-time Administrative Assistant.
• Fountain of Youth: Additional funding: The Fountain of Youth exists to assist
individuals in escaping generational poverty. They offer REAL TALK, Getting in Tune,
and Partners in Change programs. Through a FY20 Purchase of Services grant, the
City provides funding for FOY's "Partners in Change" program. In addition, the City has
offered technical assistance to the FOY for grant writing, strategic planning, and is
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Budget Message
facilitating the ESPERE Workshop (The School of Forgiveness and Reconciliation) with
FOY participants.
Funding recommendations in the FY22 budget include $50,000 per year in operating
support, $10,000 more than in the FY21 budget.
• Quality Affordable Housing Creation: City Council has prioritized ensuring that quality
affordable housing is available throughout the city for all income levels. This includes
defining roles for the City, not limited to funding partners and enforcement, and
expansion of roles for non-profit partners, private developers, and landlords. Several
Housing & Community Development CIPs support this work.
HIGH PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Arts and Culture Master Plan Implementation: Update Report, Direction, and
Actions: In 2015, the City completed an Arts & Culture Master Plan. Since then, a
community task force has led its implementation. Key issues for the coming year
include volunteer engagement, funding identification, and City policies. Implementation
will continue through existing operating budgets and community partnerships.
• Arts Operating Grants and Art on the River: Update Report, Funding, Direction,
and Actions: : Increasing funding forArt on the River (including potential expansion to
other locations), a review of the existing Arts operating grants, and an increased focus
on diversity and equity in the programs was prioritized.
• Childcare Initiative: Outcomes, City Role, Partners, Direction and City Actions:
Building on work completed by the public and private sector, this priority continues to
focus on ensuring enough childcare is available to all income levels to ensure a healthy
workforce. A CIP request for childcare assistance is recommended in the Housing
budget.
• Code of Ethics/Social Media for Mayor and City Council: Development and
Adoption: This priority identifies Mayor & City Council action. No financial impact was
identified that requires budget consideration.
• Food Insecurity: Report with Findings and Options, Direction, City Actions, and
Funding (including Food Deserts and Grocery Store Attraction):City staff and
partners continue work to identify food deserts and increase access to healthy food
options for all residents. Identifying the City's role in this work, including examining
public transit access to grocery stores and potential financial incentives, will occur in
FY22 in addition to ongoing support of community gardens and partnership with the
Dubuque County Food Policy Council.
• Four Mounds/HEART Program: Funding: The City contracts with Four Mounds/
HEART to complete construction work at City-owned properties. HEART students
2s
Budget Message
recently finished a property at 396 W Locust and are working on 2243 Central Avenue.
Funding for the existing Four Mounds Heart Project is in the requested FY22 budget for
$10,000 from General Funds (previously Community Development Block Grants were
used to provide this funding); additional funding is being provided for the Adult HEART
program through labor and materials contracts underway.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are provided to Four Mounds to
run their adventure day camp program as well.
Four Mounds has asked for assistance with capital needs at their property from the City.
It is recommended that the City purchase 40 acres located near Four Mounds owned by
the Four Mounds Foundation and provide fiscal support for renovations with funds
identified outside of the budget process.
MANAGEMENT AGENDA items are issues for which the City Council has set the overall
direction and provided initial funding, may require further City Council action or funding, or are
major management projects that may take multiple years to implement. The management
agenda is divided into top priorities and high priorities.
2020-2022 MANAGEMENT AGENDA
TOP PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Bee Branch Creek Project: Next Steps: According to scientists at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental
Information, wet conditions from July 2018 through June 2019 resulted in a new 12-
month precipitation record in the U.S., with an average of 37.86 inches (almost 8 inches
above average). June was the third consecutive time in 2019 (April, May and June) that
the past 12-month precipitation record was broken.
Locally, Dubuque normally receives 36 inches of rain annually but our weather has not
been "normal" lately. Precipitation in 2020 was more typical of Dubuque. But the two
years prior represent one of the wettest periods in Dubuque's history. According to the
National Weather Service, Dubuque received nearly 53 inches of rain through in 2019. It
marked the second consecutive year Dubuque received at least 50 inches of rain.
If you consider an 18-month comparison (May 2018 - October 2019), Dubuque received
over 95 inches of rain making it the wettest 18-month period on record for Dubuque.
Based on 30 years of ineasurements, Dubuque usually receives just under 60 inches
during that 18-month period. That's nearly an extra year's worth of rain in 18 months!
Dubuque also experienced the second-wettest September on record in 2019 when
13.31 inches of precipitation fell over the city. That is second only to the record rainfall of
15.46 inches in September of 1965.
In June 2019, according to data from NOAA, lowa set the record for rainfall and snow in
a 12-month period since official records began in 1895. Relatedly, the Mississippi River
spent a record 86 days above flood stage in Dubuque, from March 20 to June 13. The
previous record was just 37 days and was set in 2001.
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Budget Message
The Bee Branch Works! Climate change is impacting cities around the country and the
world in different ways. Some cities are taking steps to be more resilient to these
effects, including Dubuque.
Even though it is not yet completed, the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project
is functioning as designed and is protecting Dubuque residents and businesses from
flash flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The Bee Branch infrastructure improvements
are providing incremental benefits. As each phase of construction is completed,
Dubuque is seeing greater flash flood protection.
Despite record-setting rainfall in 2018 and 2019, very few properties have experienced
flood damage following the completion of the upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration in
2017. Previously, residents and businesses in the watershed would have experienced
devastating flash flooding during this record setting year. The City would have received
widespread reports of flooding and hundreds of basements filled with water but, due to
improvements made throughout the watershed, there have been only minimal reports of
damage.
The Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culverts Project is under construction and is a critical
phase of the overall flood mitigation project. It involves using micro-tunneling methods
to install six, 8-foot diameter culverts under the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks which
are located between the two sections of the Bee Branch Creek. Adding this additional
capacity will allow stormwater to drain more efficiently from the upper portion of the
creek to the lower. The tunneling was completed in 2020, a significant project
milestone. When the entire project is completed in mid-2021, it will increase the flood
mitigation system's capacity to protect the area from a 75-year rain event to a 500-year
rain event.
The Bee Branch Gate & Pump Replacement Project, currently under design, will
modernize the gate and pump station where the Bee Branch Watershed drains into the
Mississippi. The improvements to the pump station will provide more pumping capacity
and improve gravity flow conditions such that the system will be able to accommodate
what is statistically considered a 500-year event - the same level of protection to be
provided by the upstream Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project when the Bee Branch
Creek Railroad Culverts Project is complete. The design should be complete in early
2021 such that the construction can begin in the summer of 2021. The City was
awarded $2.5 million from the US EDA to help offset the cost of construction.
Unfortunately, the City's planed source of local funding has been impacted due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The City was $98.5 million in state sales tax increment funding
through the State Flood Mitigation Program to help fund Bee Branch Watershed Flood
Mitigation Project improvements. But as the name implies, the available funding is
based on the "incremental" growth of state sales tax revenue within Dubuque. The
COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant decrease in state sales tax collections.
Therefore, the funding available to Dubuque will be less than anticipated prior to the
pandemic. In order to offset this lost (or delayed) revenue, the City can borrow $2.6
million to cover the anticipated shortfall so that the work can be completed by April of
2023 as required by the $2.5 million EDA grant agreement.
The Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project is a long-term investment and there
is more work to be done but it is working and will continue to do so for generations to
come. This $237 million project became a reality because the Mayor and City Council
listened to the needs of residents and businesses and chose to invest in the community.
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Budget Message
When complete, it is expected to prevent an estimated $582 million in damages over its
100-year design life.
Next steps for this project in include the following: 1) Cleanup/stabilize maintenance
facility site, 2) Construct Lower Bee Branch Bike Trail, 3) Complete culvert project, 4)
Construct the Bee Branch Gate & Pump Replacement improvements. Staff presented a
site redevelopment/reuse plan for the Maintenance Facility Site for City Council
consideration. Preliminary coordination with the lowa Department of Transportation for
the Lower Bee Branch Bike Trail, and preliminary design, have begun.
• City Racial Equity Tool Toolkit: Implementation: Continuing our racial equity work
by prioritizing and implementing recommendations from our Black Lives Matter partners
and the Analysis of Impediments remains a Top Priority. Departmental equity plans
updated annually identify data collection, program implementation, and community
engagement strategies to achieve these recommendations. Multiple departmental
operating budgets include funding for this work, most notably those improvement
packages noted above that implement the Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan and
Equitable Fines & Fees work; Minority-Owned Business Microloan CIP (Economic
Development); and a Development & Training Coordinator (Human Resources) who will
assist in achieving our internal workforce equity goals.
• Community Cameras Program: Investment in a high-quality, connected community
camera system remains a priority to provide for the safety of residents and efficient
traffic flow throughout the community. Installation of new cameras and replacement of
outdated technology continues through Engineering and Public Works CIPs and
operating budgets.
• COVID-19 Response: Update Report and Next Steps: 2020 and 2021 have been
unprecedented in terms of City and community response to a global pandemic. The
City continues to incur costs, and seek funding, for COVID-19 response and recovery,
including public health response and financial assistance to our vulnerable residents.
No specific financial requests related to the pandemic are included in the FY22 budget
request, but lessons learned may inform future operations of the City.
• Dubuque Riverfront Master Plan (US Army Corps of Engineers): The United States
Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Section 22 Planning Assistance to States program
allows for the USACE to provide assistance in the preparation of comprehensive water
resources plans to a State or city. At the request of a governmental agency, the USACE
"may provide certain technical assistance related to the management of State water
resources, including the provision and integration of hydrologic, economic, or
environmental data and analysis." The technical assistance must be in support of the
State's water resources management and related land resources development plans or
other water resources management related documents, such as "State hazard
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery plans and plans associated with
changing hydrologic conditions, climate change, long-term sustainability, and resilience."
In November of 2018, the City received a proposed agreement from the USACE. Per
the terms of the agreement, the USACE will develop a comprehensive plan, a Dubuque
Riverfront Master Plan, that will:
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Budget Message
1. Create a hydrologic computer model of the Bee Branch watershed, the Ice Harbor
watershed, and the Maus Lake watershed that reflects the rainfall and runoff that can be
expected under current conditions. In addition, the models will project future runoff
conditions based on future climate projections.
2. Assess Mississippi River level trends as compared to river levels expected when the
John C. Culver Floodwall/Levee system was design and constructed circa 1970. In
recent years, the Mississippi has risen above flood stage more frequently than what
would have been predicted previously.
3. Increase ecosystem education and outreach within the Dubuque region which could
promote ecotourism economic growth and enhance environmental stewardship in the
study area.
4. Identify the proper identification and placement of native species that could stimulate
restoration of a natural regional ecosystem.
5. Promote recreational development measures that will encourage ecotourism within
the City of Dubuque - recreational strategies which align with the City's ecosystem
restoration objectives and could encourage economic and environmental development.
6. Increase non-motorized boating in water resources within the Dubuque area.
Investigate the use of dredged material, which cannot be used for either ecosystem
restoration purposes or recreational enhancement measures, for other various
infrastructure enhancements.
The City entered into the agreement in December of 2018. Per the agreement, the total
project cost is $196,300. The City's 50% local match would consist of$69,800 of in-kind
City activity and $28,350 in payments to the USACE.
• Traffic Signal Synchronizations/STREETS Programs: Update Report, Direction:
Dubuque's Smart Traffic Routing with Efficient and Effective Traffic Signals (STREETS)
project, a collaboration between the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA),
City of Dubuque, and lowa DOT, was awarded Accelerated Innovation Deployment
(AID) Demonstration funds in 2019. The goal of Dubuque's STREETS project is to
develop an automatic system that will use traffic-control strategies to enable dynamic
traffic routing on 10 Dubuque traffic corridors to maximize existing roadway capacities in
the Dubuque metro area. The total project cost is estimated at $5 million and will be
funded through a combination of funds from various agencies. The STREETS project
will use Dubuque's existing system to reduce congestion and improve safety in the
metro area by dynamically rerouting traffic on roads with extra capacities. This system,
the first of its kind in the nation, will the give the City's operators the ability to help
drivers to reduce their commuting time by better utilizing existing road capacity. This
project will also help identify future projects that will improve safety and reduce
congestion in the Dubuque metro area. It intends to allow staff to monitor traffic
operations and intervene as necessary but does not require constant or significant
manual operations. The project is expected to reduce equipment costs at individual
intersections by providing signal timings through a centralized Adaptive (Dynamic)
Traffic Control System. Local funding support is included in the STREETS Traffic
Control Project located in the FY22 capital budget.
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Budget Message
• Viking Cruise Destination Preparation: Direction, Actions, and Funding: As Viking
Cruise continues construction of ships that are anticipated to begin touring in 2022,
Dubuque has committed to construction of a dock facility in the Port of Dubuque that
could welcome Viking and other boats to increase tourism in our community. The
RiverFront Dock Expansion CIP in the Engineering budget will fund construction of the
dock in FY22.
HIGH PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Dupaco Parking Agreement: Next Steps: As Dupaco Community Credit Union
commits to operations in the Historic Millwork District, the City has committed to an
annual review of parking availability in the downtown to meet their developing needs.
Funding for construction of a new downtown parking ramp is included in the
Transportation Services capital budget.
• Emergency Services Youth Camp: Next Steps: The Emergency Services Youth
Camp is operated by the Police and Fire departments with the ultimate goal of
increasing youth interest in careers in the field. Funding for staff time and operational
expenses in included in those departments' operating budgets.
• Grand River Center Future Operations: RFP, Direction and Agreement: In FY22,
the City will complete a comprehensive analysis of the current management and
operations agreement for the Grand River Center. Budget requests related to any
recommendations will be included in the FY23 budget. Capital improvements to
maintain the facility will continue as planned in the FY22 Leisure Services budget.
• Human Resources Policies and Handbook: Revision: City staff have been working
for some time to become a more equitable organization of choice. This work has been
done while also striving to achieve the City Council goal of becoming a more High-
Performing City Organization. To further the progress that has already been made, a
team focused on becoming a more high-performing government and equitable
organization of choice began meeting in October 2019 under the direction of the City
Manager. The intent of this core team is to act as a central hub, coordinating and
aligning teams across the organization that include many more employees, and are
doing work in these areas. Rollout of a new Employee Manual, along with related
training, will continue in calendar year 2021. The requested Human Resources Training
& Development Coordinator and third-party exit interview contract will continue this work
with the group.
• School Resource Officers:Direction and Funding: Another Police Officer position
was recommended to be added in Fiscal Year 2020. This started a three year process to
add three Police Officer positions to strengthen the School Resource Officer program
partnership with the Dubuque Community School District bringing the number of School
Resource Officers to 8 and bringing the Police Department to an authorized strength of
113 sworn officers. Once the expansion is completed, there will be a dedicated SRO at
each DCSD middle school and high school. The expansion plan also called for elevating
a corporal position to the rank of Lieutenant and to assign all supervisory SRO duties to
this person. Both the first expansion SRO and the lieutenant have been selected and
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Budget Message
will transition in early 2020An SRO position was added, but the vacancy is frozen in
FY21, but funds are not available in FY22 to add the last position, so that is being
delayed. The Dubuque Community School District and the City will be working with
interested parties to evaluate the duties of the SRO's prior to the beginning of the
2021-2022 school year.
• Smart Mobility: Parking Structure Improvements, Technology Purchases, and
Other Actions: Implementation of a comprehensive Smart Mobility strategy is led by the
Transportation Services and Information Services departments. Phase I implementation, which
includes license plate readers and gate equipment, will happen in calendar year 2021 and is
funded in the FY22 capital budget. Requests to support Phase II implementation are included in
FY22 requests.
34
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Budget Message
Implementation of Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan
In order to create an Equitable Community of Choice for all members of our community, we
must look at key perFormance indicators of community well-being and success, and
disaggregate them to ensure that all groups are experiencing the same positive outcomes.
This budget makes recommendations that attempt to address the disparities identified in the
recently completed Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan.
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendations that help implement the Equitable Poverty
Prevention Plan includes creation of a new City department called the Office of Shared
Prosperity and Neighborhood Support responsible for implementation of the Equitable Poverty
Prevention Plan, in partnership with other City departments and community organizations. The
Director of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support would still be involved in "direct
service" as the Neighborhood Development Specialist was, and would also be expected to
operate at a higher strategic level while also maintaining relationships with residents,
businesses and community organizations who are actively involved in the implementation of
the recommendations in the Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan.
Redefining departmental roles related to equitable poverty prevention, civil rights enforcement,
and advocacy and inclusion would be crucial to the success of this new department. Part of the
redefining would include shifting the Community Engagement Coordinator position currently in
the Human Rights position to this new Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support
department with responsibility for direct outreach and engagement with community members
and neighborhoods experiencing poverty. Civil rights enforcement would remain with the City
Attorney's office, and the Human Rights Department's work would focus specifically on
inclusion and empowerment with specific populations experiencing inequities distinct from
those resulting from poverty.
A dedicated Data Analyst position to work with City staff and partners to track progress is key
to successfully implementing the plan and is included in the budget recommendation. Under
the direction of the Director of of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support, the Data
Analyst would work with departments and partners to collect community-level and program-
level data, analyze the data, and make recommendations to further the goal of reducing or
eliminating poverty, especially for racial minorities and other identified vulnerable populations.
The Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan identified a variety of data collection systems used by
partners serving the community, missing data needed to make informed policy decisions, and
the need to create a Racial Equity Index. This position would support all departments and
possess strong data skills including the ability to create reports, perform analysis, assist with
Key Performance Indicator identification and geographically representing data on maps. The
development of equity metrics with the assistance of a consultant as proposed in the Human
Rights Department FY22 budget could be the Data Analyst's first major project.
To support the Director of Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support, Community
Engagement Coordinator, and Data Analyst, a part-time secretary is being recommended. The
three positions this individual supports will spend a significant amount of time in meetings with
internal departments, community organizations, and individual residents. The Secretary would
support office functions by scheduling meetings, preparing written materials, supporting the
Citizens Advisory Council, and assuring that the other individuals in the Office can complete
their duties.
36
Budget Message
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation includes the creation of a Community Diversion
& Prevention Coordinator position within the City of Dubuque organization. This position would
have the primary focus areas of 1) Working with the Dubuque Police Department (DPD),
Dubuque County Sheriff s Department (DCSO), the City Attorney's Office, the Dubuque County
Attorney, and other community partners, to develop strategies and programs to reduce the
number of people entering the jail system; 2) Working with the DPD and other community
partners to develop and implement a program to identify individuals and families in need of
assistance and services to avoid contact with police or other emergency services and act as a
clearing house to connect individuals and families to these necessary services; 3) Working with
the DPD, DCSO, lowa Department of Corrections, Dubuque County Attorney's Office and City
of Dubuque Attorney's Office, as well as judges and magistrates, and others heavily involved in
the criminal justice system and other community partners, to identify and develop a sustainable
approach to adult diversion, community service, and restorative practices in order for
individuals to avoid the negative impacts of jail sentences or fines. It is expected that the City
would use its community partners in both the selection of the individual, as well as the creation
of the individual programs, especially partners heavily involved in equity initiatives. This
position impacts City operations by utilizing City resources to focus on developing a
collaborative process to support those in our community who would benefit from resources to
prevent incarceration, unnecessary hospitalization, and offers guidance to those who are in
need of ongoing resources.
A full-Time Community Outreach Coordinator to work within the Equitable Fine and Fee
Reform program is recommended. This position would be part of the AmeriCorps program. The
Community Outreach Coordinator would work closely with the City Attorney's office, the Police
Department, Utility Billing and Human Rights departments to work directly with community
members who choose community service as a way to pay their fines and fees. This position
would work with the participants by providing guidance and resources to successfully complete
their community service, while also referring them to resources that can help the from having to
go through the program in the future. This position would develop a successful model to help
community members find success. This position would work closely with outside organizations
to coordinate service activities and meet the needs of the community through service. The
position would also coordinate city department volunteering opportunities such as adopt a spot,
park and neighborhood cleanups, service projects to assist departments like clerical scanning.
This position would be responsible for overseeing the Volunteer Generation Funds Grant under
the guidance of the AmeriCorps Director.
The creation of a full-time Teen Coordinator at the Multicultural Family Center. The teen
programs have been growing and which provides the best possible, high quality equitable
programs and services. A crucial part to the increased success of these teen programs is the
staff that coordinate them. The Multicultural Family Center Board has committed to assisting
with funding $15,000 each year for three years for this position.
This budget recommendation includes an additional $10,000 in funding for the Dubuque
Dream Center (total of$50,000 in operating support) to impact children of low-income and
working families. There is also an additional $10,000 in funding for the Fountain of Youth (total
of$50,000 in operating support) to help support the Partners in Change/Community in Change
programming. This funding will assist with providing services to the low income populations of
Dubuque and the surrounding communities.
37
Budget Message
Budget Focused on Public Safety
The Dubuque Police Department recently completed its compilation report of crimes for
calendar year 2020. "Confirmed Shots Fired" is one of the many metrics tracked by the police
department annually. In 2020, there were 17 instances of confirmed shots fired in Dubuque, an
increase of one over 2019's total of 16 and down significantly from 2015's total of 33. Of last
year's 17 cases, an arrest of at least one individual was made in 9 of those cases thanks in
large part to exceptional police work with the assistance of Dubuque's network of traffic/
security cameras. The unresolved cases remain open with viable suspects identified in several.
While a single murder or instance of confirmed shots fired is too many, Dubuque's totals are
lower than many other communities.
When comparing Dubuque's "Part 1" crime totals for 2020 to 2015, Dubuque has had a 32%
reduction in overall crime. A comparison of 2020 versus 2019 shows the total number of crimes
rose by just three crimes, from 1,509 to 1,512. The police department's annual crime report is
shared with the FBI and includes "Part 1 Crimes" in two categories: Crimes Against Persons
and Crimes Against Property.
The number of Crimes Against Persons in Dubuque in 2020 rose 40.5% from 2019 to a total of
267, including one murder, 105 sexual assaults, 26 robberies, and 135 aggravated assaults.
While it is impossible to prevent some crimes from occurring, it is important to know that the
Dubuque Police Department excels in solving crimes. In 2020, the Dubuque Police resolved
92.3% of all Crimes Against Persons committed in the city. The national average for 2019 (the
most current on record via FBI data) was 45.4%. The number of Crimes Against Property
declined 5.6% from 2019 to a total of 1,245, including 219 burglaries, 148 burglaries to motor
vehicle, 808 thefts, and 70 thefts of motor vehicles. The goal of the City's approach to public
safety is to make Dubuque the safest community possible with the understanding that
community safety is not just about injury prevention and crime prevention; it is about increasing
well-being and building a vibrant, engaged, and equitable community. Working to ensure
residents experience an increased sense of well-being, a sustainable quality of life, a reduction
in the numbers and cost of injuries, the preservation of income and assets, and improved
perceptions of safety is a top priority for Dubuque city government.
"Part I" Crlmes for Calendar Years 2�72-2D20
Compiled by the �i�buque Pol«e{Jepartment
CY2U°h CY20°� CY2U9G
��erlUnder dyerlUnder ��erlUnder
Per#armance Measures CY12 CY13 CY14` CY15 CY1fi GY17 CY18 CY19 CY2U Av , CY18 Auera e Peak Year
No_of Crimes Against Persons 1$B 268 22U 2fi5 243 2p3, 190 190 267 299 dp,596: 21.9°� 6.00°,4
Mu€d2r - . 2 �. i3. 5 1. 2. 1 - �. t l 1 r 1 D0.0°/�; -25.0°I�r -8fl.6"/a
Sexual Assault 43 38 67 8� 98 9U 75 91 i05� 76 15.4°.�I 38.8°I� o.4°I�
Robbery ' 21 32 2� 2T 28 16� 29 i4 2fi 23 85.7°�t1 14.9°W -19.8°�
AggravatedAssault . 124 i38 139 153 �18 95 85 85 335 719 58.8°WI 13.8°w -11.8°Ia
No_of Crimes Against Property i,982 1,781 1,662 1,953 1,815' 1,6B7 1,543 1,3i9 i,245� 1,672 -5.S°k� -25.5°/0 -37.5Y.
Surgl� 583 431 416 548 d20 33t 299 205 279' 384 5.8'1� --02.9°ti� -82 436
—- --•- �------• —
Surglary to�rlotar Vehicle 298� 231 i 68 1U6 taa 157 1d5 88 i48! t65 68 2"� -1D.3`:� -50 3°�
------- ---.. _ ._..—. ... —_— . . . - --•---- � -- ...-.•- . -
Theft �0801 �.fQ3 t.035 1,�45 1,235 1.176 1,436 945 808I 7,p67 •14.5'r� -24.3°4� -35.1°ib
Yheft of MotarVehicle 3�. 26 A3 54 7fi 83 63 81 7a� 56 -13.6':� 24.3".�� -7.9°/o I
Total � 2,178 1,999. 9,882� 2,218 2,118� 1,87U� 1,733� 1,509 1,512I 1,938� 0.2%! -22.0% -31.8N, I
'Swisch to new puplit sdfpty softw0ry August 2at4
38
Budget Message
Year Yearover
over year year%
Confirmed Shots Fired increase increase Murders Po ulation
2019 2020 19-20 19-20 2019 2020
Des Moines 1287 1456 169 13% 14 22 216,853
Davenport 195 279 84 43% 2 10 102,085
Cedar Rapids 99 163 64 65% 7 12 133,174
Waterloo 92 106 14 15% 2 7 67,798
Sioux City 9 59 50 555% 3 5 82,396
lowa Cit 13 57 44 338% 1 2 76,290
Dubuque 16 17 1 6% 0 1 57,941
Council Bluffs 9 13 4 31% 6 0 62,421
Ames 2 5 3 150% 1 0 67,154
Peoria, IL 615 728 113 18% 25 14 11 1,388
Rockford,IL 442 679 237 54% NA 36 147,881
Average 252.6 323.8 9.9
Traffic/Security Camera System
Traffic/Security Camera System in 2020, the City has installed 50 new cameras, along with
4.29 miles of conduit and many miles of fiber that will allow for future camera installation. In
addition to the new cameras, another 26 cameras were replaced because of newer technology
or camera failure. These newer cameras have a higher resolution and Wide Dynamic Range
feature which allows them to see better in all light conditions. Today, there are 706 Traffic/
Security cameras recorded through the Traffic Operations Center in City Hall. The remaining
571 cameras are recorded at various servers throughout the City. The recommended budget
has funding for additional cameras in the amount of$515,073 from FY 2022 through FY 2026.
Additional funding is also allocated to the network of fiber optics that supports the camera
system; Traffic Signal Fiber Optics, Fiber Infrastructure Management System, Citywide Fiber
Cable Backbone Master Plan, and Fiber Optic Conduit Miscellaneous (1,040,000).
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation
The goal of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation is to maintain the momentum of our
community. The budget has been built around the vision, mission, goals, priorities and direction
provided by the Mayor and City Council at the August 2020 goal setting session, with input
from the community. A series of six public hearings will be held by the Mayor and City Council
before adopting a final budget on March 24, 2021. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget year begins
on July 1, 2021.
While in August 2015 the Mayor and City Council directed staff to start reducing the amount of
City debt, previous investments are still paying dividends. With the current City strategy of
more pay as you go investments and the acceptance that some debt will be issued each year,
with a goal to retire more debt each year than is issued, the City will continue to be able to
leverage past investment and create new opportunities to improve quality of life for residents,
create jobs and maintain infrastructure.
In Fiscal year 2022 City staff has been able to meet that goal of retiring more debt than is
being issued in every year for the sixth consecutive year.
39
Budget Message
Retired Debt Versus New Debt (In Millions)
$25
$23.4
$22.4
$21.1 $21.2 �21.6 $21.6
$20.5
$20 $19.7
$18.1 $18.4 $18.7
$17.4 g17.1 $16.9 '
$16.4 $17.8
���j $14.3 � g
� $ $14.6
0
= 0
� 1
��� $10.5
6.4
5.0
$5
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
��
CO I� Op � O � N M � � CO f� 00 6� O
� � � � N N N N N N N N N N M M
� � � � � � r } � } � � � } } �
LL L.L LL LL LL LL L.L LL LL L.L LL L.L LL L.L LL LL
� Retired Debt � New Debt
While accomplishing the Mayor and City Council priorities, the goal is to minimize the costs for
the residents and businesses.
Property Taxes
The Fiscal Year 2022 recommended City property tax rate of 10.05 per thousand is a
0.93% decrease from Fiscal Year 2021, which follows a 1.81% decrease from Fiscal Year
2020, and a 2.43% decrease from Fiscal Year 2019.
The average homeowner would see a 1.62% ($12.49) increase in their property tax
payment for the City portion of their property tax bill. The average commercial property
would see no increase, the average industrial property a 0.30% ($14.20) decrease, and
the average multi-residential property a 6.15% ($116.55) decrease.
Fiscal Year 2022 follows Fiscal Year 2021 where the average homeowner saw a (0.14)%
($1.09) decrease in their property tax payment for the city portion of their property tax bill. The
average commercial property saw a 0.27% ($8.59) increase, the average industrial property
saw a 0.42% ($19.59) decrease, and the average multi-residential property saw a 9.13%
($158.73) increase.
40
Budget Message
The following chart shows the impact on the average homeowner with the commercial and
industrial backfill phased out over five-years beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 and with the backfill
remaining at 100%:
Reduced Backfill 100% Backfill
Fiscal Year City Tax % Change $ Change City Tax % Change $ Change
2022 $781.57 1.62 % $12.49 $781.57 1.62 % $12.49
2023 $844.72 8.08 % $63.15 $844.72 8.08 % $63.15
2024 $879.12 4.07 % $34.40 $874.59 3.54 % $29.87
2025 $924.49 5.16 % $45.37 $915.56 4.68 % $40.97
2026 $963.46 4.22 % $38.97 $950.33 3.80 % $34.77
Fiscal Year 2022 City Property Tax Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Tax Rate
11 Waterloo (FY21) $18.4403
10 Council Bluffs (FY22) $18.2600
9 Des Moines (FY22) $17.5600
8 Davenport (FY22) $16.7800
7 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $15.8760
6 lowa City (FY22) $15.7731
5 Sioux City (FY22) $14.5172
4 West Des Moines (FY22) $11.7740
3 Ankeny (FY21) $10.6520
2 Dubuque (FY22) $10.0496
1 Ames (FY22) $9.8700
AVERAGE w/o Dubuque $14.95
*Includes the transit tax levy adopted by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority for comparability.
Dubuque has the SECOND LOWEST property tax rate as compared to the eleven largest
cities in the state. The highest rate (Waterloo (FY21)) is 83.49% higher than Dubuque's
rate, and the average is 48.77°/a higher than Dubuque.
Fiscal Year 2022 Property Taxes per Capita
Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Taxes Per
Capita
11 West Des Moines 1,167.50
10 Council Bluffs $1,079.31
9 lowa City $990.46
8 Cedar Rapids $886.48
7 Des Moines $824.14
6 Davenport $812.14
5 Waterloo $717.66
4 Ankeny $710.15
3 Sioux City $547.17
2 Ames $545.30
1 Dubuque $461.00
AVERAGE w/o Dubuque $828.03
41
Budget Message
Dubuque has the LOWEST taxes per capita as compared to the eleven largest cities in
the state. The highest (West Des Moines) is 153.25% higher than Dubuque's taxes per
capita, and the average is 79.61% higher than Dubuque.
The projected Fiscal Year 2022 property tax asking of$26,646,622 is a $444,054 (1.69%)
increase from Fiscal Year 2021. The total Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation
($191,319,751) is 3.45% less than the current budget year (Fiscal Year 2021). The Fiscal Year
2022 operating budget recommendation is $141,892,444 and the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital
Improvement Program budget recommendation is $49,427,307.
After the local option sales tax was passed by referendum in 1988 with 50% of revenue going
to property tax relief, the average property tax classification over that 30 years has seen the
following results:
Prior to
Sales Tax $ %
FY 1988 FY 2022 Difference Difference
Property Tax Rate $ 14.5819 $ 10.0496 -$4.53 -31.07%
Average Residential Payment $ 512.38 $ 781.57 +$269.19 +52.54%
Average Commercial Payment $ 2,490.61 $3,169.30 +$678.69 +27.25%
Average Industrial Property $ 6,975.00 $4,679.97 -$2,295.03 -32.90%
Average Multi-Residential Property (FY17) $ 2,472.99 $1,780.10 -$692.89 -28.02%
Prior to the pandemic, the residents of the City of Dubuque have seen as steady increase in
their median household income over the last 10 years (2.4% annual average) exceeding the
national growth rate (1.93% annual average), the growth rate of the State of lowa (2.16%) and
the average growth rate of the other large cities in the State of lowa (1.88%).
42
Budget Message
10-Year Average Annual Growth Rate: Median Household Income 2010-2�19{AC5}
3.4D%
2.65%
2.54%
2.37% 2�
2.169&
2.004G 1.9096 1.94% 1.9 3�
1.86� i.aa%
Y.78� 1.79%
1.73%
Y.57% �
I.
1.50% _ —
1.2Q%
I
l
1.D0°! —
I
0.50% � —
�
O.DO'!
lowa City Waterloo Cedar Rapitls Ames West�es Ankeny Average wro �avenport �es Moines Council �ubuque Sioux City j State of lowa L15A
Moines �64 6luffs
From 2010to 2019,�ubuque had the�nd-highest median household income annual growth rate ofthe 11 largest cities in lowa_
�u6uque is 28%higherthan the average ofthe other 10 cities.
�ubuque is 99°/higherthan the lowest,lowa City.
43
Budget Message
2019 Median Household Income{AC5]
$62,543
$60,523
$60,D00 $SS,511
$55,433
$53,52A $53,525 $54,234
$SY,029
S 51,669 �
$54,466 $48,Y05
$47,327
545,897
$��
S30,D00
$20,D00
$14,4D0
$4
lowa City Waterloo Ames �avenport Average wro Council6luffs �es Moines �ubuque Sioux City CedarRapitls �State of Icwa USA
C84
In Z014,�u6uque had thethird-highes[median household income ofthese 4 largest cities in lowa_
�ubuque is 5°�higherthan the average ofthe other 8 cities. ankeny on�rve.staes rwoines U�ere exrrudee,
�u b u q u e i s 18%h ig h er t h a n t h e I owest,I owa C ity. os th ey ore suh urhs ro th er th on stnn d-olon e rities.
44
Budget Message
Tax Rate and 2019 Median Household Income
$59,OD0
��
� � � � ' Cetlar Rapitls�
$5 7,ODD
�------........................................................._..-...........----� �
� The upper left ofthis graph is the preferred quadrant, �
; showing lower taxes and higher median household income. ; sioux�ity
�
,
�
�---------............._---------------------------------' � '
$5 5,000
[r oulhuque �es Maines
v
touncil Bluffs
o #/ �/
C
� $53,000
0
s Average wJo�u6uque
v
� ,
o �
_ --•--•--•--------------------•--•--•-
-•--•--•--•--•--• -•--•--•--•--•--•--•----------
C ���������� �.��.��.��.��. �.��.��.��.���������������
� $SY,000 A
� �avenport
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Waterloo
V
$47,ODD
lowa City �
$45,000
$9.00 510.00 SSY.00 $Y2.00 $13.D3 $14.00 SY5.00 $Y6.D0 $17.D0 518.00 $19.00
City Property7ax Rate Ankeny�nd Wes[Des M1Ro.vles were excluded,
ac[hey�re suburbs ru[her[h�ns[�rrrd-�Ione ei[ies.
Position Eliminations, New Positions and Unfrozen Positions
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget increases the full-time equivalents by 4.00 FTE, increases part-
time equivalents by 1.41 FTE, and increases seasonal equivalents by 1.37 FTE, resulting in a
net increase of 6.78 full-time equivalents.
However, a hiring freeze on most new positions recommended in Fiscal Year 2022 has been
initiated. These positions will be funded in the Fiscal Year 2022, but frozen. This hiring freeze
will be reevaluated in November 2021 when the City receives the annual Local Option Sales
Tax reconciliation payment from the State of lowa. This could also be impacted should the City
receive a substantial payment in federal assistance being proposed in President Biden's new
local government assistance package should it pass congress.
45
Budget Message
The following chart summarizes the personnel changes adopted in Fiscal Year 2022:
FY 2022
Cost (Savings)
Department Position Type Includes Benefits FTE
AmeriCorps Community Outreach Coordinator Full-Time $ 66,091 1.00
AmeriCorps AmeriCorps Coordinator Seasonal $ 15,307 0.28
Building Services Building Services Manager Full-Time $ (107,402) -1.00
Building Services Maintenance Worker Full-Time $ (79,891) -1.00
Building Services Custodian I Full-Time $ (348,553) -5.00
Building Services Permit Clerk Full-Time $ (76,958) -1.00
Building Services Inspector II Full-Time $ (438,056) -4.00
Building Services Inspector II Part-Time $ (70,724) -0.75
City Manager's Office Assistant City Manager Full-Time $ (143,122) -1.00
City Manager's Office Director of Strategic Partnerships Part-Time $ 133,922 0.75
City Manager's Office Neighborhood Development Specialist Full-Time $ (93,400) -1.00
Director of Shared Prosperity and
City Manager's Office Neighborhood Support Full-Time $ 93,400 1.00
City Manager's Office Data Analyst Full-Time $ 71,347 1.00
City Manager's Office Administrative Assistant Part-Time $ 28,564 0.66
Engineering Facilities Manager Full-Time $ 107,402 1.00
Engineering Maintenance Worker Full-Time $ 79,891 1.00
Engineering Custodian I Full-Time $ 348,553 5.00
Engineering Assistant Utility Locator Part-Time $ 34,336 0.73
Engineering Architectural Intern Seasonal $ 17,639 0.50
Finance Finance Intern Full-Time $ 8,480 0.26
Housing Lead Resiliency Coordinator Full-Time $ 89,194 1.00
Housing Lead Grants Supervisor Full-Time $ (89,194) -1.00
Housing Permit Clerk Full-Time $ 76,958 1.00
Housing Inspector II Full-Time $ 438,056 4.00
Housing Inspector II Part-Time $ 70,724 0.75
Human Resources Development Training Coordinator Full-Time $ 87,143 1.00
Human Resources Scanning Clerk-Temporary Seasonal $ 20,477 0.50
Multicultural Family Center Teen Coordinator Full-Time $ 65,512 1.00
Parks Laborer I - Storm Seasonal $ 15,005 0.53
Community Diversion and Prevention
Police Coordinator Full-Time $ 87,599 1.00
Public Information Office Architectural Intern Full-Time $ (17,639) -0.50
Recreation Recreation Leader Seasonal $ 4,974 0.21
Recreation After School Sports Coordinator Seasonal $ (15,793) -0.41
Transportation Services Confidential Account Clerk Full-Time $ 71,347 1.00
Transportation Services Confidential Account Clerk Part-Time $ (42,531) -0.73
Transportation Services Dispatcher Full-Time $ (63,883) -1.00
Water Water Operations Supervisor Full-Time $ 97,825 1.00
Water Equipment Operator IV Full-time $ (80,442) -1.00
FY 2022 Total $ 462,158 6.78
46
Budget Message
Looking at the FY 2022 recommended budget, the current budget year (Fiscal Year
2021) and previous budget years (Fiscal Year 2020 and 2019), 56.76 FTE positions have
been eliminated:
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022
Savings Savings Savings Savings Savings
(Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes
Department Positions Eliminated Type Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) FTE
Budget Budget Director FT $ 154,947 -1.00
Building Building Inspector II PT $ 66,112 -0.75
Building Building Inspector II FT $ 86,938 -1.00
City Clerk Clerical Assistant Seas $ 13,657 -0.50
City Clerk Intern Seas $ 8,331 -0.31
Assistant City
CMO Manager FT $ 143,122 -1.00
Management Intern
CMO (ICMA) PT $ 31,605 -0.60
ED Arts Coordinator PT $ 28,836 -0.50
ED Project Coordinator FT $ 81,322 -1.00
Limited Term
Engineering Engineering Tech FT $ 75,126 $ 4,900 -1.00
Engineering Engineering Tech FT $ 93,866 -1.00
Environmental
Engineering Engineer FT $ 125,359 -1.00
Engineering I&Ilnspectors FT $ 146,953 -2.00
Engineering Engineering Assistant Seas $ 25,808 $ 8,692 -0.80
Engineering Engineering Aide NA Seas $ 58,584
Confidential Account
Engineering Clerk PT $ 5,274 $ 56,353 -1.25
Engineering I&Ilnspector PT $ 1,196 -0.02
Finance Finance Director FT $ 125,074 -1.00
Finance Assistant Finance Dir. FT $ 110,888 -1.00
Finance Payroll Specialist PT $ 46,659 -0.70
Finance Budget Manager FT $ 107,438 -1.00
Confidential Account
Finance Clerk PT $ 43,072 -0.75
Health
Services Animal Control Officer PT $ 50,695 $ 51,119 -1.44
Assisted Housing
Housing Supervisor FT $ 87,011 -1.00
Housing Lead Paint Supervisor FT $ 59,464 -0.62
Housing Lead Paint Inspector FT $ 99,050 -1.24
Housing Lead PaintAssistant FT $ 45,191 -0.62
Housing Resiliency Coordinator FT $ 81,312 -0.75
Housing GrantAdministrator FT $ 91,851 -1.00
Housing Inspector I FT $ 84,275 -1.00
Housing Inspector I Seas $ 21,182 -0.30
Legal Assistant City Attorney FT $ 153,256 -1.00
Parking Meter Service
Parking Worker FT $ 72,526 -1.00
Parking Laborer FT $ 75,243 $ 75,140 -2.00
Parking Laborer PT $ 38,078 -0.50
47
Budget Message
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022
Savings Savings Savings Savings Savings
(Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes
Department Positions Eliminated Type Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) FTE
Parking Ramp Cashier PT $ 1,881 -0.05
Parking Parking Supervisor FT $ 95,113 -1.00
Confidential Account
Parking Clerk FT $ 59,170 -1.00
Parking System
Parking Technician FT $ 78,903 -1.00
Customer Service
Parking Representative PT $ 23,602 -0.55
Parks Park Ranger FT $ 77,774 -1.00
Parks Custodian PT $ 4,790 -0.10
Parks Laborer Seas $ 14,019 -0.52
Police Corporal FT $ 112,511 -1.00
Public Communications
Information Specialist PT $ 26,130 $ 21,904 -0.75
Public
Works Laborer Seas $ 36,105 -1.31
Public
Works Clerical Assistant PT $ 21,461 -0.68
Recreation Custodian PT $4,790 -0.10
After School Sports
Recreation Leader Seas $15,793 -0.41
Recreation Snack Bar Manager Seas $ 2,017 -0.07
Recreation Concession Worker Seas $ 409 -0.02
Recreation Dock Worker Seas $ 2,185 -0.09
Recreation Cashier Seas $ 3,398 -0.14
Transit Confidential Acct Clerk FT $ 62,509 -1.00
Transit Confidential Acct Clerk PT $42,531 -0.73
Transit Dispatcher FT $63,883 -1.00
Transit Dispatcher PT $ 29,571 $ 48,966 -1.46
Transit Service Worker PT $ 41,468 -0.70
Transit Bus Operator PT $ 6,639 $143,419 -3.17
Assistant Operations
Transit Supervisor PT $ 54,368 -0.75
Customer Service
Transit Representative PT $ 23,603 -0.55
Transit Marketing Intern Seas $ 15,537 -0.50
W&RRC Assistant Manager FT $ 86,873 -1.00
Plant Operator Grade
W&RRC II FT $ 79,663 -1.00
Plant Operator Grade
W&RRC IV FT $ 85,473 -1.00
W&RRC Lab Intern Seas $ 4,974 -0.16
Water Plant Manager FT $ 125,708 -1.00
Water Plant Operator FT $ 74,959 -1.00
Water Meter Service
Water Worker PT $ 60,331 -0.80
Water Secretary PT $ 22,923 -0.50
Total Positions Eliminated $1,185,923 $1,391,895 $ 940,532 $ 627,179 $265,329 -56.76
48
Budget Message
Over a five-year period (Fiscal Year 2018, Fiscal Year 2019, Fiscal Year 2020, Fiscal Year
2021, and Fiscal Year 2022) the City will have eliminated 56.76 full-time equivalent
positions and added 71.73 full-time equivalent positions resulting in +14.97 net change
in number of employees over that five-year period.
Since 1981, the City has minimized the number of positions added. The recommended Fiscal
Year 2022 staffing changes means the City increased its full-time workforce by 0.9% since
1981. This was achieved in spite of all the new services that have been added in that time
period including staff-intense activities like recycling and combined county-wide public safety
dispatching. Also, the number of sworn Police Officer positions has increased by 37 over that
time period.
Debt
The City will issue $54,053,140 in new debt in the Recommended 5-year CIP, mostly for fire truck and
pumper replacements, fire station expansion, road improvements, sanitary sewer improvements,
additional downtown parking, and maintenance of Five Flags.
Project FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 Total
Airport Rehab Taxiway A $ 577,000 $ 283,000 $ 860,000
Downtown Parking Ramp GDTIF $ 4,050,000 $ 9,078,000 $ 6,000,000 $19,128,000
Finance General Ledger Software $ —
Fire HVAC Headquarters $ 169,184 $ 84,894 $ 254,078
Fire Ladder& Pumper $ 1,582,154 $ 425,460 $ 433,000 $ 2,440,614
Fire Station Expansion $ 700,620 $3,194,028 $ 3,894,648
Five Flags GDTIF $ 5,750,000 $ 5,750,000
Riverfront Docks/Property Acquisition
GDTIF $ 1,300,000 $ 1,300,000
Smart Parking GDTIF $ 222,000 $ 450,000 $ 672,000
Solid Waste Collection Vehicles $ 175,000 $ 235,000 $ 55,000 $ 265,000 $ 106,000 $ 836,000
Sanitary Sewer Projects $ 5,170,303 $ 4,224,310 2871401 4700000 1296786 $18,262,800
Water Projects $ 655,000 $ 655,000
Total New Debt $12,277,457 $14,583,494 $15,763,755 $6,381,620 $5,046,814 $54,053,140
In addition, the City will access $3,424,668 of previously issued state revolving fund loans as
the related capital improvement projects progress. The draw down on these previously issued
loans is as follows:
FY FY FY FY FY
Project 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total
Stormwater Upper Bee Branch Rail Road $ 2,394,668 $ 2,394,668
Water CIWA Purchase & Improvements $ 1,030,000 $ 1,030,000
Total Draw Downs $ 3,424,668 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 3,424,668
The City will retire $96,569,252 of existing debt over the next five-years (FY22-FY26).
49
Budget Message
The following chart shows the net reduction of debt from Fiscal Year 2022 - Fiscal Year
2026:
FY FY FY FY FY
Project 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total
New Debt $ 12,277,457 $ 14,583,494 $ 15,763,755 $ 6,381,620 $ 5,046,814 $54,053,140
Previously Issued SRF Draw
Downs $ 3,424,668 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 3,424,668
Retired Debt -$16,890,599 -$18,413,294 -$19,666,659 -$20,461,290 -$21,137,410 -$96,569,252
Net Debt Reduction -$1,188,474 -$3,829,800 -$3,902,904 -$14,079,670 -$16,090,596 -$39,091,444
There was a 1.63% increase in assessed value effective January 1, 2020, which is the
assessment the Fiscal Year 2022 statutory debt limit is based on. The statutory debt limit
effective June 30, 2022 is $241,616,084. The City will be at 44.67% of statutory debt limit
by June 30, 2022. In FY 16 the City was at 86.13% of statutory debt limit, so 44.67% in Fiscal
Year 2022 is a 41.46% decrease in use of the statutory debt limit.
The ten year history of the City's use of the statutory debt limit is as follows:
FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17 FY 18 FY 19 FY 20 FY 21
69.69% 84.31% 83.87% 89.89% 86.13% 69.45% 63.41% 56.32% 50.22% 45.72%
The five year projection of the City's use of the statutory debt limit from Fiscal Year 2022-2026
including all planned debt issuances subject to the statutory limit and assuming a 2% growth in
the City's assessed valuation beginning in Fiscal Year 2022 is as follows:
FY 22 FY 23 FY 24 FY 25 FY 26
44.67% 44.15% 44.57% 40.42% 37.08%
The following chart shows Dubuque's relative position pertaining to use of the statutory debt
limit for Fiscal Year 2022 compared to the other cities in lowa for Fiscal Year 2020 with a
population over 50,000:
Fiscal Year 2020 Legal Debt Limit Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Legal Debt Limit Statutory Debt Percentage of Legal
(5%) Outstanding Debt Limit Utilized
11 Sioux City $ 234,052,896 $ 149,054,999 63.68 %
10 Des Moines $ 633,944,619 $ 399,100,000 62.96 %
9 Davenport $ 362,087,372 $ 207,415,000 57.28 %
8 Waterloo $ 198,578,109 $ 106,207,641 53.48 %
7 Cedar Rapids 583,572,883 286,435,000 49.08 %
6 W. Des Moines $ 414,397,845 $ 203,180,000 49.03 %
5 Dubuque (FY22) $ 241,616,084 $ 108,727,970 45.00 %
4 Ankeny $ 303,268,096 $ 122,095,000 40.26 %
3 Ames $ 242,136,755 $ 64,305,000 26.56 %
2 Council Bluffs $ 256,079,718 $ 57,043,627 22.28 %
1 lowa City $ 306,678,510 $ 68,160,000 22.23 %
Average w/o Dubuque 44.68 %
50
Budget Message
Percent of Legal Debt Limit Utilized
so�io
62.96% 63.68%
60% 57.28%
53.48%
44.68% 45.00%
47.37% 49.03%
40.26%
40%
26.56%
22.23% 22.28%
20%
� - -
0%
o�aG�'�� G\����5 P�eS P��e�� P�e�a�,e e��yry`L� ��a,��a5 y�o\�e5 �a�e��o° a�e�,�o�' ��o\�z5 `o��G��.�
� Go�� O J��Q� Geda ��e O �e 5
Dubuque ranks as the fifth lowest of the use of statutory debt limit of the 11 cities in
lowa with a population over 50,000 and Dubuque is slightly above the average of the
other Cities.
The total City indebtedness as of June 30, 2022, is projected to be $254,712,037 (44.67% of
statutory debt limit). The total City indebtedness as of June 30, 2015, was $295,561,181
(86.13% of statutory debt limit). The City is projected to have $40,849,144 less in debt as
of June 30, 2022.
The combination of reduced debt and increased utility rates partially reflects the movement to a
more "pay as you go" strategy, which could lead to larger tax and fee increases than with the
use of debt.
The following chart shows the amount of retired debt as compared to new debt. The new debt
includes new debt issuances as well as draw downs on existing state revolving fund loans:
51
Budget Message
Retired Debt Versus New Debt (In Millions)
$25
$23.4
$22.4
$21.1 $21.2 $21.6 $21.6
$20.5
$20 $19.7
$18.1 $18.4 ' $18.7
$17.4 $17.1 $16.9
$16.4 $17.8 �
�
� $15 $14.3 $15.7 $15.8
� $14.8 $14.6
O
= $13.0
� $12.1
��� $10.5
I
6.4
5.0
$5
$4.1
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
��
Cp I� e0 6� O � N M � Ln (p � 0� � O �
� � � N N N N N N N N N N M M
} � } � � } � � � } � � � } � �
LL L.L LL L.L L.L LL LL L.L LL LL L.L LL LL LL L.L LL
� Retired Debt � New Debt
*In Fiscal Year 2020, the City had $5,908,200 forgiven of the Bee Branch Upper Bee Branch Loan on
June 30, 2020 which increased principal payments reflected.
Statutory Debt and Total Debt
In August 2015, the Mayor and City Council adopted a debt reduction strategy which targeted
retiring more debt each year than was issued by the City. The recommended FY 2022 budget
will achieve that target throughout the 5-year CIP and also substantially beat overall debt
reduction targets over the next five and ten-year periods.You can see that the Mayor and
City Council have significantly impacted the City's use of the statutory debt limit
established by the State of lowa. In Fiscal Year 2015, the City of Dubuque used 90% of
the statutory debt limit. In this budget recommendation, the Mayor and City Council are
currently reviewing for Fiscal Year 2022, the use of the statutory debt limit would be
45%, and by the end of the recommended 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
budget in Fiscal Year 2026, the City of Dubuque would be at 37% of the statutory debt
limit. Projections out 10 years to Fiscal Year 2031 show the City of Dubuque at 18% of
the statutory debt limit. This is an improvement on the debt reduction plan adopted in
August 2015, that first began implementation in Fiscal Year 2016.
52
Budget Message
Statutory Debt Limit Used
(as of June 30th)
100%90% o
�/o
0
82 0 79% 79%
0
0 86°0 9a�o 72% 7 � 70%
75/0 63% 66% 66% 62%
56°/a
50%
50% 46% 45% 44% 45%
40% 37%
33%
29% 25%
25% 21% 18%
—%
�'I �'I �'I �'I �'I �'I TI �'I �'I TI �'I �'I �'I �'I �'I TI �'I
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
� � j � � N N N N N N W N N N W W
CT� O) �1 00 �D O s N W � fT � �I OD �O O �
FY16 Adopted f FY22 Recommended
By the end of the Adopted 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget the total amount
of debt for the City of Dubuque would be $219.12 million (37% of the statutory debt limit) and
the projection is to be at $119.48 million (18% of statutory debt limit) within 10 years.
Total Debt (In Millions)
$324
$302.3
$297 $2so.�
$282.0 $279.9
$295.5
$270 $285.5 $265.6 $267.4
$275 1 $255.3 $255.9 $251.5
$264.9 $248.2
$243 $252.5 $254.7 $234.7
� $244.3 $241.4 $219.1
� $216 $226.2 199.3
�
$189 179.0
$162 158.8
137.4
$135
$108 $119�
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27 FY28 FY29 FY30 FY31
FY16 Adopted � FY22 Recommended
53
Budget Message
General Fund Reserves
The City maintains a general fund reserve, or working balance, to allow for unforeseen
expenses that may occur. Moody's Investor Service recommends a 20% General Fund
Operating Reserve for "AA" rated cities. In May 2015, Moody's Investors Service downgraded
Dubuque's general obligation bond rating from Aa2 to Aa3, but removed the negative future
outlook. This followed two bond rating upgrades in 2003 and 2010, and one bond rating
downgrade in 2014. In announcing the bond rating downgrade, Moody's noted the City's
general fund balance/reserve declined.
. -
� .- .
. . . - . . .
.
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2016 17.52% and increase in general fund revenue
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2017 20.09% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2018 23.81% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2019 29.06% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to freezing vacant positions and most capital projects due
FY 2020 31.24% to the pandemic.
FY 2021 25.21% Decrease due to planned capital expenditures
Fund Reserve as a Percent of General Fund Revenue
35
31.24%
30 29.06%
24.72% 23.76/a
� 25 23.81% 25.21% 24.24% 0 22.84%
� 20.09% 23.29%
a 20 � — —
17.52°/a
15 �
10
FY 16 FY 17 FY 18 FY 19 FY 20 FY 21 FY 22 FY 23 FY 24 FY 25 FY 26
Fiscal Year
The City of Dubuque has historically adopted a general fund reserve policy as part of the Fiscal
and Budget Policy Guidelines which is adopted each year as part of the budget process.
During Fiscal Year 2013, the City adopted a formal Fund Reserve Policy which states the City
54
Budget Message
may continue to add to the General Fund minimum balance of 10% when additional funds are
available until 20% of Net General Fund Operating Cost is reached.
After all planned expenditures in FY 2021, the City of Dubuque will have a general fund
reserve of 24.83% of general fund expenses as computed by the methodology adopted in the
City's general fund reserve policy on a cash basis or 25.21% percent of general fund revenues
as computed by the accrual basis methodology used by Moody's Investors Service. The
general fund reserve cash balance is projected to be $17,166,567 on June 30, 2021 as
compared to the general fund reserve balance on an accrual basis of$17,903,632 as
computed by Moody's Investors Service.The general fund reserve balance on an accrual basis
exceeds 22% in FY 2021, which is the margin of error used to ensure the City always has a
general fund reserve of at least 20% as computed by Moody's Investors Service.
In Fiscal Year 2017, the City had projected reaching this consistent and sustainable 20%
reserve level in Fiscal Year 2022. In fact, the City met the 20% reserve requirement in FY
2017, five years ahead of schedule and has sustained a greater than 20% reserve.
FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025
. - . . . -
� . � $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632
' � • - • - - • - - 25.21% 24.72% 24.24% 23.76% 23.29%
State Revolving Fund Sponsorship Projects and Green Project Loans
The City uses State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans for water and sanitary sewer projects
whenever possible because of the very low annual interest rate of 1.75% with an annual
servicing fee of 0.25%.
In 2009, legislation was passed in lowa that allows water utilities that issue debt through
the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program to sponsor and help finance other water
quality improvement (CWSRF) projects within or outside its service limits. This new funding
mechanism, called Water Resource Restoration Sponsored Projects, will provide cities,
counties, local watershed organizations, watershed management authorities, county
conservation boards, and soil and water conservation districts a funding source to construct
improvements throughout a watershed that keep sediment, nutrients, chemicals and other
pollutants out of streams and lakes.
Repayment of a standard Clean Water SRF (CWSRF) loan includes the repayment of the
original loan amount, the principal, and the cost to finance the loan, interest and fees. On a
CWSRF loan with a sponsored project, the financing costs are reduced by the amount of the
cost of the sponsored project improvements. Figure 1 shows a comparison between a
standard CWSRF loan and a CWSRF loan with a sponsorship project. As shown, the total cost
to the utility (the total of loan repayments) remains unchanged as the cost of funding for the
sponsorship project is offset by a reduction in loan financing costs. In essence, two water
quality projects are completed for the price of one.
55
Budget Message
u Funding for Sponsorship Project
� — —
v
� �/ o Loan Financing Costs
a
m �
v �
� (Interest&Fees)
c
i
�
Q
� � CWSRF Project Loan Principal
0
� -
� � —
�
S�� �oao
a��'� .�g��SotS�``e�c
��.�v`��,oa� C'��o� Qt°1
�`
Figure 1. Loan repayment comparison between a standard CWSRF loan and a CWSRF loan
with a sponsorship project.
After three years of the State of lowa being unsuccessful in completing one of these modified
loans, the City of Dubuque had the first successful application for the state when, in April 2013,
the City was awarded $9.4 million of the interest paid on the Water and Resource Recovery
Center to be used to reconstruct over 70 Green Alleys in the Bee Branch Watershed. The
principal for the Water & Resource Recovery Center Upgrade was increased from $64,885,000
to $75,145,579 and the interest rate plus annual servicing fee was decreased from 3.25% to
2.00% to add the Green Alley sponsorship project. This reduction allowed for increased
proceeds and resulted in a true interest cost of 1.96% and gross borrowing savings of
$11.4 million.
The Fiscal Years 2010, 2011, and 2012 State Revolving Fund capitalization grants included
requirements for certain percentages of the funds to be allocated for green projects. Each
green infrastructure project receives a portion of loan forgiveness not to exceed 30%. In June
2015, the City of Dubuque Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project (Upper Bee Branch
Project) qualified for a Green Project Loan from the CWSRF Program in the amount of
$29,541,000. The loan includes a "principal forgiveness" provision. The amount of the loan to
be forgiven is 20% of the total loan disbursements made under the loan agreement. The
amount of the loan that was forgiven in June 2020 was $5,908,200. The actual true
interest cost for total funds received was not the 2.00% borrowing rate (1.75% interest
and 0.25% administrative fee), but just 0.07% after reflecting the receipt of interest free
funds (forgiven portion).
Then, in August 2017, the City was awarded $1.4 million in funding for improvements with the
Catfish Creek Watershed through the State of lowa Water Resource Restoration Sponsored
Project program as part of the City's State Revolving Fund loan for the Upper Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project. The funding for the $1.4 million in improvements will come from the
interest payments on the City's Upper Bee Branch SRF loan. The Upper Bee Branch Creek
SRF loan principal was increased to $30,941,000 and the interest rate plus the annual
servicing fee was reduced from 2.00% to 1.43°/a. On a gross basis, the borrowing costs
for the new loan were $1.38 million less than the original loan.
56
Budget Message
In May 2018, the City was awarded $1.0 million in funding for pervious green alley improvements with
the Bee Branch Creek and Catfish Creek Watersheds through the State of lowa Water
Resource Restoration Sponsored Project program as part of the City State Revolving Fund
loan for the Upper Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culverts Project. The funding for the $1.0
million in improvements will come from the interest payments on the City's Upper Bee Branch
Railroad Culvert SRF loan. The Upper Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culvert SRF loan principal
was increased to $17,387,000 and the interest rate plus the annual servicing fee was
reduced from 2.00% to 1.43°/a. On a gross basis, the borrowing costs for the new loan
were $1.05 million less than the original loan.
In February 2019, the City was awarded $276,300 in funding for Eagle Point Park
Environmental Restoration through the State of lowa Water Resource Restoration Sponsored
Project program as part of the City State Revolving Fund loan for the Kerper Boulevard
Sanitary Sewer Project. The funding for the $276,300 in improvements will come from the
interest payments on the City's Kerper Boulevard Sanitary Sewer SRF loan. The lowa Finance
Authority now requires that sponsorship projects are included in the initial loan amount so that
the repayment schedule does not have to be adjusted. On a gross basis, the borrowing
costs for the new loan were $278,000 less than if there was not a sponsorship project
included.
City Utilities
The water rate increase recommendation is 3.00%, the sanitary sewer rate increase
recommendation is 3.00%, and the solid waste collection increase recommendation is 2.60%.
The City Council previously approved a 6.76% stormwater rate increase for Fiscal Year 2021,
instead the rate increase was delayed to Fiscal Year 2022.
There were no Fiscal Year 2021 rate increases for water, sanitary sewer, solid waste collection,
or stormwater rates. This was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following are the utility rate comparisons for other cities in the State of lowa:
RATES AND COMPARISONS
Water Rate Comparison for Largest lowa Cities with Water Softening
Rank City Water Rate
(6,000 Gallons/
residence avg.)
7 West Des Moines (FY22) $40.23
6 Des Moines (FY22) $36.86
5 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $35.03
4 lowa City (FY22) $35.01
3 Ames (FY22) $33.82
2 Dubuque (FY22) $31.67
1 Council Bluffs (FY22) $29.67
Average w/o Dubuque $35.10
57
Budget Message
Dubuque's water is some of the best in the world! The highest rate (West Des Moines
(FY22)) is 27.04% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average is 10.85°/a higher than
Dubuque.
Sanitary Sewer Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Sanitary Sewer
Rate
(Based on 6,000
Gallons/month)
11 Ankeny (FY21) $61.66
10 Davenport (FY22) $52.48
9 Des Moines (FY22) $52.04
8 Dubuque (FY22) $43.51
7 (FY22) $41.87
6 Sioux City (FY22) $40.02
5 lowa City (FY22) $36.08
4 Ames (FY22) $35.26
3 Waterloo (FY22) $31.64
2 Cedar Rapids (FY21) $30.95
1 Council Bluffs (FY22) $28.80
Average w/o Dubuque $41.08
The highest rate (Ankeny (FY21)) is 41.73% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average
is 5.58% lower than Dubuque.
Solid Waste Collection Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Solid Waste Monthly
Rank City Rate
11 Ames (FY22) $26.25
10 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $22.53
9 Council Bluffs (FY22) $20.00
8 lowa City (FY22) $20.00
7 Sioux City (FY22) $17.50
6 Ankeny (FY22) $16.25
5 Dubuque (FY22) $15.38
4 Waterloo (FY22) $15.00
3 Des Moines (FY22) $14.13
2 Davenport (FY22) $13.81
1 (FY22) $12.25
Average w/o
Dubuque $17.77
The highest rate (Ames (FY22)) is 70.68% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average
is 15.55% higher than Dubuque.
58
Budget Message
Stormwater Rate Comparison for the Largest lowa Cities with Stormwater Fees
Rank City Stormwater Rate
10 Des Moines (FY22) $15.49
9 Dubuque (FY22) $8.85
8 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $7.28
7 (FY22) $6.65
6 Ankeny (FY22) $6.50
5 lowa City (FY22) $5.00
4 Ames (FY22) $4.95
3 Waterloo (FY22) $4.50
2 Davenport (FY22) $2.97
1 Sioux City (FY22) $2.80
Average w/o Dubuque $6.24
The highest rate (Des Moines (FY22)) is 75.03% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the
average is 29.52% lower than Dubuque.
Improvement Packages
There were 132 improvement level decision packages requested in Fiscal Year 2022, of which
64 are being recommended for funding. This budget recommendation funds $390,611 for
annually recurring and $165,737 for non-recurring improvement packages in the General Fund.
Fiscal Year 2021 General Fund savings of $117,012 is being used to fund a portion of the non-
recurring improvement packages recommended. The remaining improvement packages
recommended for funding from non-property tax support total $341,721.
A portion of the recommended recurring improvement packages include new positions:
• Part-time Assistant Utility Locator in the Engineering Department to assist with the
locating of buried City utilities (storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water main, fiber optics,
electrical, etc.) as part of the lowa One Call service. The part-time Utility Locator would
improve the efficiency of the current full-time Utility Locator position within the
Engineering Department.
• Temporary, specified term (6 months) Scanning Clerk in Human Resources to help with
the digitization of paper personnel file documents. Digitization is needed to 1) provide
searchable and functional access to authorized staff, and 2) in preparation for a
transition to the digital human resources information system within the enterprise
resource planning system.
• Full time Development and Training Coordinator in Human Resource. Centralizing the
coordination of development and training activities provides the City with a more
efficient, coordinated, and consistent development process.
• Seasonal Recreation Leader in Recreation to assist with the summer prgrams merger
with the City of Asbury.
• Seasonal employee in Parks for the upper Bee Branch Creek Greenway. The Park
Division took over full maintenance responsibility of the greenway corridor in 2020. After
a full season of maintenance, it has been determined additional staff is needed to
maintain the corridor during the park season.
• Elimination of a full-time Water Plant Operator (and the addition of a full-time Water
Operations Supervisor. The plant presents daily opportunities and challenges that
59
Budget Message
require in depth problem solving and data analysis beyond oversight management from
the department manager.
It is important to note that all new positions, and some previously frozen positions, will
not be filled until the City receives the November 2021 local option sales tax
reconciliation payment from the State of lowa, or receives substantial assistance from
the Federal government that can be used for this purpose.
Delay of Previously Planned Im�rovement Packages
The Fiscal Year 2020 budget approved an improvement level decision package to provide
funding for the expansion of the Dubuque Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO)
Program. To spread the expenses over time, three SRO's were to have been added over three
consecutive years: Fiscal Year 2020, Fiscal Year 2021, and Fiscal Year 2022 budget. However,
the expansion was frozen in FY21 due to the pandemic causing the final position to be added
in FY23 instead of FY22 as originally planned.
The request for the addition of one firefighter position as outlined in the Fire Station Expansion/
Relocation capital improvement project will be delayed to Fiscal Year 2023. This position would
be the third year of a five-year effort to increase the number of positions in anticipation of
staffing additional fire and/or ambulance units. The additional fire fighters will now be added
over a six-year period. The position would increase the number of days where staffing is above
minimum and also reduce the use of overtime during the build-up period before a fire station is
built.
State-Funded Backfill on Commercial and Industrial Property Tax
Commercial and Industrial property taxpayers previously were taxed at 100% of assessed
value; however, due to property tax reform legislation in Fiscal Year 2013, a 95% rollback
factor was applied in Fiscal Year 2015 and a 90% rollback factor will be applied in Fiscal Year
2016 and each year beyond. The State of lowa committed to backfill the loss in property tax
revenue from the rollback and the backfill 100% in Fiscal Year 2015 through Fiscal Year 2017
and then the backfill was capped at the Fiscal Year 2017 level in Fiscal Year 2018 and beyond.
The FY 2021 State backfill for property tax loss is estimated to be $1,324,516.
Elements of the property tax reform passed by the lowa Legislature in 2013 have created a
tremendous amount of uncertainty in the budget process. While the State has committed to
provide some funding for the City revenue reductions caused by the decrease in taxable value
for commercial and industrial properties, key legislators have been quoted in the media as
casting doubt on the reimbursements continuing. Beginning in FY 2024, it is assumed that
the State will eliminate the backfill over a five-year period.
The projected reduction of State backfill revenue to the general fund is as follows:
State Backfill
Fiscal Year Reduction
2023 $ 264,903
� 2024 $ 264,903
2025 $ 264,903
2026 $ 264,903
Total $ 1,059,612
60
Budget Message
In the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Economic Development and Slum and Blight Urban
Renewal Districts in each of the five fiscal years in this budget recommendation, there is some
built-in protection against the possibility that, at some point in time, the State of lowa might
stop funding the property tax reform backfill payments. In these TIF areas, the City is not
allocating backfill in Fiscal Year 2022 and beyond. Each year the State funds the backfill will
give the City greater resources to accomplish the intended goals of the TIF district that can be
carried into the next budget year. There are numerous unfunded needs.
Local Option Sales Tax
The lowa Department of Revenue released the Fiscal Year 2021 Local Option Sales Tax
estimated payments on August 18, 2020. In addition, the City received the annual
reconciliation payment for Fiscal Year 2020 on November 17, 2020 in the amount of
$1,610,103. This is the largest reconciliation payment that the City of Dubuque has ever
received. The lowa Department of Revenue has indicated that the reconciliation payment for
Dubuque was large because the total LOST receipts for FY20 for Dubuque County exceeded
their estimates. This was the case in quite a few lowa counties in FY20. The law change that
was effective July 1, 2019 which required remote sellers that exceed a certain sales revenue to
charge lowa sales tax, including local option sales tax, the same as retailers with a physical
presence in lowa. This law change most likely played a role in the increased LOST receipts in
FY20. The reconciliation payment is only evidence of receipts exceeding the lowa Department
of Revenue's estimates. The year-to-year increase in total Local Option Sales Tax receipts
would be more illustrative of the actual impact of the online sales tax law changes.
The lowa Department of Revenue does not have data on actual online sales because those
sales are reported by retailers in the same manner as in-person sales. The lowa Department of
Revenue has done some work in try to estimate the impact of collections from online sales,
and it is apparent their estimates of the impact from Senate File 2417 in 2018 have been
surpassed by actual receipts, but they do not have firm data to support that.
By resolution, 50% of sales tax funds must be used in the General Fund for property tax relief
in FY 2022. Sales tax receipts are projected to increase 22.60% over FY 2021 budget
$2,112,016 and 1.85% over FY 2021 actual of$5,625,145 based on FY 2021 revised revenue
estimate which includes a reconciliation payment from the State of lowa of$1,610,103
received in November 2020, increase 1.85% percent to calculate the FY 2022 budget, and
then increase at an annual rate of 1.85% percent per year beginning in FY 2023. The
estimates received from the State of lowa show a 0.68% increase in the first payment
estimated for FY 2022 as compared to the first payment budgeted for FY 2021. The following
chart shows the past four years of actual sales tax funds and projected FY 2022 for the
General Fund:
61
Budget Message
. i � � � . � � �
PY Q4 $ 748,108 $ 366,087 $ 355,027 $ 380,549 $ 419,551
Quarter 1 $ 1,080,294 $ 1,066,816 $ 1,124,105 $ 1,252,896 $ 1,390,714
Quarter 2 $ 1,109,978 $ 1,098,596 $ 1,149,881 $ 1,274,904 $ 1,415,144
Quarter 3 $ 939,923 $ 1,031,606 $ 971,871 $ 1,072,643 $ 1,190,634
Quarter4 $ 732,174 $ 700,312 $ 761,097 $ 839,102 $ 931,403
Reconciliation $ 77,018 $ 217,699 $ 219,332 $ 805,052 $ 381,500
Total $ 4,687,495 $ 4,481,116 $ 4,581,313 $ 5,625,146 $ 5,728,946
% Change +5.17% -4.61% +2.24% +22.78% +1.85%
Gaming Revenue
Gaming revenues generated from lease payments from the Dubuque Racing Association
(DRA) are estimated to increase $43,621 from $5,185,737 in FY 2021 to $5,229,358 in FY
2022 based on Fiscal Year 2019 actual plus Sports Betting.
In Calendar Year 2020, gross gaming revenues were down 24.3% for the DRA and the
Diamond Jo was down -26.9%. Due to COVID, both casinos in the market were closed from
March 17, 2020 to May 31, 2020. The DRA showed decreases in hotel room revenue, food,
and beverage sales and entertainment ticket sales.
The lowa Legislature passed Sports Betting Legislation in June 2019. DRA started Retail (On-
Site) on August 27, 2019 with Mobile Wagering starting on November 12, 2019. Diamond Jo
Casino partnered with Betfair Interactive US LLC (FanDuel Sportsbook) and they started
Sports Betting Retail in September 2019 and Mobile Wagering in September 2020. DRA had
$562,601 in Sports Book revenue and $16,141,637 in Sports Betting handle during 2020. With
an amended lease, the City began receiving 0.5% of the handle from Sports Betting in FY
2021.
Multi-Residential Property Tax Classification
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016), new State legislation created a new property tax
classification for rental properties called multi-residential, which requires a rollback, or
assessment limitations order, on multi-residential property which will eventually equal the
residential rollback. Multi-residential property includes apartments with three or more units.
Rental properties of two units were already classified as residential property. The State of
lowa will not backfill property tax loss from the rollback on multi-residential property. The
rollback will occur as follows:
- . . . � , � . .
FY 2017 86.25% 331 239
FY 2018 82.50% 472 127
FY 2019 78.75% 576 503
FY 2020 75.00% 691 640
FY 2021 71.25% 952 888
FY 2022 67.50% 1 379 420
FY 2023 63.75% 1 301 110
FY 2024 56.41% 1 461 663
Total 7 166 590
. o = urren resi en ia ro ac
62
Budget Message
This annual loss in tax revenue of$1,379,420 in FY 2022 and $1,461,663 from multi-
residential property when fully implemented in FY 2024 will not be backfilled by the
State. From Fiscal Year 2017 through Fiscal Year 2024 the City will lose $7,166,590 in total,
meaning landlords will have paid that much less in property taxes. The state did not require
landlords to charge lower rents or to make additional investment in their property.
Multi-Residential Property Tax
Based on Average Assessed Value $262,418
$2,500 $2,349
$2,226 �2,160
$2,015
$2,000 $1,872 $1,897
� $1,738 $1,780
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22
� Multi-Residential Property Tax Paid - City Portion Only
Health Insurance
The City portion of health insurance expense is projected to increase from $1,025 per month
per contract to $1,086 per month per contract (based on 588 contracts) in FY 2022 (general
fund cost of$300,134). The City of Dubuque is self-insured, and actual expenses are paid
each year with the City only having stop-loss coverage for major claims. In FY 2017, The City
went out for bid for third party administrator and the estimated savings has resulted from the
new contract and actual claims paid with there being actual reductions in cost in FY 2018
(19.42%) and FY 2019 (0.35%). In addition, firefighters began paying an increased employee
health care premium sharing from 10% to 15% and there was a 7% increase in the premium
on July 1, 2018. During FY 2019, the City went out for bid for third party administrator for the
prescription drug plan there has been savings resulting from the bid award. Based on FY 2021
actual experience, Fiscal Year 2022 is projected to have a 6% increase in health insurance
costs. Fiscal Year 2022 projections include additional prescription drug plan savings of
$219,256. Estimates for FY 2023 were increased 6%; FY 2024 were increased 7%; FY 2025
were increased 8%; and FY 2026 were increased 8%.
63
Budget Message
Downtown Revitalization
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Government TransparencX
Finance staff conducted community outreach with Balancing Act using print and digital
marketing and presentations.
• October: Point Neighborhood Association.
• November: The City Manager hosted an evening virtual public budget input meeting.
The Budget Office conducted a virtual community outreach session using GoToMeeting.
• December: City staff conducted two virtual community outreach sessions using
GoToMeeting and Facebook Live streaming.
A total of 71 community members attended the virtual budget presentations. There have
been 148 page views of the Balancing Act budget simulator tool and 4 budgets have
been submitted by the public as of February 23, 2021. The input provided will be
analyzed by City staff and evaluated by the City Manager for inclusion in the Fiscal Year
2022 budget recommendation as deemed appropriate.
Open Budget
URL: www.dollarsandcents.cityofdubuque.org
During Fiscal Year 2016, the City launched a web based open data platform. The City of
Dubuque's Open Budget application provides an opportunity for the public to explore and
visually interact with Dubuque's operating and capital budgets. This application is in support of
the five-year organizational goal of a financially responsible city government and high-
64
Budget Message
performance organization and allows users with and without budget data experience, to better
understand expenditures in these categories.
Open Expenses
URL: http://expenses.cityofdubuque.org/
During Fiscal Year 2017, an additional module was added to the open data platform which
included an interactive checkbook which will allow residents to view the City's payments to
vendors. The final step will be adding performance measures to the open data platform to
allow residents to view outcomes of the services provided by the City.
Balancing Act
URL:http://bit.ly/fy22budgetsim
During Fiscal Year 2019, the City of Dubuque launched a new interactive budget simulation
tool called Balancing Act. The online simulation invites community members to learn about the
City's budget process and submit their own version of a balanced budget under the same
constraints faced by City Council, respond to high-priority budget input questions, and leave
comments.
Taxpayer Receipt
URL: http://bit.ly/taxpayerreceipt
During Fiscal Year 2019, the City launched an online application which allows users to
generate an estimate of how their tax dollars are spent. The tool uses data inputted by the user
such as income, age, taxable value of home, and percentage of goods purchased within City
limits. The resulting customized receipt demonstrates an estimate of how much in City taxes
the user contributes to Police, Fire, Library, Parks, and other city services. This tool is in
support of the City Council goal of a financially responsible and high-performance organization
and addresses a Council-identified outcome of providing opportunities for residents to engage
in City governance and enhance transparency of City decision-making.
65
Budget Message
Conclusion
If the City Council approves the budget recommendation, it will support continued investment
in people, businesses and organizations that are making a difference in our community, and
continued investment in the infrastructure that must exist for Dubuque to continue to thrive.
There will be six City Council special meetings prior to the adoption of the FY 2022 budget
before the state mandated deadline of March 31, 2021. I want to thank Director of Finance and
Budget Jennifer Larson, Assistant City Manager Cori Burbach, Budget/Financial Analyst Kayla
Morrison, Budget/Financial Analyst Jenna Hirtz, Public Information Officer Randy Gehl,
Confidential Account Clerk Ella Lahey, Office Manager Juanita Hilkin, Secretary Stephanie
Valentine, and Communications Specialist Kristin Hill, for all their hard work and dedication in
preparation of this budget recommendation.
�Jv'"r'"'� �Gl�r
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:jml
66
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Gr��t�r Du�uqu�
DEVELOPMEHT CORP.
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Ecanarriic Indicator�
Report
E�onomic,So�ial, and Educational changes in ourregion affecting
Greater Dubuque 2022 Goals of 1ob Creation,fvledian Household In�ome,
Population,and Constru�tion Investment.
Budget Message
7A�L� [�� �f�IV��i��`�
Greater dubuque 2 D22 Goals Breakdown.....................................................................4
E�onomi�Indi�atorsforJob Creation......................................................................5- 8
E�onomi�Indi�atorsforNledian Household In�ome......................................................8- 11
E�onomi�Indi�atorsforPapulatian......................................................................1 l - 1�
E�onomi�Indi�atorsforinvestment.......................................................................... 15
dubuque'sTrueNorth ...................................................................................... 16
5our�es Information......................................................................................... 1 J
68
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Jab Creatian MedianHouseholdlncome Papula#ian Investment
64ra66 �60,aaa 106,oaa �aooroao,aao
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Educatian! Median Papula#ian Inrrestment
Occupational Data Household Income
• hlumber of Businesses • 5alaryTrends • Migratinn Flaw • Housing lJnits
• Top&Fastest-gro-wing • 9'nPayingMoreThan • CostofLivingComposite • MedianPropertyValue
O��upations 359ioonMortgagelRent , Retail-TotalTaxable5ales • Mo-rtgage5tatus
• Top&Fastest-gro-wing • 9nK-12StudentsEligible . �fehi�le4wnership • RentalVa�an�yRate
Industries for Free{Reduced Lunch
• 5kills�'iapAnalysis* • Povertylndi�ators • MedianRent
• Higher Edu�ation • SNAP Re�ipients • Hnme&Praperty 5ales
Enrallments& . ,§�erag e Ho-usehold
Campletians Incomefor In-and
• Certified K 12 Enrollment Out-migration
• K 12 Reading&Math • 6au fo-r Dubuque'sTrue
Praficiency NarthCensusTracts 1 &5
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Budget Message
J�B �REATI�N
�7��L: ��,��� �r��r�bUqueNPetrapafrtcrr�Stcrtrsr��crf,4recr(MS,��ID�rbr�q�reCar�r�ty
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59.850 64600 60,733
59.d00 5�842
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s�,oaa
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2017 62nChRldrk 2018 2�19 202� 2421 2022
I : I
NumherofEmplayees 1� 5-9 10-19 20�9 5�-99 10�-249 250�99 5�0-999 1d0�+ Total
&usinesseswithinthe 1,354 554 391 283 4$ 53 2� 5 � �779
❑ubuque MSA[2014)
&usinesseswithinthe 1,354 S17 412 285 49 52 2� 11 1 �752
❑ubuque MSA[2015)
&usinesseswithinthe 1,32� 511 422 362 45 59 27 5 3 �759
❑ubuque MSA[201fi)
&usinesseswithinthe 1,35$ 544 34} 24$ 47 67 24 4 3 �79}
❑ubuque MSA[2017)
&usinesseswithinthe 1,351 535 39} 241 142 74 27 5 4 �782
❑ubuque MSA[201 S]
■ .■ r i i - - -
INDl15TRY �415JUB5 ZUI9JUB5 #{HAN�E �&{HANGE
ManuFaeturing 4,A54 4,412 449 596
Health Care and Social Assiskance 8,7�7 4,636 294 396
RekailTrade 7,118 5,571 [SA5} (896}
Governmenk 5,695 5,651 f3A} f196}
Fnanceandlnsuranee A,127 A,746 579 1496
Aecommodakion and Food 5ervices A,552 A,615 [537} [1496}
OkY1Pf�2fVICPS(P1CCPpt PLIf]IIC AdR11f115kf3tI0f1} �,��$ 3,�$� [484} [���}
Conskruckion 3,114 3,222 112 496
WholesaleTrade 3,125 3,1A7 21 196
Edu[akional5ervi[es 3,2A7 �4$4 [253} [$96}
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Budget Message
IWDUSTRY 2015JOB5 3020J�B5 #CHAWGE huCHAWGE
Transp�rtati�n antl Wareh�using 2,342 �857 475 209b
Inf�rmati�n 921 1,073 152 159b
Finaneeantllnsuran�e 4,127 4,765 574 149b
Manufa[turing 4,454 9,912 4A4 59b
Canstru[ti�n 3,110 3,222 112 49b
Health Care 2nd So[i21 Assisk2n[e 8,7A7 9,435 290 396
Management of Companies and Enterprises 795 81 1 17 296
Arks,Entertainmenk,and Re[reakion 1,A95 1,519 2� 296
WY10I253I2Tf3d2 3,125 3,147 21 196
Governmenk 5,645 5,451 f34} f1�5)
OC{UPATION �015 �0�0
Rek2il 521espersons 2,091 2,0�5
CuSkOfri2f 52NiC2 R2�f2S2ftk3kiv25 1,1 12 1,748
Fask Food and CounkerWorkers 1,714 1,S 14
Skockers and drder Fillers 73Q 1,�21
Registered Nurses 1,�29 1,�44
Offi[e Clerks,General 1,395 1,255
Cashiers 1,555 1,645
Heavy andTrattor-TrailerTru�k�rivers 1,147 1,64A
HomeHealth and Personal CareAides 839 1,602
NufSif�C]A55i5t3flf5 853 955
U{{l1PATIUN #{HANfE �&{HANfE
511b5fltl1t2TP3ChPf5,5h�ff-T2fR7 223 13996
Medi[al Se[retaries and AdministrakiveAssiskanks 139 9596
5kockers and Order Fillers 541 9596
Me[hani[21 Engineers 275 8996
Cuskomer 5ervi[e Represenk2tives 545 5496
LightTru[k Drivers 138 3396
EI2R1Pf1k3�+�CYIOOITP3Cf7Pf5,Exeept 5pecial Education 1A8 3196
HOR1P HP3IkY1 8f1CI P2f50f18I C3fPAI�PS 15A 2496
Laborers and Freight,Stock,and Material Movers,Hand 13A 1996
h�ur5ing Assistants 113 139b
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71
Budget Message
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a,ss� �,663 �,��� �,aa6 �,299
{a r�tl nu I ng Ed ucatla n,Ad u It Ed ucatla n,
llndergraduate&Graduate {ertlficatefllcensure hlassage�{asmetalagy iotal
�O142015 3Q,456 33,462 3Q1 64,3Q9
�01d-2017 29,424 26,20$ 362 55,994
�d17-�018* 28,624 29,005 316 57,945
�01�-�019* 28,577 26,968 243 55,788
dubuque YVesterndubuque HalyFamilylDuhuqueLutheran Prlvate5choalslnWestdubuque
�41�Za17 10,555 3,149 1,614 1,362
�017-��18 1D,5D6 3,D99 1,592 1,369
�01���19 1D,43D 3,D94 1,563 1,281
]01�2920 1D,489 3,13D 1,545 1,242
i�
so :� � - � Western Rubuque
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Budget Message
��
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■Grade II
40 , Ruhuque
Grade 03
2� � �Grade OS
— Grade II
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$53,404
2d16 BENCHkAARK 201f 2d18 2019 2d20 2021
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73
Budget Message
5 09b
4596
409b
359b
■2015
3096 - —
■201b
259b - - - - �2017
2096 - - - - �201&
159b • - - • • - - — S�2014
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59b - - - - _ _
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�S3D,D4D $30,OD�$�S,OD4 S�5,40�S64,DOD �$60,OD0
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$38,500 3?73C
537,444 1:�,r8;: _�.�ar�a
$3 5,500 5 3 5,i°�}
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534,444 ;32,7wS0 .. .
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$31,�00 2015 2Q16 2017 2Q18 2Q19
15
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74
Budget Message
TOTAL NllkilBER IN SUBSET °�oBELOW POVERTYLEVEL MARGIH QF ER����.
,4G E 2{11$ 2{119 2{118 2L119 2{11$ 2{118
Below 18 � Z1,78& 21,741 14.89b 13.44b +1-2.14� +!-2.Z4�
18 ko 34 years I 14,924 14,&51 15.49b 1734b +l-2.04� +!-2.04�
35 ko54years � 35,571 35,554 7.49b 7.74b +1-4.44� +!-4.&4�
56 years and oltler ' 15,555 15,153 9.59b 4.19b +l-1.7� +!-1.5�
Rl4CE&HISPANICORIGIM� I
WY�ikelCau[asi2n 21one � 85,594 $5,532 9.$9b 9.29fi +1-4.4�5 +1-Q.7�5
�2[klAfri[2n Ameri[an 21one I �955 3,05$ 54.Q9b 54.29fi +1-12.4� +1-11.8�
, �
Asian alone 1,130 1,012 12.59b 15.49fi +l-B.S� +1-1Q.3�
Two or more races 1,215 1,345 21.59b 19.49fi +l-8.7�5 +1-9.0�5
Nispani[or L2tino origin[of any ra[e} �1 13 2,145 27.79b 23.49fi +1-1 1.7� +1-9.3�
OTHER
Less than high sthool graduate 4,595 4,432 21.59b 18.79b +1-5.1� +1-4.6�
Employed,eivilianlaborForeel5years+ S1,A24 51,555 7.496 7.A96 +1-4.7�5 +l-4.8�5
femaleHauseholderFamdieswilhChildren �337 2,544 A3.396 3$.496 +1-5.795 +l-7.295
Distrirt �'2d� Tot�l Ert�-". . ' ;'^1•'^,s: • '::�ed LunCh 4'eeligihlefar FreelRea�,..��
Dubuque 2615-15 14,�19 3,24� 544 35.4396
�ubuque 2015-17 10,350 3,152 532 35.559b
Dubuque 2617-18 14,243 3,214 584 35.4596
Dubuque 2018-19 14,175 3,743 715 A3.896
❑ubuque 2014-24 1Q,211 3,SSS 555 44.39fi
Western Dubuque 2015-15 3,178. 713 275 31.19b
Western dubuque 2015-17 3,297� 742 295 31.A596
Western dubuque 2017-18 3,275 597 323 � 31.149fi
Western Dubuque 2018-14 3,285 732 313 31.89b
WPSt2ff1 DUIJU(�U2 i ZOI4-ZO 3,341 735 247 28.296
� �
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pu bl Ic as�lxta nre a r SNA P
16346
�L111:�312 �o��a s.a�a s.��
oF35,984Tokal Households �3�
�019:3,5 35 a
cF38,210Tatal H�useh�ltls
zaii aois zai� zait �ia aoiQ
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75
Budget Message
{� � . . . .._ . .. � .:k. . .'.. . . . . � ._ _ . . _ . � . .. ' . .,_.. �
585,000
�3�5�I
srs.oaa
sas.oaa ■ Irv,irard
sss.oaa
552,�9❑ 554.928 ;.SU.S`_.E
�� �b$ autward
s�s.oaa
��
:.i- ;. , `�-.�..yYL�F.�"�'"'r"'� $'�7,�49 ti��:.'�
535.099 x}1 3�2014 �014�2015 2615�2016 2[]16�201 7 261 f�2018
96wi#hh�artgageandOwner{astsAtarExcee�ing359oaflncnme 1�.��ro
96 wi#h Grnss Re�At ar Exceed i ng 3595 nf I nca me 3 6.1�ro
���U L�TI�I�
C��L. 1 �0,��0
,00,000
9$,DOD 97,055 95,922
95,163 97,31 1
9�,DOD
4r4,000
2a�� 2011 2018 2019 2020 2021
BENCHMARK
GREATER 6UBUQUE�EVEL4PAAENTC4RP4RATI4N ECOhDfriiC IY�diC3kOfS R2�Ofk I Ffbfu0fy202� ��
76
Budget Message
2,500
2,000
Migration-
� 5�� �4utside lowa
■ Migration-
International
1,000
� Migration-
4�ithin la,va
500 —
a - ,, - 4 -- :. -- 4 :
Oul Z013�7414 Oul 7014�2415 Oul 7015�2016 Oul 7016�Z011 Oul Z41T�7018
� ` � � � ' � �
Nl1MBEROFRETl1RN5 COUNTY 3TATE
1Q4 Grank County WI
94 Cook County IL
$9 Jo�2viess County IL
$5 Linn County IA
83 Ja[kson County IA
70 �elaware County IA
51 5[ott County IA
50 Dane County WI
51 Johnson County IA
A4 Polk County IA
�� ECOhDfriiClY�diC3kOfSR2�Oft � F�bfu0fy202� GREATER�UBUQUE�EVEL4PklEwTC4RP4RAT14N
7�
Budget Message
��oo
�.0 d 0
Migration-
�,5pp �4utside lowa
■ Migration-
International
1,000 —
� Migration-
4�ithin la,va
Sd0
C y��': �=• o C o
0
ir, za���za�a ir, zo�a za�s i� za�s�za�� i� za���za�r in za���za�a
i ` � � � i
Nl1MBEROFRETl1RN5 [OUNTY STATE
104 Grant Caunty WI
103 J��aviess Caunty IL
91 Ja[ks�n Caunty IA
84 Co�k Caunty IL
72 Linn County IA
54 Delaware County IA
43 �a[k Hawk County IA
41 S[okk County IA
39 Jones County IA
�4 Johnson County IA
SO
w.a�
so
40 Owner-o��upied
34.09h ■ Household
�� 38,210 iatal
i'r.;�3' I$.395
�d 7i�� I��� ..� Renter-o��upied
Household
�� 14,1 87 iatal
1.496 " 3.89h 1.7g'o
q 5.94�r :��?;,
NoVehi�le 1Vehi�le 2Yehi�les 3Yehi�les �Vehi�les S+Vehi�les
GREATER 6UBUQUE�EVEL4PAAENTC4RP4RATI4N ECOhDfriiC IY�diC3kOfS R2�Ofk I Ffbfu0fy202� ��
7$
Budget Message
�Old INOIX{96WEIGNT) �O171NOES{SYo-WEIGNl) �O181NOIX{96WEIGHT)
[ampasite(loo9a} 89.3�0 89.2� 9a.8�a
Gracery 98.3�0 96.8� 101.1�a
Hausing 67.3� 69.4� 72.3�h
lltilities 91.14� 88.4� 100.8�a
Tra�partatiae 88.9Rfi 100.�� 96.8�o
Flealth 91.64� 92.7� 89.3�o
Miscellaneaus 162.5�0 99.1� 98.��o
FY�018 FY2019 %{hange
Rea�tnta�taxablesa��s 51,346,a16,256 51,353,208,2sa a.5�
Numberofrepartingfirms(annualised) 2,J13 2,735 0.8�5
F�pulatian 96,994 97,11 J 0.1�
Anr�rag�sa les pe r ta pi#a S 13,8 7 J $13,9 3� 0.4�
,4veragesales perfirm 5496,227 5�94,865 -�.3�
�� ECOhDfriiClY�diC3kOfSR2�Oft � F�bfu0fy202� GREATER�UBUQUE�EVEL4PklEwTC4RP4RAT14N
79
Budget Message
11�11EST�1lEI�T
�LJ�L. �C3������r���
!��F.�T±�lE�!? ��3l�!_.�P���RE4�
5400,000,000
5800,000,000
$715,833,479
$700,000,000
5G00,000,000 S SA4,3 2 J,605
�SOO,moAoo
54�0,000,000 S 341,5 79,298
S30d.000A00 $13's,692,628 .. �. ,.
.. .,:._„
5200.Oo0A00 -
.. _.�.�.. . � .�s::.:......
5100.00OAdO
$0
201J 201$ 2019 2Q2Q 2d21 2Q22
Residential }Cammercial {TatalCanstnxtionCumulatiw�
�Q18 �19
Total H�using llnits �1,665 �1,299
MedianPrapertyValueafOwner-0ccupiedllnits 5160,900 5166,800
Martgage5tatusafOw�s�c��Qi$��lnEr� 6�8�o Mortgage 61 ��a Mortgage
39.2�ra No Nlortgage 38.6�ro No Nlortgage
Rental Vacancy Rate 6.6�5 9.2�5
Median Re� 5763 5783
•
s
GREATER 6UBUQUE�EVEL4PAAENTC4RP4RATI4N ECOhDfriiC IY�diC3kOfS R2�Ofk I Ffbfu0fy202� ��i
$�
Budget Message
�� � ��� ���
TRU E I��RTH �ENSUS TRA�TS 1 &5
{QllNTY TRAfT�1&S
Employment[Civilian Labor For[e} 5539b 55.2�fi 56.8�5 52.29b
C�mmuting t�work by walking ar publie transp�rtatian A.A9b 4.29b 14.0�5 14.59b
M2�13f1 HOl15PYl0Id if1COfT72 $51,321 $53,431 $32,547 $35,S7S
Poverty Level 11.796 11.�� 31.2� 24.496
SNAP Parti[ip2tion For pask 12 monkhs[households) 9.796 9396 30.3�5 31.496
��] ECOhDfriiClY�diC3kOfSR2�Oft � F�bfu0fy202� GREATER�UBUQUE�EVEL4PklEwTC4RP4RAT14N
81
Budget Message
��U �� E�
8� UPD�TE CY�LE�
5aur�� llse�fflr When Updat�d
1J.5.C2f15L15 EStlfri3fP5 A`�F b1151f1P5525 Annually G4pril}
EM51-pCEW,nan-pCEW,selF empl�yed Jabgr�wth,t�pj�bs by intlustry puarterly
EM51-IPEDS Higher edueati�n gratluates antl enr�llment Annually
5tate oFlowa Department of Education Math&Reading profitien�y,FreelReduted lunth Annually
Bureau of Labor 5tatisti�s 5alary trends Annually
Internal Revenue 5ervite Intome of inuvardloutuvard migration,OutFlouv&Inflow data Annually[November}
Ameritan Community 5uruey Housing�ata,Poverty,Intome Annualfy[�etember}
lowa 5tatelJniversity Retail data Annually[Mar�h}
East Central lowa Assotiation of RERLTORS Housing�ata Annually[January}
GREATER 6UBUQUE�EVEL4PAAENTC4RP4RATI4N ECOhDfriiC IY�diC3kOfS R2�Ofk I Ffbfu0fy202� ��
$2
Budget Message
�
0
� �
• � i ��� �����
��
� � � i � bubuque has the LOWEST FY2021 praperty tax rate
�$10.14 per thousand assessed value) of lowa's 11
■ ■ � ■ ■ 1 cities with papul�tians a�rer 50,�00,
�'lt� 0� ❑ll�}11C111E ��r `?')!!" ` � �. . , �i�.� Tav T?atP C',nanv.....; .;�r�
Da'�-arR�rf�r 'Tnst �? �� .
� 517,98 f1825 Si&Ad
�s $iG.7&
• $1Q.144Q perthousand dollars assessed value ne �15.� si5.sc ;15.sa si�.rr
* pecreaseaf 1.81�fram FV2070 �4
t tz.ao
�2 Sti.te
$10.id #14.15
�o
' ��- �- ' ��- ' ��- �
'� ' 1 1 � 1 1 � � 1 ,
Resitlenti�l $1.49 less 0.149'¢ decrease
�
Cornrnercial $104.45 less 3.3D9'¢ d�cr�ase
a
Industrlal $132.61 less 2.$19'o d�cr�ase �4� A"�ea A'ue�Y"weaioea urgwro oadsr so�naiyuwaa+�o-ava�orl oa� €ou�ai v,�ianm
wu�aA a.wq,a r�pi� wd,aaA ��
Multi-Resitlenti�l $158.73 more 9.139� increase
• Highest-ranked city fWaterloo, $18.441 is 8296 hlgherthan Duhuque
' "" • Average af ather 10 eitias f$15.221 is 5�9G higherthan Gubuque
$1D.33144 $1�.14-40 1.89� Llecrease "IncludesthetransittaxlevyradopGedhythe�es�lainesAreaRegionallraositAuthoriiyforcomparahility.
� . . . ".as:x�' ���.77�€3,:3::���sa.�;�i ��.�.��� �k ���;.t.z�.
�,
FY2021 Cansalidated Rate af 32.66554
Pra�rty taxes are collected by the Caunty and distributed monthlyto the
Gty of�uhuque and othertaxing bodies. Pra�rty taxes are distrihuted .,
anangthe �ubuque Cammunity Schaol �istrict t459`41, Cityof Dubuque �
i31.6�1, Dubuque Caunty f13.2�1, Nadheastlawa Cammunity Callege ' ' ' -
t3.29`01, and inde�ndent authorities` f29`o1. `�
��k
Pro�rty taxes are certified July 1 with the first half due an ar befare
September 34 and the secand half due an ar befare March 31. For more i '
information,contact the City Assessor at 563-539-4416. � , � NICC
. �a° 3.2°�
""1rrdEper�derrt acrthartiEs"�RGIildES G�}�ASSESSOf, COiN7ty NG��f�dJ(Si1Rf7YLfE5t Independent
hParro�),�crbuque Coiurrty.�gric�Jtwe�.rter�siorr,arrd the�uberculcsrs arrd&rucellcsrs ,4uth o riti e s
Eradreatic,�F�r�d. �a�
83
Budget Message
F�iscal Year 2D21
, � Ci.t� Bud�et
■
The City's adapted F1'2021 budget provides estimated revenues and
expenditures fflr prt�rams and services tfl be provided duringthefiscal
year,fr�m July 1, 2020,thr�ugh June 3D, 2021. The budget has tw�
primary cflmponents:the operating budget and the capital �udget_
The City's tfltal budget fflr fiscal year(F1'1 2021 is �198,741,164,
.
a 23_96 percent decrease fram FY2020_The aperating budget , I
i$139,014,9391 i s a 3.5 percent i n crease fr�m FY2020,,�n�i�tn�
capital budget($59,132,2251 represents a 53_2 percent decreasefrom
FY2020.
The capital �udgetfunds majar improvements ta City facilities and
infrastructure, and is based fln the first year flf needs in the five-year
Capital Impravements Program (CIP1 Plan_The CIP Plan is an annually General Fund Sfifi,4lfi,fifi0 52,229,339
r�vised d�cumentthatguides the City's investments in public facilities W�terFund 510,280,043 52,75fi3OJ3
and infrastructure during a five-year hariaon.The capital budget is g�nitarySewer Fund 510,992,418 $3,820,59J
supported through multiple funding sflurces, includingfederal and state $tormwaterFund Sd,441,361 $1d,11d,959
grants.
Refuse 52,99d,2d5 $269.153
Theaperating budget includes persannel casts and annual facility Parking S2,J47,044 S1fi0,875
flperating cflsts. It is funded primarily thrflugh Iflcal prflperty and sales
taxes; revenuetransfers between departments; licenses, such as building � ti wi�'1
and devel�pment fees�franchise fees f�r a c�mpany's use flf the City's � �
nghts-0f-wa3+; charges fflr services flike sewer and waterl;fines;grants; � � ���.I, YDUR IDEAS!
and�ther smaller s�urces�f revenue such as interest fln investments.
R���€�a�ai�a����rur����"�[FGi�€�!'�1��3��a���
,' .. . . . . . . . . . . .
.. ..:,. . . .. . . ... .. .
. • � . . � � � . . .. .
`'r...� � l�sit u�ww.cit�ofdubuque.orglFY2022budget tfl _
learn mflre a�aut virtual cammunity budget input
The general fund is thegeneral operating fund of the Cityfargeneral sessiflns and thefflllflwing taols:
service departments_The general fund has an operating budget 1_ BalancingActB�dg�etSirnulator-Adjust
of $66_�million and a capital budget of$2_2 million_This fund r�uanuasand axpenditur�s, and pro+ridacomments
encompasses the bulk of activities that are traditionally considered on ha,v you think th�City of Dubuque should
hasic governmental services such as public safety, culture & recreation, spend its maney.
health & social services, and general government.
2_ Tdxpdyef'f7ecefpt-Illustrate how your�timated
�ity pro�rty tanes and local optian salestax are
alloeated ta sEnrices such as Rali�, Fire, Farks,
and Pu61ic Warks.
The City maintains a general fund reserve, orworking balance,to allow
for unforeseen expenses that may occur. The goal is to have at least a 3_ F�61ic�omme�ts Fcv�rn-share yvur ideas
20°k reserve. In Fiscal Year 2017,the City had projected reaching this �lated ta projects,amenities,senrices, pmgrams,
consistent and sustainable 20°k reserve level in Fiscal Year 2022_ In �tc., dir�ctlywith�itystaff!
iaet,the Cit�r met the 2(]°5 reserre requirernent in FY3018,four Xears ehead
of sehedule,and with all prior}rear eontributions,this is sustainable.
i i i i i
k' 1 � ' 1
, : $17,115,(155 $17,115,{11f�55 $17,119,Cf� $17,119,{1C� $17,115,(15�
�. ,s,.
2d,D09fi �d.38°h �5.67°h �3.d19fi 23,S59fi
84
Budget Message
-.� : -.., -. .. ':.h. _`'..:.„.._- .,- ..�.- '.:.. -.:..:' .:.` .�'.':.... ... .:. ..: " h�. -..-.,. .Y{ '..- ....:.. ..:: . .... . . .... .. .�:.
' ].i. : S. � �
��V�Y�'l i � ii"+i�,L4Ji��Li il'�+f '��i,3�i �ii��9�'W !L 1°�L 3€ 4J f iL3 1 +I �1LL:
� G�¢����s�� ��Il�c�i�r� �����
� Basic Rate = $14.991manth A+rg, Househald Rate* _ $3�.721month
f4.03��ECREASE from FY2020 or SO.fi3 per monthl � INO increa�efram FY20201
G�rbside refUse rollectia�ir�cl�des a�e 35-Sallvn covatainer 'Awerge hvUseha+d rate based wa b.000gallvr�s�er
per Freek. We�ek,y c�rbside r�c}�clir�g is r�o extra charge_ rnwith at$�.ODSl2�ergaJlcn
c�'��i`s�asi��i;i�'.�ri� � �%.�r��a�.;a� t;:ea��"-s�:'�`
Avg. Household Rate* _ $8,29lmonth Avg, Household Rate* _ $42,24lmonth
���► fN0 increasefrom FY2d2dJ � INO increasefram FY202d1
'�YPa�thly rabe ficr rnajorrfy ofi Drabraq�e hcwsehvlds based ova 'Awerge hvUseha+d rate based wa b.000gallvr�s�er rnvrath
r�sage ofi one single family r�nif. Sfnrmrrat�r fees�e Uased at$�.ODT04�ergaJlvn. 7he Gify's rv�bewat�-cvllection and
vra the amv�nt ofi impervioUs grv�nd rowa-age on a�v��y. freatrnenf sysbern operatn as a self-sr�ppa•fing enfprp�ise
Fees cv!leched�e vnJy�sed{xr siu�rnrrater mansgernerat f�nd rvhich rneans that it is f�nded vraly rvith reuen�e fru�r
artivitr�sUch�fhe�wastrUctrvr�. rnaira5er�anceand �ser{pes.
v�eraticv�a�fhe�Ublic siu�rnwaber mansgenrerat sysfern.
��� �� �L �!''11Y�� Arr��r�g l�wa's 1� farg�.�t�i�res:
� 5th Lowest:Th� highestcurhside collection rat� 2nd Lawest:The highestwaterr�te IWest Des
� (Ames) is 75.12°l higher than Du6uqu�'s rat2, and � Maines) is 26.3898 higher than Clu6uque's rate,
the averag� is 14.D4°/a higher than Dubuqu�. and the average is 9.3590 higher than Clu6uque.
� 2ntl Highest:The highest stormwater rate f�es 4th Highest:The highestsanitary sewer rate
Moines) is 77.6890 higherthan Llu6uque's rate, � (Rnkeny) is 45.9890 higher than Clu6uque's rate,
ti and the average is 26.763� lowerthan Llu6uque. and the average is 3.6990 lower than Clu6uque.
� . � * �« � � . .
H�v�r General Fund
Mon� is � �nt � � ����
Y 1�
Public 5afety Ifire, police,ambulance serviees,9-1-1 dispatch,animal eantral,building �1 $a�
inspectians, crimepreventian,emergenGymanagement,flaod eontral,ete.1
Culture & Recreation (AmeriCorps, artsand�ultural affairs,eivie eenter,eonferenee�enter,library, 1� ���o
marina,parks,re�reation,et�.1
General Government (eity attarney and legal serui�es,eity elerk,eity eouneil,City Hall and general 1� �a�o
buildings,eitymanager,finanee, information seruiees,ete.1
Public Works fairport,maintenanceofstreets,bridges,and sidewalks;snrnvremoval, �,�°�4
street cleaning,street lighting,traffic contral,etc.1
Community& Ecanamic feeanamie development,housing and eommunity develapment,neighborhaod � �a�Q
develapment develapment,planning and�aning,etc.1
Transfers Qut Itofunds otherthan General Fund1 6,4°Jq
Capital Projects fCityinfrastru�tureimprouementsormajorequipmentpurehasesl �,Q°Jo
Health & Sacial Services Icammunity health, health regulatian and inspection,human rights,etc.1 1,4°f4
aebt 5ervice (gouernment�apital proje�ts,tax-in�rementfinan�ing[TIF]�apital praje�tsl �,�°Jo
85
Budget Message
� * � � * � � i � ' I 1 i ' I ' � I
i° .
..� ,f '
� .��� +� ��i _
Total Deb# {in millions� �
�eht is heing issued eaeh year,hut more is � ---_
.x.z..�..:.T =
hein retired than issued, �� '"= ��� � � __
g . �t,�:`-,
"��' ".`'
ssm $2f31 w �.0 -. . - . �-='_
.
o �
��� I -...���c,� ���.'"-.-t'. - �
5295 -.:3•''s:'s° t','',�.,'�£ . .
5200 ' S .'�� .
�� ��� `` � ,
$195 �1�rJ" � '� ���� ���� ., � '
- �
5190
f Fi'2021 -
S90 � y. � 'C-:. `
84 �� ;4 � .i , ... �� ��_.
ifia[,�"r�.I J�,.- .
FV15 FY16 FV13 FV1E FY19 FV27 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY2� FV25 FY26 FY23 FY2E FV2S FV50 . ��._�-
, . _`_' ��� _
�tatutar�r aeht Lirnit Used {as of June 30� The City of Dubuque's use of debt can be �
ihis chartshorrs the percentage of statutory deht limit in the Fiscal �ompared to many average hameowners
10°'� Year{FY12d21 adopted hudget.ByFY�d3d,the Citywill he at2296 of '�ho borrow to buy their home_ The City has
�°�' ihestatutorydehtlimit, borrawed money at low interest rates ta invest in
��, infrastructure. Unlike the federal government,
�� the City does not borraw money ta cover
�� operating expenses.
si�v �7alo d39`e
aa�v .. - � .
�
sa�, 72°l° � �c
2096 +FYd721
�a�` �r �i`Oj�`Li uu"si:i�ij;��ar�and Amourrt�u[yfar�[�iri�
°�° 1 Stnrmwaber�mprvwemer�is
FY15 FV16 FV13 FV18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FV22 FV23 FY2{ FV3S FY26 FY27 FY29 FY19 FV30
. $73,653,126
2 lM3f�er&Resource RecoWery Cenfer
Per�ent�ge �f Leg�l Qeht Limit Utili�ed � ��rr��,.,,,��eF1� $5',g�1,666
,� ���,�i�,��g
90°� �F���1�� 4 Ftidrkir�g�rrrp�ouerrrents
so� I $25,619,132
30� s�rb � � 5 Gbwntvwn TtF rr�centrves,��rrr�vWerrrenis
�� SqyS $26,287,421
sav� � a� aT4� ds4b � 6 Sanrfary Semer�rrrp�vuemer�is
� $14,811,522
aav� 7 T�F Rebafesd$onds fn BrJsinesses
aw� �
2as� zaw� � $7,744,&39
zo� I $ rr�drJstria!Park Expansivns
�o� $6,256,618
� 9 Cbradcv Burldrng�vwa Frr�ance Autfiorrfy ioan
y�� �os �4 �pa }�#� ,ry� a5 0° ��� ,�,r � �� � ,��5.� $3,639,903
� a� �w 5�` 4ak.�� �4� Q� q�`� 4h,�� 4�,W3a ,y�� 4a�,� 1� $�'f�2EI'�f17�'10YEf172f1f5}
� 4�` Ck` � +.� � +.� ��� +.�
�• ��aa � � �,,� 0 4y� $3,298,91$
� �' iotal $245,084,042
'Sf 45 mdlraa�s spent cra street onprcviernenis from f997-2102P
CNla26-111220
86
Budget Message
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
All•America Cily
U B E MnGWLWK��PMUP:
, � � ►
Maste iece on the Mississi i zoo�=Zo�2*2013
�' pp zoi�*zoi9
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation
DATE: February 24, 2021
It is my goal that the Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation will reflect the City Vision and
Mission Statements as established by the Mayor and City Council and be responsive to the
goals and priorities established by the Mayor and City Council in their August 2020 annual goal
setting session. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation includes a property tax rate
decreased of (0.93)%. This translates into the following:
% Change $ Change
Property Tax Rate -0.93% -$0.09
Average Residential Payment +1.62% +$12.49
Average Commercial Payment 0.00% $0.00
Average Industrial Property -0.30% -$14.20
Average Multi-Residential Property -6.15% -$116.55
In the midst of last year's budget process, the World Health Organization declared on March
11, 2020 that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Almost immediately the world economy began to
shut down.
Locally, unemployment skyrocketed from the lows of 2018/2019 of less than 2°/o
unemployment, to the February 2020 unemployment of 3.4%, to a 2020 high of 12.9% in April
2020. Since then there has been a steady decline to 3.5% in December 2020. However, this
low unemployment rate can be deceptive. From January 2020 (57,349) to December 2020
(51,760), 5,589 people have left the Dubuque County labor force. These are people who were
previously employed, or previously unemployed and looking for a job, that are now
unemployed and not looking for a job.
Everything I have heard and read indicates that the economic downturn in Dubuque has most
negatively impacted the hospitality and tourism industries, which are commercial businesses,
and individuals who mainly live in apartments. Recognizing this, I have tried to recommend a
budget that minimizes property taxes on commercial properties and multi-family residential
properties (3 units and above as defined by the State of lowa). I am doing this while trying to
have some additional resources to be responsive to the priorities of the Mayor and City
Council.
23
Budget Message
You will recall that in the current year (FY21 beginning July 1, 2020) City budget that was
adopted by the Mayor and City Council in April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, there
was a property tax rate reduction of 1.8%, which lowered property taxes on residential
property, commercial property and industrial property, but did cause an increase on multi-
residential property. The change from FY20 to FY21 was as follows:
Property Type Average Property % Property Tax
Tax Cost Change Cost Change
from FY2020 from FY2020
Residential $1.09 less 0.14% decrease
Commercial $104.45 less 3.30% decrease
Industrial $132.61 less 2.81% decrease
Multi-Residential $158.73 more 9.13% increase
FY 2020 FY 2021 % Change
Property Tax Rate Property Tax Rate
$10.33144 $10.1440 1.8% Decrease
Dubuque then compares very favorably with the ten other cities in the State of lowa with a
population greater than 50,000 with having the lowest property tax rate.
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The above numbers relate to the current fiscal year, FY21. Now I will be moving to describe
how my recommendation will affect FY22 and beyond.
Dubuque would compare very favorably with these other cities when looking at debt in that with
using only 45% of the statutory debt limit if the FY22 Capital Improvement Program budget
recommendation is adopted, Dubuque would rank 5t" lowest of the eleven cities and very close
to the 44.68% average of the other cities.
24
Budget Message
Percentage of Legal Debt Limit Utilized
100%
90%
80%
70% 64% 63%
57%
60% 53%
49% 49%
50% 45% 45% o
40/o
40%
27%
30% 22% 22%
20%
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In addition, the Mayor and City Council have been good stewards of City funds and built up
healthy general fund reserves. The City maintains a general fund reserve, or working balance,
to allow for unforeseen expenses that may occur. The goal is to have at least a 20% general
fund reserve.
FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025
. - . . .
• . �• $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63 $17,903,63
' , • - • - - • - - - 25.21% 24.72% 24.24% 23.76% 23.29%
As previous analysis has shown, the City of Dubuque is also one of the most efficiently run
cities in the comparison group of the eleven cities with a population of greater than 50,000.
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation is that the property tax rate be further reduced
from the current $10.1440 per thousand dollars assessed value to $10.0496, a 0.93%
decrease in the property tax rate.
25
Budget Message
2035 VISION STATEMENT
Dubuque 2035 is a sustainable and resilient city and an inclusive and equitable community
where ALL are welcome. Dubuque 2035 has preserved our Masterpiece on the Mississippi,
has a strong diverse economy and expanding connectivity. Our residents experience healthy
living and active lifestyles; have choices of quality, affordable, livable neighborhoods; have an
abundance of diverse, fun things to do; and are successfully and actively engaged in the
community.
CITY MISSION STATEMENT
Dubuque city government is progressive and financially sound with residents receiving value
for their tax dollars and achieving goals through partnerships. Dubuque city government's
mission is to deliver excellent municipal services that support urban living; contribute to an
equitable, sustainable city; plan for the community's future; and facilitate access to critical
human services.
CITY OF DUBUQUE GOALS 2025
•Robust Local Economy: Diverse Businesses and •Sustainable Environment: Preserving and
Jobs with Economic Prosperity Enhancing Natural Resources
•Partnership for a Better Dubuque: Building Our
•Vibrant Community: Healthy and Safe Community that is Viable, Livable, and Equitable
•Livable Neighborhoods and Housing: Great •Diverse Arts, Culture, Parks, and Recreation
Place to Live Experiences and Activities
•Financially Responsible, High-Performance City
Organization: Sustainable, Equitable, and Effective •Connected Community: Equitable Transportation,
Service Delivery Technology Infrastructure, and Mobility
POLICY AGENDA items are issues that need direction or a policy decision by the City Council,
or need a major funding decision by the City Council, or issues that need City Council
leadership in the community or with other governmental bodies. The policy agenda is divided
into top priorities and high priorities.
2020-2022 POLICY AGENDA
TOP PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan: Implementation & Phasing: Implementation &
Phasing: As part of a commitment to create fun a variety of fun things to do for all, the
City is part of a team lead by the Dubuque racing Association who will implement the
Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan. The Plan identifies a strategy to redevelop the
island, beginning with the development of a Veterans Memorial and including
developing/redeveloping recreational amenities, business development, self-sufficiency
of Q Casino, and redevelopment of the 16th St Corridor onto the island. This work will
be done while focusing on the environmental integrity of the island with the US Army
Corps of Engineers and the lowa Department of Natural Resources. In the upcoming
18 months, the team will focus on completion of the Veterans Memorial and seeking
funding sources to implement the Plan. Funding support is included in the FY22 CIP for
this project.
26
Budget Message
• Dream Center: Facilities and Programs: Self-Sufficiency Additional Funding: The
Dubuque Dream Center is a community outreach center committed to mobilizing youth
and families to build on Dr. King's Dream of transforming communities by embracing,
empowering, and unifying those who live there. The Center provides structured
academic programs, college and career preparation, and goal-setting where youth build
relationships with caring adults, have a safe place to belong, and participate in value
driven programs and activities.
Multiple City departments have existing relationships with the Dream Center. These
include funding for "Dream Center School Connectors" through the FY21 Purchase of
Services grant, Community Oriented Policing (COP) division assisting with mentoring
and recreation activities, Leisure Services partnerships to make connections with
current services and other organizations that will may be beneficial to them. The City
provided a $10,000 planning grant to prepare forADA improvements to their building,
which was approved for funding in the FY21 budget. In addition to $40,000 in operating
support in FY21 and FY22. The Dream Center has some capitals needs and resources
are being identified outside of the FY21 budget process as well. The City is providing
$276,000 to match some of their existing resources to complete a facility upgrade that
will qualify the Dream Center for over $800,000 a year in State of lowa childcare
subsidies. In FY22, an additional $10,000 in operating support is recommended to
provide support for 66 children for an entire year of programming.
• Equitable Fine and Fee Reform: Report, Direction and Actions: This project
examines how the City's fines and fee structures impact our most vulnerable population,
particularly communities of color. Key issues include a thorough analysis of quantitative
and qualitative data to understand impact, legislative advocacy at the county, state, and
federal level, and actions to restructure fine and fee schedules and practices. Staff
capacity to manage recommended programs will be key to successful implementation.
The Community Diversion & Prevention Coordinator (Police) and Community Outreach
Coordinator (Americorps) recommended for funding will increase that capacity and
assist in implementation of pilot program(s).
• Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan Implementation: In 2021, the City Council
prioritized the creation of an Equitable Poverty Reduction & Prevention Plan. The Plan
was delivered to Council by Public Works LLC, and lays out an implementation strategy
to reduce poverty, especially in communities of color. The FY22 budget recommends
funding for Public Works LLC to continue assisting the City in implementation. It also
recommends the creation of a new Office of Shared Prosperity & Neighborhood
Support. This department will be led by a Director of OSPNS (re-imagining the existing
Neighborhood Development Specialist for no net property tax impact) and also include a
Data Analyst and part-time Administrative Assistant.
• Fountain of Youth: Additional funding: The Fountain of Youth exists to assist
individuals in escaping generational poverty. They offer REAL TALK, Getting in Tune,
and Partners in Change programs. Through a FY20 Purchase of Services grant, the
City provides funding for FOY's "Partners in Change" program. In addition, the City has
offered technical assistance to the FOY for grant writing, strategic planning, and is
27
Budget Message
facilitating the ESPERE Workshop (The School of Forgiveness and Reconciliation) with
FOY participants.
Funding recommendations in the FY22 budget include $50,000 per year in operating
support, $10,000 more than in the FY21 budget.
• Quality Affordable Housing Creation: City Council has prioritized ensuring that quality
affordable housing is available throughout the city for all income levels. This includes
defining roles for the City, not limited to funding partners and enforcement, and
expansion of roles for non-profit partners, private developers, and landlords. Several
Housing & Community Development CIPs support this work.
HIGH PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Arts and Culture Master Plan Implementation: Update Report, Direction, and
Actions: In 2015, the City completed an Arts & Culture Master Plan. Since then, a
community task force has led its implementation. Key issues for the coming year
include volunteer engagement, funding identification, and City policies. Implementation
will continue through existing operating budgets and community partnerships.
• Arts Operating Grants and Art on the River: Update Report, Funding, Direction,
and Actions: : Increasing funding forArt on the River (including potential expansion to
other locations), a review of the existing Arts operating grants, and an increased focus
on diversity and equity in the programs was prioritized.
• Childcare Initiative: Outcomes, City Role, Partners, Direction and City Actions:
Building on work completed by the public and private sector, this priority continues to
focus on ensuring enough childcare is available to all income levels to ensure a healthy
workforce. A CIP request for childcare assistance is recommended in the Housing
budget.
• Code of Ethics/Social Media for Mayor and City Council: Development and
Adoption: This priority identifies Mayor & City Council action. No financial impact was
identified that requires budget consideration.
• Food Insecurity: Report with Findings and Options, Direction, City Actions, and
Funding (including Food Deserts and Grocery Store Attraction):City staff and
partners continue work to identify food deserts and increase access to healthy food
options for all residents. Identifying the City's role in this work, including examining
public transit access to grocery stores and potential financial incentives, will occur in
FY22 in addition to ongoing support of community gardens and partnership with the
Dubuque County Food Policy Council.
• Four Mounds/HEART Program: Funding: The City contracts with Four Mounds/
HEART to complete construction work at City-owned properties. HEART students
2s
Budget Message
recently finished a property at 396 W Locust and are working on 2243 Central Avenue.
Funding for the existing Four Mounds Heart Project is in the requested FY22 budget for
$10,000 from General Funds (previously Community Development Block Grants were
used to provide this funding); additional funding is being provided for the Adult HEART
program through labor and materials contracts underway.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are provided to Four Mounds to
run their adventure day camp program as well.
Four Mounds has asked for assistance with capital needs at their property from the City.
It is recommended that the City purchase 40 acres located near Four Mounds owned by
the Four Mounds Foundation and provide fiscal support for renovations with funds
identified outside of the budget process.
MANAGEMENT AGENDA items are issues for which the City Council has set the overall
direction and provided initial funding, may require further City Council action or funding, or are
major management projects that may take multiple years to implement. The management
agenda is divided into top priorities and high priorities.
2020-2022 MANAGEMENT AGENDA
TOP PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Bee Branch Creek Project: Next Steps: According to scientists at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental
Information, wet conditions from July 2018 through June 2019 resulted in a new 12-
month precipitation record in the U.S., with an average of 37.86 inches (almost 8 inches
above average). June was the third consecutive time in 2019 (April, May and June) that
the past 12-month precipitation record was broken.
Locally, Dubuque normally receives 36 inches of rain annually but our weather has not
been "normal" lately. Precipitation in 2020 was more typical of Dubuque. But the two
years prior represent one of the wettest periods in Dubuque's history. According to the
National Weather Service, Dubuque received nearly 53 inches of rain through in 2019. It
marked the second consecutive year Dubuque received at least 50 inches of rain.
If you consider an 18-month comparison (May 2018 - October 2019), Dubuque received
over 95 inches of rain making it the wettest 18-month period on record for Dubuque.
Based on 30 years of ineasurements, Dubuque usually receives just under 60 inches
during that 18-month period. That's nearly an extra year's worth of rain in 18 months!
Dubuque also experienced the second-wettest September on record in 2019 when
13.31 inches of precipitation fell over the city. That is second only to the record rainfall of
15.46 inches in September of 1965.
In June 2019, according to data from NOAA, lowa set the record for rainfall and snow in
a 12-month period since official records began in 1895. Relatedly, the Mississippi River
spent a record 86 days above flood stage in Dubuque, from March 20 to June 13. The
previous record was just 37 days and was set in 2001.
29
Budget Message
The Bee Branch Works! Climate change is impacting cities around the country and the
world in different ways. Some cities are taking steps to be more resilient to these
effects, including Dubuque.
Even though it is not yet completed, the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project
is functioning as designed and is protecting Dubuque residents and businesses from
flash flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The Bee Branch infrastructure improvements
are providing incremental benefits. As each phase of construction is completed,
Dubuque is seeing greater flash flood protection.
Despite record-setting rainfall in 2018 and 2019, very few properties have experienced
flood damage following the completion of the upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration in
2017. Previously, residents and businesses in the watershed would have experienced
devastating flash flooding during this record setting year. The City would have received
widespread reports of flooding and hundreds of basements filled with water but, due to
improvements made throughout the watershed, there have been only minimal reports of
damage.
The Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culverts Project is under construction and is a critical
phase of the overall flood mitigation project. It involves using micro-tunneling methods
to install six, 8-foot diameter culverts under the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks which
are located between the two sections of the Bee Branch Creek. Adding this additional
capacity will allow stormwater to drain more efficiently from the upper portion of the
creek to the lower. The tunneling was completed in 2020, a significant project
milestone. When the entire project is completed in mid-2021, it will increase the flood
mitigation system's capacity to protect the area from a 75-year rain event to a 500-year
rain event.
The Bee Branch Gate & Pump Replacement Project, currently under design, will
modernize the gate and pump station where the Bee Branch Watershed drains into the
Mississippi. The improvements to the pump station will provide more pumping capacity
and improve gravity flow conditions such that the system will be able to accommodate
what is statistically considered a 500-year event - the same level of protection to be
provided by the upstream Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project when the Bee Branch
Creek Railroad Culverts Project is complete. The design should be complete in early
2021 such that the construction can begin in the summer of 2021. The City was
awarded $2.5 million from the US EDA to help offset the cost of construction.
Unfortunately, the City's planed source of local funding has been impacted due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The City was $98.5 million in state sales tax increment funding
through the State Flood Mitigation Program to help fund Bee Branch Watershed Flood
Mitigation Project improvements. But as the name implies, the available funding is
based on the "incremental" growth of state sales tax revenue within Dubuque. The
COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant decrease in state sales tax collections.
Therefore, the funding available to Dubuque will be less than anticipated prior to the
pandemic. In order to offset this lost (or delayed) revenue, the City can borrow $2.6
million to cover the anticipated shortfall so that the work can be completed by April of
2023 as required by the $2.5 million EDA grant agreement.
The Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project is a long-term investment and there
is more work to be done but it is working and will continue to do so for generations to
come. This $237 million project became a reality because the Mayor and City Council
listened to the needs of residents and businesses and chose to invest in the community.
30
Budget Message
When complete, it is expected to prevent an estimated $582 million in damages over its
100-year design life.
Next steps for this project in include the following: 1) Cleanup/stabilize maintenance
facility site, 2) Construct Lower Bee Branch Bike Trail, 3) Complete culvert project, 4)
Construct the Bee Branch Gate & Pump Replacement improvements. Staff presented a
site redevelopment/reuse plan for the Maintenance Facility Site for City Council
consideration. Preliminary coordination with the lowa Department of Transportation for
the Lower Bee Branch Bike Trail, and preliminary design, have begun.
• City Racial Equity Tool Toolkit: Implementation: Continuing our racial equity work
by prioritizing and implementing recommendations from our Black Lives Matter partners
and the Analysis of Impediments remains a Top Priority. Departmental equity plans
updated annually identify data collection, program implementation, and community
engagement strategies to achieve these recommendations. Multiple departmental
operating budgets include funding for this work, most notably those improvement
packages noted above that implement the Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan and
Equitable Fines & Fees work; Minority-Owned Business Microloan CIP (Economic
Development); and a Development & Training Coordinator (Human Resources) who will
assist in achieving our internal workforce equity goals.
• Community Cameras Program: Investment in a high-quality, connected community
camera system remains a priority to provide for the safety of residents and efficient
traffic flow throughout the community. Installation of new cameras and replacement of
outdated technology continues through Engineering and Public Works CIPs and
operating budgets.
• COVID-19 Response: Update Report and Next Steps: 2020 and 2021 have been
unprecedented in terms of City and community response to a global pandemic. The
City continues to incur costs, and seek funding, for COVID-19 response and recovery,
including public health response and financial assistance to our vulnerable residents.
No specific financial requests related to the pandemic are included in the FY22 budget
request, but lessons learned may inform future operations of the City.
• Dubuque Riverfront Master Plan (US Army Corps of Engineers): The United States
Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Section 22 Planning Assistance to States program
allows for the USACE to provide assistance in the preparation of comprehensive water
resources plans to a State or city. At the request of a governmental agency, the USACE
"may provide certain technical assistance related to the management of State water
resources, including the provision and integration of hydrologic, economic, or
environmental data and analysis." The technical assistance must be in support of the
State's water resources management and related land resources development plans or
other water resources management related documents, such as "State hazard
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery plans and plans associated with
changing hydrologic conditions, climate change, long-term sustainability, and resilience."
In November of 2018, the City received a proposed agreement from the USACE. Per
the terms of the agreement, the USACE will develop a comprehensive plan, a Dubuque
Riverfront Master Plan, that will:
31
Budget Message
1. Create a hydrologic computer model of the Bee Branch watershed, the Ice Harbor
watershed, and the Maus Lake watershed that reflects the rainfall and runoff that can be
expected under current conditions. In addition, the models will project future runoff
conditions based on future climate projections.
2. Assess Mississippi River level trends as compared to river levels expected when the
John C. Culver Floodwall/Levee system was design and constructed circa 1970. In
recent years, the Mississippi has risen above flood stage more frequently than what
would have been predicted previously.
3. Increase ecosystem education and outreach within the Dubuque region which could
promote ecotourism economic growth and enhance environmental stewardship in the
study area.
4. Identify the proper identification and placement of native species that could stimulate
restoration of a natural regional ecosystem.
5. Promote recreational development measures that will encourage ecotourism within
the City of Dubuque - recreational strategies which align with the City's ecosystem
restoration objectives and could encourage economic and environmental development.
6. Increase non-motorized boating in water resources within the Dubuque area.
Investigate the use of dredged material, which cannot be used for either ecosystem
restoration purposes or recreational enhancement measures, for other various
infrastructure enhancements.
The City entered into the agreement in December of 2018. Per the agreement, the total
project cost is $196,300. The City's 50% local match would consist of$69,800 of in-kind
City activity and $28,350 in payments to the USACE.
• Traffic Signal Synchronizations/STREETS Programs: Update Report, Direction:
Dubuque's Smart Traffic Routing with Efficient and Effective Traffic Signals (STREETS)
project, a collaboration between the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA),
City of Dubuque, and lowa DOT, was awarded Accelerated Innovation Deployment
(AID) Demonstration funds in 2019. The goal of Dubuque's STREETS project is to
develop an automatic system that will use traffic-control strategies to enable dynamic
traffic routing on 10 Dubuque traffic corridors to maximize existing roadway capacities in
the Dubuque metro area. The total project cost is estimated at $5 million and will be
funded through a combination of funds from various agencies. The STREETS project
will use Dubuque's existing system to reduce congestion and improve safety in the
metro area by dynamically rerouting traffic on roads with extra capacities. This system,
the first of its kind in the nation, will the give the City's operators the ability to help
drivers to reduce their commuting time by better utilizing existing road capacity. This
project will also help identify future projects that will improve safety and reduce
congestion in the Dubuque metro area. It intends to allow staff to monitor traffic
operations and intervene as necessary but does not require constant or significant
manual operations. The project is expected to reduce equipment costs at individual
intersections by providing signal timings through a centralized Adaptive (Dynamic)
Traffic Control System. Local funding support is included in the STREETS Traffic
Control Project located in the FY22 capital budget.
32
Budget Message
• Viking Cruise Destination Preparation: Direction, Actions, and Funding: As Viking
Cruise continues construction of ships that are anticipated to begin touring in 2022,
Dubuque has committed to construction of a dock facility in the Port of Dubuque that
could welcome Viking and other boats to increase tourism in our community. The
RiverFront Dock Expansion CIP in the Engineering budget will fund construction of the
dock in FY22.
HIGH PRIORITIES (in alphabetical order)
• Dupaco Parking Agreement: Next Steps: As Dupaco Community Credit Union
commits to operations in the Historic Millwork District, the City has committed to an
annual review of parking availability in the downtown to meet their developing needs.
Funding for construction of a new downtown parking ramp is included in the
Transportation Services capital budget.
• Emergency Services Youth Camp: Next Steps: The Emergency Services Youth
Camp is operated by the Police and Fire departments with the ultimate goal of
increasing youth interest in careers in the field. Funding for staff time and operational
expenses in included in those departments' operating budgets.
• Grand River Center Future Operations: RFP, Direction and Agreement: In FY22,
the City will complete a comprehensive analysis of the current management and
operations agreement for the Grand River Center. Budget requests related to any
recommendations will be included in the FY23 budget. Capital improvements to
maintain the facility will continue as planned in the FY22 Leisure Services budget.
• Human Resources Policies and Handbook: Revision: City staff have been working
for some time to become a more equitable organization of choice. This work has been
done while also striving to achieve the City Council goal of becoming a more High-
Performing City Organization. To further the progress that has already been made, a
team focused on becoming a more high-performing government and equitable
organization of choice began meeting in October 2019 under the direction of the City
Manager. The intent of this core team is to act as a central hub, coordinating and
aligning teams across the organization that include many more employees, and are
doing work in these areas. Rollout of a new Employee Manual, along with related
training, will continue in calendar year 2021. The requested Human Resources Training
& Development Coordinator and third-party exit interview contract will continue this work
with the group.
• School Resource Officers:Direction and Funding: Another Police Officer position
was recommended to be added in Fiscal Year 2020. This started a three year process to
add three Police Officer positions to strengthen the School Resource Officer program
partnership with the Dubuque Community School District bringing the number of School
Resource Officers to 8 and bringing the Police Department to an authorized strength of
113 sworn officers. Once the expansion is completed, there will be a dedicated SRO at
each DCSD middle school and high school. The expansion plan also called for elevating
a corporal position to the rank of Lieutenant and to assign all supervisory SRO duties to
this person. Both the first expansion SRO and the lieutenant have been selected and
33
Budget Message
will transition in early 2020An SRO position was added, but the vacancy is frozen in
FY21, but funds are not available in FY22 to add the last position, so that is being
delayed. The Dubuque Community School District and the City will be working with
interested parties to evaluate the duties of the SRO's prior to the beginning of the
2021-2022 school year.
• Smart Mobility: Parking Structure Improvements, Technology Purchases, and
Other Actions: Implementation of a comprehensive Smart Mobility strategy is led by the
Transportation Services and Information Services departments. Phase I implementation, which
includes license plate readers and gate equipment, will happen in calendar year 2021 and is
funded in the FY22 capital budget. Requests to support Phase II implementation are included in
FY22 requests.
34
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Budget Message
Implementation of Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan
In order to create an Equitable Community of Choice for all members of our community, we
must look at key perFormance indicators of community well-being and success, and
disaggregate them to ensure that all groups are experiencing the same positive outcomes.
This budget makes recommendations that attempt to address the disparities identified in the
recently completed Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan.
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendations that help implement the Equitable Poverty
Prevention Plan includes creation of a new City department called the Office of Shared
Prosperity and Neighborhood Support responsible for implementation of the Equitable Poverty
Prevention Plan, in partnership with other City departments and community organizations. The
Director of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support would still be involved in "direct
service" as the Neighborhood Development Specialist was, and would also be expected to
operate at a higher strategic level while also maintaining relationships with residents,
businesses and community organizations who are actively involved in the implementation of
the recommendations in the Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan.
Redefining departmental roles related to equitable poverty prevention, civil rights enforcement,
and advocacy and inclusion would be crucial to the success of this new department. Part of the
redefining would include shifting the Community Engagement Coordinator position currently in
the Human Rights position to this new Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support
department with responsibility for direct outreach and engagement with community members
and neighborhoods experiencing poverty. Civil rights enforcement would remain with the City
Attorney's office, and the Human Rights Department's work would focus specifically on
inclusion and empowerment with specific populations experiencing inequities distinct from
those resulting from poverty.
A dedicated Data Analyst position to work with City staff and partners to track progress is key
to successfully implementing the plan and is included in the budget recommendation. Under
the direction of the Director of of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support, the Data
Analyst would work with departments and partners to collect community-level and program-
level data, analyze the data, and make recommendations to further the goal of reducing or
eliminating poverty, especially for racial minorities and other identified vulnerable populations.
The Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan identified a variety of data collection systems used by
partners serving the community, missing data needed to make informed policy decisions, and
the need to create a Racial Equity Index. This position would support all departments and
possess strong data skills including the ability to create reports, perform analysis, assist with
Key Performance Indicator identification and geographically representing data on maps. The
development of equity metrics with the assistance of a consultant as proposed in the Human
Rights Department FY22 budget could be the Data Analyst's first major project.
To support the Director of Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support, Community
Engagement Coordinator, and Data Analyst, a part-time secretary is being recommended. The
three positions this individual supports will spend a significant amount of time in meetings with
internal departments, community organizations, and individual residents. The Secretary would
support office functions by scheduling meetings, preparing written materials, supporting the
Citizens Advisory Council, and assuring that the other individuals in the Office can complete
their duties.
36
Budget Message
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation includes the creation of a Community Diversion
& Prevention Coordinator position within the City of Dubuque organization. This position would
have the primary focus areas of 1) Working with the Dubuque Police Department (DPD),
Dubuque County Sheriff s Department (DCSO), the City Attorney's Office, the Dubuque County
Attorney, and other community partners, to develop strategies and programs to reduce the
number of people entering the jail system; 2) Working with the DPD and other community
partners to develop and implement a program to identify individuals and families in need of
assistance and services to avoid contact with police or other emergency services and act as a
clearing house to connect individuals and families to these necessary services; 3) Working with
the DPD, DCSO, lowa Department of Corrections, Dubuque County Attorney's Office and City
of Dubuque Attorney's Office, as well as judges and magistrates, and others heavily involved in
the criminal justice system and other community partners, to identify and develop a sustainable
approach to adult diversion, community service, and restorative practices in order for
individuals to avoid the negative impacts of jail sentences or fines. It is expected that the City
would use its community partners in both the selection of the individual, as well as the creation
of the individual programs, especially partners heavily involved in equity initiatives. This
position impacts City operations by utilizing City resources to focus on developing a
collaborative process to support those in our community who would benefit from resources to
prevent incarceration, unnecessary hospitalization, and offers guidance to those who are in
need of ongoing resources.
A full-Time Community Outreach Coordinator to work within the Equitable Fine and Fee
Reform program is recommended. This position would be part of the AmeriCorps program. The
Community Outreach Coordinator would work closely with the City Attorney's office, the Police
Department, Utility Billing and Human Rights departments to work directly with community
members who choose community service as a way to pay their fines and fees. This position
would work with the participants by providing guidance and resources to successfully complete
their community service, while also referring them to resources that can help the from having to
go through the program in the future. This position would develop a successful model to help
community members find success. This position would work closely with outside organizations
to coordinate service activities and meet the needs of the community through service. The
position would also coordinate city department volunteering opportunities such as adopt a spot,
park and neighborhood cleanups, service projects to assist departments like clerical scanning.
This position would be responsible for overseeing the Volunteer Generation Funds Grant under
the guidance of the AmeriCorps Director.
The creation of a full-time Teen Coordinator at the Multicultural Family Center. The teen
programs have been growing and which provides the best possible, high quality equitable
programs and services. A crucial part to the increased success of these teen programs is the
staff that coordinate them. The Multicultural Family Center Board has committed to assisting
with funding $15,000 each year for three years for this position.
This budget recommendation includes an additional $10,000 in funding for the Dubuque
Dream Center (total of$50,000 in operating support) to impact children of low-income and
working families. There is also an additional $10,000 in funding for the Fountain of Youth (total
of$50,000 in operating support) to help support the Partners in Change/Community in Change
programming. This funding will assist with providing services to the low income populations of
Dubuque and the surrounding communities.
37
Budget Message
Budget Focused on Public Safety
The Dubuque Police Department recently completed its compilation report of crimes for
calendar year 2020. "Confirmed Shots Fired" is one of the many metrics tracked by the police
department annually. In 2020, there were 17 instances of confirmed shots fired in Dubuque, an
increase of one over 2019's total of 16 and down significantly from 2015's total of 33. Of last
year's 17 cases, an arrest of at least one individual was made in 9 of those cases thanks in
large part to exceptional police work with the assistance of Dubuque's network of traffic/
security cameras. The unresolved cases remain open with viable suspects identified in several.
While a single murder or instance of confirmed shots fired is too many, Dubuque's totals are
lower than many other communities.
When comparing Dubuque's "Part 1" crime totals for 2020 to 2015, Dubuque has had a 32%
reduction in overall crime. A comparison of 2020 versus 2019 shows the total number of crimes
rose by just three crimes, from 1,509 to 1,512. The police department's annual crime report is
shared with the FBI and includes "Part 1 Crimes" in two categories: Crimes Against Persons
and Crimes Against Property.
The number of Crimes Against Persons in Dubuque in 2020 rose 40.5% from 2019 to a total of
267, including one murder, 105 sexual assaults, 26 robberies, and 135 aggravated assaults.
While it is impossible to prevent some crimes from occurring, it is important to know that the
Dubuque Police Department excels in solving crimes. In 2020, the Dubuque Police resolved
92.3% of all Crimes Against Persons committed in the city. The national average for 2019 (the
most current on record via FBI data) was 45.4%. The number of Crimes Against Property
declined 5.6% from 2019 to a total of 1,245, including 219 burglaries, 148 burglaries to motor
vehicle, 808 thefts, and 70 thefts of motor vehicles. The goal of the City's approach to public
safety is to make Dubuque the safest community possible with the understanding that
community safety is not just about injury prevention and crime prevention; it is about increasing
well-being and building a vibrant, engaged, and equitable community. Working to ensure
residents experience an increased sense of well-being, a sustainable quality of life, a reduction
in the numbers and cost of injuries, the preservation of income and assets, and improved
perceptions of safety is a top priority for Dubuque city government.
"Part I" Crlmes for Calendar Years 2�72-2D20
Compiled by the �i�buque Pol«e{Jepartment
CY2U°h CY20°� CY2U9G
��erlUnder dyerlUnder ��erlUnder
Per#armance Measures CY12 CY13 CY14` CY15 CY1fi GY17 CY18 CY19 CY2U Av , CY18 Auera e Peak Year
No_of Crimes Against Persons 1$B 268 22U 2fi5 243 2p3, 190 190 267 299 dp,596: 21.9°� 6.00°,4
Mu€d2r - . 2 �. i3. 5 1. 2. 1 - �. t l 1 r 1 D0.0°/�; -25.0°I�r -8fl.6"/a
Sexual Assault 43 38 67 8� 98 9U 75 91 i05� 76 15.4°.�I 38.8°I� o.4°I�
Robbery ' 21 32 2� 2T 28 16� 29 i4 2fi 23 85.7°�t1 14.9°W -19.8°�
AggravatedAssault . 124 i38 139 153 �18 95 85 85 335 719 58.8°WI 13.8°w -11.8°Ia
No_of Crimes Against Property i,982 1,781 1,662 1,953 1,815' 1,6B7 1,543 1,3i9 i,245� 1,672 -5.S°k� -25.5°/0 -37.5Y.
Surgl� 583 431 416 548 d20 33t 299 205 279' 384 5.8'1� --02.9°ti� -82 436
—- --•- �------• —
Surglary to�rlotar Vehicle 298� 231 i 68 1U6 taa 157 1d5 88 i48! t65 68 2"� -1D.3`:� -50 3°�
------- ---.. _ ._..—. ... —_— . . . - --•---- � -- ...-.•- . -
Theft �0801 �.fQ3 t.035 1,�45 1,235 1.176 1,436 945 808I 7,p67 •14.5'r� -24.3°4� -35.1°ib
Yheft of MotarVehicle 3�. 26 A3 54 7fi 83 63 81 7a� 56 -13.6':� 24.3".�� -7.9°/o I
Total � 2,178 1,999. 9,882� 2,218 2,118� 1,87U� 1,733� 1,509 1,512I 1,938� 0.2%! -22.0% -31.8N, I
'Swisch to new puplit sdfpty softw0ry August 2at4
38
Budget Message
Year Yearover
over year year%
Confirmed Shots Fired increase increase Murders Po ulation
2019 2020 19-20 19-20 2019 2020
Des Moines 1287 1456 169 13% 14 22 216,853
Davenport 195 279 84 43% 2 10 102,085
Cedar Rapids 99 163 64 65% 7 12 133,174
Waterloo 92 106 14 15% 2 7 67,798
Sioux City 9 59 50 555% 3 5 82,396
lowa Cit 13 57 44 338% 1 2 76,290
Dubuque 16 17 1 6% 0 1 57,941
Council Bluffs 9 13 4 31% 6 0 62,421
Ames 2 5 3 150% 1 0 67,154
Peoria, IL 615 728 113 18% 25 14 11 1,388
Rockford,IL 442 679 237 54% NA 36 147,881
Average 252.6 323.8 9.9
Traffic/Security Camera System
Traffic/Security Camera System in 2020, the City has installed 50 new cameras, along with
4.29 miles of conduit and many miles of fiber that will allow for future camera installation. In
addition to the new cameras, another 26 cameras were replaced because of newer technology
or camera failure. These newer cameras have a higher resolution and Wide Dynamic Range
feature which allows them to see better in all light conditions. Today, there are 706 Traffic/
Security cameras recorded through the Traffic Operations Center in City Hall. The remaining
571 cameras are recorded at various servers throughout the City. The recommended budget
has funding for additional cameras in the amount of$515,073 from FY 2022 through FY 2026.
Additional funding is also allocated to the network of fiber optics that supports the camera
system; Traffic Signal Fiber Optics, Fiber Infrastructure Management System, Citywide Fiber
Cable Backbone Master Plan, and Fiber Optic Conduit Miscellaneous (1,040,000).
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Recommendation
The goal of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation is to maintain the momentum of our
community. The budget has been built around the vision, mission, goals, priorities and direction
provided by the Mayor and City Council at the August 2020 goal setting session, with input
from the community. A series of six public hearings will be held by the Mayor and City Council
before adopting a final budget on March 24, 2021. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget year begins
on July 1, 2021.
While in August 2015 the Mayor and City Council directed staff to start reducing the amount of
City debt, previous investments are still paying dividends. With the current City strategy of
more pay as you go investments and the acceptance that some debt will be issued each year,
with a goal to retire more debt each year than is issued, the City will continue to be able to
leverage past investment and create new opportunities to improve quality of life for residents,
create jobs and maintain infrastructure.
In Fiscal year 2022 City staff has been able to meet that goal of retiring more debt than is
being issued in every year for the sixth consecutive year.
39
Budget Message
Retired Debt Versus New Debt (In Millions)
$25
$23.4
$22.4
$21.1 $21.2 �21.6 $21.6
$20.5
$20 $19.7
$18.1 $18.4 $18.7
$17.4 g17.1 $16.9 '
$16.4 $17.8
���j $14.3 � g
� $ $14.6
0
= 0
� 1
��� $10.5
6.4
5.0
$5
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
��
CO I� Op � O � N M � � CO f� 00 6� O
� � � � N N N N N N N N N N M M
� � � � � � r } � } � � � } } �
LL L.L LL LL LL LL L.L LL LL L.L LL L.L LL L.L LL LL
� Retired Debt � New Debt
While accomplishing the Mayor and City Council priorities, the goal is to minimize the costs for
the residents and businesses.
Property Taxes
The Fiscal Year 2022 recommended City property tax rate of 10.05 per thousand is a
0.93% decrease from Fiscal Year 2021, which follows a 1.81% decrease from Fiscal Year
2020, and a 2.43% decrease from Fiscal Year 2019.
The average homeowner would see a 1.62% ($12.49) increase in their property tax
payment for the City portion of their property tax bill. The average commercial property
would see no increase, the average industrial property a 0.30% ($14.20) decrease, and
the average multi-residential property a 6.15% ($116.55) decrease.
Fiscal Year 2022 follows Fiscal Year 2021 where the average homeowner saw a (0.14)%
($1.09) decrease in their property tax payment for the city portion of their property tax bill. The
average commercial property saw a 0.27% ($8.59) increase, the average industrial property
saw a 0.42% ($19.59) decrease, and the average multi-residential property saw a 9.13%
($158.73) increase.
40
Budget Message
The following chart shows the impact on the average homeowner with the commercial and
industrial backfill phased out over five-years beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 and with the backfill
remaining at 100%:
Reduced Backfill 100% Backfill
Fiscal Year City Tax % Change $ Change City Tax % Change $ Change
2022 $781.57 1.62 % $12.49 $781.57 1.62 % $12.49
2023 $844.72 8.08 % $63.15 $844.72 8.08 % $63.15
2024 $879.12 4.07 % $34.40 $874.59 3.54 % $29.87
2025 $924.49 5.16 % $45.37 $915.56 4.68 % $40.97
2026 $963.46 4.22 % $38.97 $950.33 3.80 % $34.77
Fiscal Year 2022 City Property Tax Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Tax Rate
11 Waterloo $18.4403
10 Des Moines $18.2600
9 Council Bluffs $17.5600
8 Davenport $16.7800
7 lowa City $15.8760
6 Cedar Rapids $15.7731
5 Sioux City $14.5172
4 West Des Moines $11.7740
3 Ankeny $10.6520
2 Dubuque $10.0496
1 Ames $9.8700
AVERAGE w/o Dubuque $14.95
*Includes the transit tax levy adopted by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority for comparability.
Dubuque has the SECOND LOWEST property tax rate as compared to the eleven largest
cities in the state. The highest rate (Waterloo (FY21)) is 83.49% higher than Dubuque's
rate, and the average is 48.77°/a higher than Dubuque.
Fiscal Year 2022 Property Taxes per Capita
Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Taxes Per
Capita
11 West Des Moines 1,167.50
10 Council Bluffs $1,079.31
9 lowa City $990.46
8 Cedar Rapids $886.48
7 Des Moines $824.14
6 Davenport $812.14
5 Waterloo $717.66
4 Ankeny $710.15
3 Sioux City $547.17
2 Ames $545.30
1 Dubuque $461.00
AVERAGE w/o Dubuque $828.03
41
Budget Message
Dubuque has the LOWEST taxes per capita as compared to the eleven largest cities in
the state. The highest (West Des Moines) is 153.25% higher than Dubuque's taxes per
capita, and the average is 79.61% higher than Dubuque.
The projected Fiscal Year 2022 property tax asking of$26,646,622 is a $444,054 (1.69%)
increase from Fiscal Year 2021. The total Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation
($191,319,879) is 3.45% less than the current budget year (Fiscal Year 2021). The Fiscal Year
2022 operating budget recommendation is $141,892,572 and the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital
Improvement Program budget recommendation is $49,427,307.
After the local option sales tax was passed by referendum in 1988 with 50% of revenue going
to property tax relief, the average property tax classification over that 30 years has seen the
following results:
Prior to
Sales Tax $ %
FY 1988 FY 2022 Difference Difference
Property Tax Rate $ 14.5819 $ 10.0496 -$4.53 -31.07%
Average Residential Payment $ 512.38 $ 781.57 +$269.19 +52.54%
Average Commercial Payment $ 2,490.61 $3,169.30 +$678.69 +27.25%
Average Industrial Property $ 6,975.00 $4,679.97 -$2,295.03 -32.90%
Average Multi-Residential Property (FY17) $ 2,472.99 $1,780.10 -$692.89 -28.02%
Prior to the pandemic, the residents of the City of Dubuque have seen as steady increase in
their median household income over the last 10 years (2.4% annual average) exceeding the
national growth rate (1.93% annual average), the growth rate of the State of lowa (2.16%) and
the average growth rate of the other large cities in the State of lowa (1.88%).
42
Budget Message
10-Year Average Annual Growth Rate: Median Household Income 2010-2�19{AC5}
3.4D%
2.65%
2.54%
2.37% 2�
2.169&
2.004G 1.9096 1.94% 1.9 3�
1.86� i.aa%
Y.78� 1.79%
1.73%
Y.57% �
I.
1.50% _ —
1.2Q%
I
l
1.D0°! —
I
0.50% � —
�
O.DO'!
lowa City Waterloo Cedar Rapitls Ames West�es Ankeny Average wro �avenport �es Moines Council �ubuque Sioux City j State of lowa L15A
Moines �64 6luffs
From 2010to 2019,�ubuque had the�nd-highest median household income annual growth rate ofthe 11 largest cities in lowa_
�u6uque is 28%higherthan the average ofthe other 10 cities.
�ubuque is 99°/higherthan the lowest,lowa City.
43
Budget Message
2019 Median Household Income{AC5]
$62,543
$60,523
$60,D00 $SS,511
$55,433
$53,52A $53,525 $54,234
$SY,029
S 51,669 �
$54,466 $48,Y05
$47,327
545,897
$��
S30,D00
$20,D00
$14,4D0
$4
lowa City Waterloo Ames �avenport Average wro Council6luffs �es Moines �ubuque Sioux City CedarRapitls �State of Icwa USA
C84
In Z014,�u6uque had thethird-highes[median household income ofthese 4 largest cities in lowa_
�ubuque is 5°�higherthan the average ofthe other 8 cities. ankeny on�rve.staes rwoines U�ere exrrudee,
�u b u q u e i s 18%h ig h er t h a n t h e I owest,I owa C ity. os th ey ore suh urhs ro th er th on stnn d-olon e rities.
44
Budget Message
Tax Rate and 2019 Median Household Income
$59,OD0
��
� � � � ' Cetlar Rapitls�
$5 7,ODD
�------........................................................._..-...........----� �
� The upper left ofthis graph is the preferred quadrant, �
; showing lower taxes and higher median household income. ; sioux�ity
�
,
�
�---------............._---------------------------------' � '
$5 5,000
[r oulhuque �es Maines
v
touncil Bluffs
o #/ �/
C
� $53,000
0
s Average wJo�u6uque
v
� ,
o �
_ --•--•--•--------------------•--•--•-
-•--•--•--•--•--• -•--•--•--•--•--•--•----------
C ���������� �.��.��.��.��. �.��.��.��.���������������
� $SY,000 A
� �avenport
$49,OD0
Am es
�
Waterloo
V
$47,ODD
lowa City �
$45,000
$9.00 510.00 SSY.00 $Y2.00 $13.D3 $14.00 SY5.00 $Y6.D0 $17.D0 518.00 $19.00
City Property7ax Rate Ankeny�nd Wes[Des M1Ro.vles were excluded,
ac[hey�re suburbs ru[her[h�ns[�rrrd-�Ione ei[ies.
Position Eliminations, New Positions and Unfrozen Positions
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget increases the full-time equivalents by 4.00 FTE, increases part-
time equivalents by 1.41 FTE, and increases seasonal equivalents by 1.37 FTE, resulting in a
net increase of 6.78 full-time equivalents.
However, a hiring freeze on most new positions recommended in Fiscal Year 2022 has been
initiated. These positions will be funded in the Fiscal Year 2022, but frozen. This hiring freeze
will be reevaluated in November 2021 when the City receives the annual Local Option Sales
Tax reconciliation payment from the State of lowa. This could also be impacted should the City
receive a substantial payment in federal assistance being proposed in President Biden's new
local government assistance package should it pass congress.
45
Budget Message
The following chart summarizes the personnel changes adopted in Fiscal Year 2022:
FY 2022
Cost (Savings)
Department Position Type Includes Benefits FTE
AmeriCorps Community Outreach Coordinator Full-Time $ 66,091 1.00
AmeriCorps AmeriCorps Coordinator Seasonal $ 15,307 0.28
Building Services Building Services Manager Full-Time $ (107,402) -1.00
Building Services Maintenance Worker Full-Time $ (79,891) -1.00
Building Services Custodian I Full-Time $ (348,553) -5.00
Building Services Permit Clerk Full-Time $ (76,958) -1.00
Building Services Inspector II Full-Time $ (438,056) -4.00
Building Services Inspector II Part-Time $ (70,724) -0.75
City Manager's Office Assistant City Manager Full-Time $ (143,122) -1.00
City Manager's Office Director of Strategic Partnerships Part-Time $ 133,922 0.75
City Manager's Office Neighborhood Development Specialist Full-Time $ (93,400) -1.00
Director of Shared Prosperity and
City Manager's Office Neighborhood Support Full-Time $ 93,400 1.00
City Manager's Office Data Analyst Full-Time $ 71,347 1.00
City Manager's Office Administrative Assistant Part-Time $ 28,564 0.66
Engineering Facilities Manager Full-Time $ 107,402 1.00
Engineering Maintenance Worker Full-Time $ 79,891 1.00
Engineering Custodian I Full-Time $ 348,553 5.00
Engineering Assistant Utility Locator Part-Time $ 34,336 0.73
Engineering Architectural Intern Seasonal $ 17,639 0.50
Finance Finance Intern Full-Time $ 8,480 0.26
Housing Lead Resiliency Coordinator Full-Time $ 89,194 1.00
Housing Lead Grants Supervisor Full-Time $ (89,194) -1.00
Housing Permit Clerk Full-Time $ 76,958 1.00
Housing Inspector II Full-Time $ 438,056 4.00
Housing Inspector II Part-Time $ 70,724 0.75
Human Resources Development Training Coordinator Full-Time $ 87,143 1.00
Human Resources Scanning Clerk-Temporary Seasonal $ 20,477 0.50
Multicultural Family Center Teen Coordinator Full-Time $ 65,512 1.00
Parks Laborer I - Storm Seasonal $ 15,005 0.53
Community Diversion and Prevention
Police Coordinator Full-Time $ 87,599 1.00
Public Information Office Architectural Intern Full-Time $ (17,639) -0.50
Recreation Recreation Leader Seasonal $ 4,974 0.21
Recreation After School Sports Coordinator Seasonal $ (15,793) -0.41
Transportation Services Confidential Account Clerk Full-Time $ 71,347 1.00
Transportation Services Confidential Account Clerk Part-Time $ (42,531) -0.73
Transportation Services Dispatcher Full-Time $ (63,883) -1.00
Water Water Operations Supervisor Full-Time $ 97,825 1.00
Water Equipment Operator IV Full-time $ (80,442) -1.00
FY 2022 Total $ 462,158 6.78
46
Budget Message
Looking at the FY 2022 recommended budget, the current budget year (Fiscal Year
2021) and previous budget years (Fiscal Year 2020 and 2019), 56.76 FTE positions have
been eliminated:
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022
Savings Savings Savings Savings Savings
(Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes
Department Positions Eliminated Type Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) FTE
Budget Budget Director FT $ 154,947 -1.00
Building Building Inspector II PT $ 66,112 -0.75
Building Building Inspector II FT $ 86,938 -1.00
City Clerk Clerical Assistant Seas $ 13,657 -0.50
City Clerk Intern Seas $ 8,331 -0.31
Assistant City
CMO Manager FT $ 143,122 -1.00
Management Intern
CMO (ICMA) PT $ 31,605 -0.60
ED Arts Coordinator PT $ 28,836 -0.50
ED Project Coordinator FT $ 81,322 -1.00
Limited Term
Engineering Engineering Tech FT $ 75,126 $ 4,900 -1.00
Engineering Engineering Tech FT $ 93,866 -1.00
Environmental
Engineering Engineer FT $ 125,359 -1.00
Engineering I&Ilnspectors FT $ 146,953 -2.00
Engineering Engineering Assistant Seas $ 25,808 $ 8,692 -0.80
Engineering Engineering Aide NA Seas $ 58,584
Confidential Account
Engineering Clerk PT $ 5,274 $ 56,353 -1.25
Engineering I&Ilnspector PT $ 1,196 -0.02
Finance Finance Director FT $ 125,074 -1.00
Finance Assistant Finance Dir. FT $ 110,888 -1.00
Finance Payroll Specialist PT $ 46,659 -0.70
Finance Budget Manager FT $ 107,438 -1.00
Confidential Account
Finance Clerk PT $ 43,072 -0.75
Health
Services Animal Control Officer PT $ 50,695 $ 51,119 -1.44
Assisted Housing
Housing Supervisor FT $ 87,011 -1.00
Housing Lead Paint Supervisor FT $ 59,464 -0.62
Housing Lead Paint Inspector FT $ 99,050 -1.24
Housing Lead PaintAssistant FT $ 45,191 -0.62
Housing Resiliency Coordinator FT $ 81,312 -0.75
Housing GrantAdministrator FT $ 91,851 -1.00
Housing Inspector I FT $ 84,275 -1.00
Housing Inspector I Seas $ 21,182 -0.30
Legal Assistant City Attorney FT $ 153,256 -1.00
Parking Meter Service
Parking Worker FT $ 72,526 -1.00
Parking Laborer FT $ 75,243 $ 75,140 -2.00
Parking Laborer PT $ 38,078 -0.50
47
Budget Message
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022
Savings Savings Savings Savings Savings
(Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes (Includes
Department Positions Eliminated Type Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) Benefits) FTE
Parking Ramp Cashier PT $ 1,881 -0.05
Parking Parking Supervisor FT $ 95,113 -1.00
Confidential Account
Parking Clerk FT $ 59,170 -1.00
Parking System
Parking Technician FT $ 78,903 -1.00
Customer Service
Parking Representative PT $ 23,602 -0.55
Parks Park Ranger FT $ 77,774 -1.00
Parks Custodian PT $ 4,790 -0.10
Parks Laborer Seas $ 14,019 -0.52
Police Corporal FT $ 112,511 -1.00
Public Communications
Information Specialist PT $ 26,130 $ 21,904 -0.75
Public
Works Laborer Seas $ 36,105 -1.31
Public
Works Clerical Assistant PT $ 21,461 -0.68
Recreation Custodian PT $4,790 -0.10
After School Sports
Recreation Leader Seas $15,793 -0.41
Recreation Snack Bar Manager Seas $ 2,017 -0.07
Recreation Concession Worker Seas $ 409 -0.02
Recreation Dock Worker Seas $ 2,185 -0.09
Recreation Cashier Seas $ 3,398 -0.14
Transit Confidential Acct Clerk FT $ 62,509 -1.00
Transit Confidential Acct Clerk PT $42,531 -0.73
Transit Dispatcher FT $63,883 -1.00
Transit Dispatcher PT $ 29,571 $ 48,966 -1.46
Transit Service Worker PT $ 41,468 -0.70
Transit Bus Operator PT $ 6,639 $143,419 -3.17
Assistant Operations
Transit Supervisor PT $ 54,368 -0.75
Customer Service
Transit Representative PT $ 23,603 -0.55
Transit Marketing Intern Seas $ 15,537 -0.50
W&RRC Assistant Manager FT $ 86,873 -1.00
Plant Operator Grade
W&RRC II FT $ 79,663 -1.00
Plant Operator Grade
W&RRC IV FT $ 85,473 -1.00
W&RRC Lab Intern Seas $ 4,974 -0.16
Water Plant Manager FT $ 125,708 -1.00
Water Plant Operator FT $ 74,959 -1.00
Water Meter Service
Water Worker PT $ 60,331 -0.80
Water Secretary PT $ 22,923 -0.50
Total Positions Eliminated $1,185,923 $1,391,895 $ 940,532 $ 627,179 $265,329 -56.76
48
Budget Message
Over a five-year period (Fiscal Year 2018, Fiscal Year 2019, Fiscal Year 2020, Fiscal Year
2021, and Fiscal Year 2022) the City will have eliminated 56.76 full-time equivalent
positions and added 71.73 full-time equivalent positions resulting in +14.97 net change
in number of employees over that five-year period.
Since 1981, the City has minimized the number of positions added. The recommended Fiscal
Year 2022 staffing changes means the City increased its full-time workforce by 0.9% since
1981. This was achieved in spite of all the new services that have been added in that time
period including staff-intense activities like recycling and combined county-wide public safety
dispatching. Also, the number of sworn Police Officer positions has increased by 37 over that
time period.
Debt
The City will issue $54,053,140 in new debt in the Recommended 5-year CIP, mostly for fire truck and
pumper replacements, fire station expansion, road improvements, sanitary sewer improvements,
additional downtown parking, and maintenance of Five Flags.
Project FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 Total
Airport Rehab Taxiway A $ 577,000 $ 283,000 $ 860,000
Downtown Parking Ramp GDTIF $ 4,050,000 $ 9,078,000 $ 6,000,000 $19,128,000
Finance General Ledger Software $ —
Fire HVAC Headquarters $ 169,184 $ 84,894 $ 254,078
Fire Ladder& Pumper $ 1,582,154 $ 425,460 $ 433,000 $ 2,440,614
Fire Station Expansion $ 700,620 $3,194,028 $ 3,894,648
Five Flags GDTIF $ 5,750,000 $ 5,750,000
Riverfront Docks/PropertyAcquisition $ 1,300,000 $ 1,300,000
Smart Parking GDTIF $ 222,000 $ 450,000 $ 672,000
Solid Waste Collection Vehicles $ 175,000 $ 235,000 $ 55,000 $ 265,000 $ 106,000 $ 836,000
Sanitary Sewer Projects $ 5,170,303 $ 4,224,310 2871401 4700000 1296786 $18,262,800
Water Projects $ 655,000 $ 655,000
Total New Debt $12,277,457 $14,583,494 $15,763,755 $6,381,620 $5,046,814 $54,053,140
In addition, the City will access $3,424,668 of previously issued state revolving fund loans as
the related capital improvement projects progress. The draw down on these previously issued
loans is as follows:
FY FY FY FY FY
Project 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total
Stormwater Upper Bee Branch Rail Road $ 2,394,668 $ 2,394,668
Water CIWA Purchase & Improvements $ 1,030,000 $ 1,030,000
Total Draw Downs $ 3,424,668 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 3,424,668
The City will retire $96,569,252 of existing debt over the next five-years (FY22-FY26).
The following chart shows the net reduction of debt from Fiscal Year 2022 - Fiscal Year
2026:
49
Budget Message
FY FY FY FY FY
Project 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total
New Debt $ 12,277,457 $ 14,583,494 $ 15,763,755 $ 6,381,620 $ 5,046,814 $54,053,140
Previously Issued SRF Draw
Downs $ 3,424,668 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 3,424,668
Retired Debt -$16,890,599 -$18,413,294 -$19,666,659 -$20,461,290 -$21,137,410 -$96,569,252
Net Debt Reduction -$1,188,474 -$3,829,800 -$3,902,904 -$14,079,670 -$16,090,596 -$39,091,444
There was a 1.63% increase in assessed value effective January 1, 2020, which is the
assessment the Fiscal Year 2022 statutory debt limit is based on. The statutory debt limit
effective June 30, 2022 is $241,616,084. The City will be at 44.67% of statutory debt limit
by June 30, 2022. In FY 16 the City was at 86.13% of statutory debt limit, so 44.67% in Fiscal
Year 2022 is a 41.46% decrease in use of the statutory debt limit.
The ten year history of the City's use of the statutory debt limit is as follows:
FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17 FY 18 FY 19 FY 20 FY 21
69.69% 84.31% 83.87% 89.89% 86.13% 69.45% 63.41% 56.32% 50.22% 45.72%
The five year projection of the City's use of the statutory debt limit from Fiscal Year 2022-2026
including all planned debt issuances subject to the statutory limit and assuming a 2% growth in
the City's assessed valuation beginning in Fiscal Year 2022 is as follows:
FY 22 FY 23 FY 24 FY 25 FY 26
44.67% 44.15% 44.57% 40.42% 37.08%
The following chart shows Dubuque's relative position pertaining to use of the statutory debt
limit for Fiscal Year 2022 compared to the other cities in lowa for Fiscal Year 2020 with a
population over 50,000:
Fiscal Year 2020 Legal Debt Limit Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Legal Debt Limit Statutory Debt Percentage of Legal
(5%) Outstanding Debt Limit Utilized
11 Sioux City $ 234,052,896 $ 149,054,999 63.68 %
10 Des Moines $ 633,944,619 $ 399,100,000 62.96 %
9 Davenport $ 362,087,372 $ 207,415,000 57.28 %
8 Waterloo $ 198,578,109 $ 106,207,641 53.48 %
7 Cedar Rapids 583,572,883 286,435,000 49.08 %
6 W. Des Moines $ 414,397,845 $ 203,180,000 49.03 %
5 Dubuque (FY22) $ 241,616,084 $ 108,727,970 45.00 %
4 Ankeny $ 303,268,096 $ 122,095,000 40.26 %
3 Ames $ 242,136,755 $ 64,305,000 26.56 %
2 Council Bluffs $ 256,079,718 $ 57,043,627 22.28 %
1 lowa City $ 306,678,510 $ 68,160,000 22.23 %
Average w/o Dubuque 44.68 %
50
Budget Message
Percent of Legal Debt Limit Utilized
so�io
62.96% 63.68%
60% 57.28%
53.48%
44.68% 45.00%
47.37% 49.03%
40.26%
40%
26.56%
22.23% 22.28%
20%
� - -
0%
o�aG�'�� G\����5 P�eS P��e�� P�e�a�,e e��yry`L� ��a,��a5 y�o\�e5 �a�e��o° a�e�,�o�' ��o\�z5 `o��G��.�
� Go�� O J��Q� Geda ��e O �e 5
Dubuque ranks as the fifth lowest of the use of statutory debt limit of the 11 cities in
lowa with a population over 50,000 and Dubuque is slightly above the average of the
other Cities.
The total City indebtedness as of June 30, 2022, is projected to be $254,712,037 (44.67% of
statutory debt limit). The total City indebtedness as of June 30, 2015, was $295,561,181
(86.13% of statutory debt limit). The City is projected to have $40,849,144 less in debt as
of June 30, 2022.
The combination of reduced debt and increased utility rates partially reflects the movement to a
more "pay as you go" strategy, which could lead to larger tax and fee increases than with the
use of debt.
The following chart shows the amount of retired debt as compared to new debt. The new debt
includes new debt issuances as well as draw downs on existing state revolving fund loans:
51
Budget Message
Retired Debt Versus New Debt (In Millions)
$25
$23.4
$22.4
$21.1 $21.2 $21.6 $21.6
$20.5
$20 $19.7
$18.1 $18.4 ' $18.7
$17.4 $17.1 $16.9
$16.4 $17.8 �
�
� $15 $14.3 $15.7 $15.8
� $14.8 $14.6
O
= $13.0
� $12.1
��� $10.5
I
6.4
5.0
$5
$4.1
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
��
Cp I� e0 6� O � N M � Ln (p � 0� � O �
� � � N N N N N N N N N N M M
} � } � � } � � � } � � � } � �
LL L.L LL L.L L.L LL LL L.L LL LL L.L LL LL LL L.L LL
� Retired Debt � New Debt
*In Fiscal Year 2020, the City had $5,908,200 forgiven of the Bee Branch Upper Bee Branch Loan on
June 30, 2020 which increased principal payments reflected.
Statutory Debt and Total Debt
In August 2015, the Mayor and City Council adopted a debt reduction strategy which targeted
retiring more debt each year than was issued by the City. The recommended FY 2022 budget
will achieve that target throughout the 5-year CIP and also substantially beat overall debt
reduction targets over the next five and ten-year periods.You can see that the Mayor and
City Council have significantly impacted the City's use of the statutory debt limit
established by the State of lowa. In Fiscal Year 2015, the City of Dubuque used 90% of
the statutory debt limit. In this budget recommendation, the Mayor and City Council are
currently reviewing for Fiscal Year 2022, the use of the statutory debt limit would be
45%, and by the end of the recommended 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
budget in Fiscal Year 2026, the City of Dubuque would be at 37% of the statutory debt
limit. Projections out 10 years to Fiscal Year 2031 show the City of Dubuque at 18% of
the statutory debt limit. This is an improvement on the debt reduction plan adopted in
August 2015, that first began implementation in Fiscal Year 2016.
52
Budget Message
Statutory Debt Limit Used
(as of June 30th)
100%90% o
�/o
0
82 0 79% 79%
0
0 86°0 9a�o 72% 7 � 70%
75/0 63% 66% 66% 62%
56°/a
50%
50% 46% 45% 44% 45%
40% 37%
33%
29% 25%
25% 21% 18%
—%
�'I �'I �'I �'I �'I �'I TI �'I �'I TI �'I �'I �'I �'I �'I TI �'I
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
� � j � � N N N N N N W N N N W W
CT� O) �1 00 �D O s N W � fT � �I OD �O O �
FY16 Adopted f FY22 Recommended
By the end of the Adopted 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget the total amount
of debt for the City of Dubuque would be $219.12 million (37% of the statutory debt limit) and
the projection is to be at $119.48 million (18% of statutory debt limit) within 10 years.
Total Debt (In Millions)
$324
$302.3
$297 $2so.�
$282.0 $279.9
$295.5
$270 $285.5 $265.6 $267.4
$275 1 $255.3 $255.9 $251.5
$264.9 $248.2
$243 $252.5 $254.7 $234.7
� $244.3 $241.4 $219.1
� $216 $226.2 199.3
�
$189 179.0
$162 158.8
137.4
$135
$108 $119�
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27 FY28 FY29 FY30 FY31
FY16 Adopted � FY22 Recommended
53
Budget Message
General Fund Reserves
The City maintains a general fund reserve, or working balance, to allow for unforeseen
expenses that may occur. Moody's Investor Service recommends a 20% General Fund
Operating Reserve for "AA" rated cities. In May 2015, Moody's Investors Service downgraded
Dubuque's general obligation bond rating from Aa2 to Aa3, but removed the negative future
outlook. This followed two bond rating upgrades in 2003 and 2010, and one bond rating
downgrade in 2014. In announcing the bond rating downgrade, Moody's noted the City's
general fund balance/reserve declined.
. -
� .- .
. . . - . . .
.
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2016 17.52% and increase in general fund revenue
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2017 20.09% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2018 23.81% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to capital projects not expended before the end of the FY
FY 2019 29.06% and additional contributions to general fund reserve
Increase due to freezing vacant positions and most capital projects due
FY 2020 31.24% to the pandemic.
FY 2021 25.21% Decrease due to planned capital expenditures
Fund Reserve as a Percent of General Fund Revenue
35
31.24%
30 29.06%
24.72% 23.76/a
� 25 23.81% 25.21% 24.24% 0 22.84%
� 20.09% 23.29%
a 20 � — —
17.52°/a
15 �
10
FY 16 FY 17 FY 18 FY 19 FY 20 FY 21 FY 22 FY 23 FY 24 FY 25 FY 26
Fiscal Year
The City of Dubuque has historically adopted a general fund reserve policy as part of the Fiscal
and Budget Policy Guidelines which is adopted each year as part of the budget process.
During Fiscal Year 2013, the City adopted a formal Fund Reserve Policy which states the City
54
Budget Message
may continue to add to the General Fund minimum balance of 10% when additional funds are
available until 20% of Net General Fund Operating Cost is reached.
After all planned expenditures in FY 2021, the City of Dubuque will have a general fund
reserve of 24.83% of general fund expenses as computed by the methodology adopted in the
City's general fund reserve policy on a cash basis or 25.21% percent of general fund revenues
as computed by the accrual basis methodology used by Moody's Investors Service. The
general fund reserve cash balance is projected to be $17,166,567 on June 30, 2021 as
compared to the general fund reserve balance on an accrual basis of$17,903,632 as
computed by Moody's Investors Service.The general fund reserve balance on an accrual basis
exceeds 22% in FY 2021, which is the margin of error used to ensure the City always has a
general fund reserve of at least 20% as computed by Moody's Investors Service.
In Fiscal Year 2017, the City had projected reaching this consistent and sustainable 20%
reserve level in Fiscal Year 2022. In fact, the City met the 20% reserve requirement in FY
2017, five years ahead of schedule and has sustained a greater than 20% reserve.
FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025
. - . . . -
� . � $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632
' � • - • - - • - - 25.21% 24.72% 24.24% 23.76% 23.29%
State Revolving Fund Sponsorship Projects and Green Project Loans
The City uses State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans for water and sanitary sewer projects
whenever possible because of the very low annual interest rate of 1.75% with an annual
servicing fee of 0.25%.
In 2009, legislation was passed in lowa that allows water utilities that issue debt through
the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program to sponsor and help finance other water
quality improvement (CWSRF) projects within or outside its service limits. This new funding
mechanism, called Water Resource Restoration Sponsored Projects, will provide cities,
counties, local watershed organizations, watershed management authorities, county
conservation boards, and soil and water conservation districts a funding source to construct
improvements throughout a watershed that keep sediment, nutrients, chemicals and other
pollutants out of streams and lakes.
Repayment of a standard Clean Water SRF (CWSRF) loan includes the repayment of the
original loan amount, the principal, and the cost to finance the loan, interest and fees. On a
CWSRF loan with a sponsored project, the financing costs are reduced by the amount of the
cost of the sponsored project improvements. Figure 1 shows a comparison between a
standard CWSRF loan and a CWSRF loan with a sponsorship project. As shown, the total cost
to the utility (the total of loan repayments) remains unchanged as the cost of funding for the
sponsorship project is offset by a reduction in loan financing costs. In essence, two water
quality projects are completed for the price of one.
55
Budget Message
u Funding for Sponsorship Project
� — —
v
� �/ o Loan Financing Costs
a
m �
v �
� (Interest&Fees)
c
i
�
Q
� � CWSRF Project Loan Principal
0
� -
� � —
�
S�� �oao
a��'� .�g��SotS�``e�c
��.�v`��,oa� C'��o� Qt°1
�`
Figure 1. Loan repayment comparison between a standard CWSRF loan and a CWSRF loan
with a sponsorship project.
After three years of the State of lowa being unsuccessful in completing one of these modified
loans, the City of Dubuque had the first successful application for the state when, in April 2013,
the City was awarded $9.4 million of the interest paid on the Water and Resource Recovery
Center to be used to reconstruct over 70 Green Alleys in the Bee Branch Watershed. The
principal for the Water & Resource Recovery Center Upgrade was increased from $64,885,000
to $75,145,579 and the interest rate plus annual servicing fee was decreased from 3.25% to
2.00% to add the Green Alley sponsorship project. This reduction allowed for increased
proceeds and resulted in a true interest cost of 1.96% and gross borrowing savings of
$11.4 million.
The Fiscal Years 2010, 2011, and 2012 State Revolving Fund capitalization grants included
requirements for certain percentages of the funds to be allocated for green projects. Each
green infrastructure project receives a portion of loan forgiveness not to exceed 30%. In June
2015, the City of Dubuque Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project (Upper Bee Branch
Project) qualified for a Green Project Loan from the CWSRF Program in the amount of
$29,541,000. The loan includes a "principal forgiveness" provision. The amount of the loan to
be forgiven is 20% of the total loan disbursements made under the loan agreement. The
amount of the loan that was forgiven in June 2020 was $5,908,200. The actual true
interest cost for total funds received was not the 2.00% borrowing rate (1.75% interest
and 0.25% administrative fee), but just 0.07% after reflecting the receipt of interest free
funds (forgiven portion).
Then, in August 2017, the City was awarded $1.4 million in funding for improvements with the
Catfish Creek Watershed through the State of lowa Water Resource Restoration Sponsored
Project program as part of the City's State Revolving Fund loan for the Upper Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project. The funding for the $1.4 million in improvements will come from the
interest payments on the City's Upper Bee Branch SRF loan. The Upper Bee Branch Creek
SRF loan principal was increased to $30,941,000 and the interest rate plus the annual
servicing fee was reduced from 2.00% to 1.43°/a. On a gross basis, the borrowing costs
for the new loan were $1.38 million less than the original loan.
56
Budget Message
In May 2018, the City was awarded $1.0 million in funding for pervious green alley improvements with
the Bee Branch Creek and Catfish Creek Watersheds through the State of lowa Water
Resource Restoration Sponsored Project program as part of the City State Revolving Fund
loan for the Upper Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culverts Project. The funding for the $1.0
million in improvements will come from the interest payments on the City's Upper Bee Branch
Railroad Culvert SRF loan. The Upper Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culvert SRF loan principal
was increased to $17,387,000 and the interest rate plus the annual servicing fee was
reduced from 2.00% to 1.43°/a. On a gross basis, the borrowing costs for the new loan
were $1.05 million less than the original loan.
In February 2019, the City was awarded $276,300 in funding for Eagle Point Park
Environmental Restoration through the State of lowa Water Resource Restoration Sponsored
Project program as part of the City State Revolving Fund loan for the Kerper Boulevard
Sanitary Sewer Project. The funding for the $276,300 in improvements will come from the
interest payments on the City's Kerper Boulevard Sanitary Sewer SRF loan. The lowa Finance
Authority now requires that sponsorship projects are included in the initial loan amount so that
the repayment schedule does not have to be adjusted. On a gross basis, the borrowing
costs for the new loan were $278,000 less than if there was not a sponsorship project
included.
City Utilities
The water rate increase recommendation is 3.00%, the sanitary sewer rate increase
recommendation is 3.00%, and the solid waste collection increase recommendation is 2.60%.
The City Council previously approved a 6.76% stormwater rate increase for Fiscal Year 2021,
instead the rate increase was delayed to Fiscal Year 2022.
There were no Fiscal Year 2021 rate increases for water, sanitary sewer, solid waste collection,
or stormwater rates. This was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following are the utility rate comparisons for other cities in the State of lowa:
RATES AND COMPARISONS
Water Rate Comparison for Largest lowa Cities with Water Softening
Rank City Water Rate
(6,000 Gallons/
residence avg.)
7 West Des Moines (FY22) $40.23
6 Des Moines (FY22) $36.86
5 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $35.03
4 lowa City (FY22) $35.01
3 Ames (FY22) $33.82
2 Dubuque (FY22) $31.67
1 Council Bluffs (FY22) $29.67
Average w/o Dubuque $35.10
57
Budget Message
Dubuque's water is some of the best in the world! The highest rate (West Des Moines
(FY22)) is 27.04% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average is 10.85°/a higher than
Dubuque.
Sanitary Sewer Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Rank City Sanitary Sewer
Rate
(Based on 6,000
Gallons/month)
11 Ankeny (FY21) $61.66
10 Davenport (FY22) $52.48
9 Des Moines (FY22) $52.04
8 Dubuque (FY22) $43.51
7 (FY22) $41.87
6 Sioux City (FY22) $40.02
5 lowa City (FY22) $36.08
4 Ames (FY22) $35.26
3 Waterloo (FY22) $31.64
2 Cedar Rapids (FY21) $30.95
1 Council Bluffs (FY22) $28.80
Average w/o Dubuque $41.08
The highest rate (Ankeny (FY21)) is 41.73% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average
is 5.58% lower than Dubuque.
Solid Waste Collection Rate Comparison for Eleven Largest lowa Cities
Solid Waste Monthly
Rank City Rate
11 Ames (FY22) $26.25
10 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $22.53
9 Council Bluffs (FY22) $20.00
8 lowa City (FY22) $20.00
7 Sioux City (FY22) $17.50
6 Ankeny (FY22) $16.25
5 Dubuque (FY22) $15.38
4 Waterloo (FY22) $15.00
3 Des Moines (FY22) $14.13
2 Davenport (FY22) $13.81
1 (FY22) $12.25
Average w/o
Dubuque $17.77
The highest rate (Ames (FY22)) is 70.68% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the average
is 15.55% higher than Dubuque.
58
Budget Message
Stormwater Rate Comparison for the Largest lowa Cities with Stormwater Fees
Rank City Stormwater Rate
10 Des Moines (FY22) $15.49
9 Dubuque (FY22) $8.85
8 Cedar Rapids (FY22) $7.28
7 (FY22) $6.65
6 Ankeny (FY22) $6.50
5 lowa City (FY22) $5.00
4 Ames (FY22) $4.95
3 Waterloo (FY22) $4.50
2 Davenport (FY22) $2.97
1 Sioux City (FY22) $2.80
Average w/o Dubuque $6.24
The highest rate (Des Moines (FY22)) is 75.03% higher than Dubuque's rate, and the
average is 29.52% lower than Dubuque.
Improvement Packages
There were 132 improvement level decision packages requested in Fiscal Year 2022, of which
64 are being recommended for funding. This budget recommendation funds $390,611 for
annually recurring and $165,737 for non-recurring improvement packages in the General Fund.
Fiscal Year 2021 General Fund savings of $117,012 is being used to fund a portion of the non-
recurring improvement packages recommended. The remaining improvement packages
recommended for funding from non-property tax support total $341,721.
A portion of the recommended recurring improvement packages include new positions:
• Part-time Assistant Utility Locator in the Engineering Department to assist with the
locating of buried City utilities (storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water main, fiber optics,
electrical, etc.) as part of the lowa One Call service. The part-time Utility Locator would
improve the efficiency of the current full-time Utility Locator position within the
Engineering Department.
• Temporary, specified term (6 months) Scanning Clerk in Human Resources to help with
the digitization of paper personnel file documents. Digitization is needed to 1) provide
searchable and functional access to authorized staff, and 2) in preparation for a
transition to the digital human resources information system within the enterprise
resource planning system.
• Full time Development and Training Coordinator in Human Resource. Centralizing the
coordination of development and training activities provides the City with a more
efficient, coordinated, and consistent development process.
• Seasonal Recreation Leader in Recreation to assist with the summer prgrams merger
with the City of Asbury.
• Seasonal employee in Parks for the upper Bee Branch Creek Greenway. The Park
Division took over full maintenance responsibility of the greenway corridor in 2020. After
a full season of maintenance, it has been determined additional staff is needed to
maintain the corridor during the park season.
• Elimination of a full-time Water Plant Operator (and the addition of a full-time Water
Operations Supervisor. The plant presents daily opportunities and challenges that
59
Budget Message
require in depth problem solving and data analysis beyond oversight management from
the department manager.
It is important to note that all new positions, and some previously frozen positions, will
not be filled until the City receives the November 2021 local option sales tax
reconciliation payment from the State of lowa, or receives substantial assistance from
the Federal government that can be used for this purpose.
Delay of Previously Planned Im�rovement Packages
The Fiscal Year 2020 budget approved an improvement level decision package to provide
funding for the expansion of the Dubuque Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO)
Program. To spread the expenses over time, three SRO's were to have been added over three
consecutive years: Fiscal Year 2020, Fiscal Year 2021, and Fiscal Year 2022 budget. However,
the expansion was frozen in FY21 due to the pandemic causing the final position to be added
in FY23 instead of FY22 as originally planned.
The request for the addition of one firefighter position as outlined in the Fire Station Expansion/
Relocation capital improvement project will be delayed to Fiscal Year 2023. This position would
be the third year of a five-year effort to increase the number of positions in anticipation of
staffing additional fire and/or ambulance units. The additional fire fighters will now be added
over a six-year period. The position would increase the number of days where staffing is above
minimum and also reduce the use of overtime during the build-up period before a fire station is
built.
State-Funded Backfill on Commercial and Industrial Property Tax
Commercial and Industrial property taxpayers previously were taxed at 100% of assessed
value; however, due to property tax reform legislation in Fiscal Year 2013, a 95% rollback
factor was applied in Fiscal Year 2015 and a 90% rollback factor will be applied in Fiscal Year
2016 and each year beyond. The State of lowa committed to backfill the loss in property tax
revenue from the rollback and the backfill 100% in Fiscal Year 2015 through Fiscal Year 2017
and then the backfill was capped at the Fiscal Year 2017 level in Fiscal Year 2018 and beyond.
The FY 2021 State backfill for property tax loss is estimated to be $1,324,516.
Elements of the property tax reform passed by the lowa Legislature in 2013 have created a
tremendous amount of uncertainty in the budget process. While the State has committed to
provide some funding for the City revenue reductions caused by the decrease in taxable value
for commercial and industrial properties, key legislators have been quoted in the media as
casting doubt on the reimbursements continuing. Beginning in FY 2024, it is assumed that
the State will eliminate the backfill over a five-year period.
The projected reduction of State backfill revenue to the general fund is as follows:
State Backfill
Fiscal Year Reduction
2023 $ 264,903
� 2024 $ 264,903
2025 $ 264,903
2026 $ 264,903
Total $ 1,059,612
60
Budget Message
In the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Economic Development and Slum and Blight Urban
Renewal Districts in each of the five fiscal years in this budget recommendation, there is some
built-in protection against the possibility that, at some point in time, the State of lowa might
stop funding the property tax reform backfill payments. In these TIF areas, the City is not
allocating backfill in Fiscal Year 2022 and beyond. Each year the State funds the backfill will
give the City greater resources to accomplish the intended goals of the TIF district that can be
carried into the next budget year. There are numerous unfunded needs.
Local Option Sales Tax
The lowa Department of Revenue released the Fiscal Year 2021 Local Option Sales Tax
estimated payments on August 18, 2020. In addition, the City received the annual
reconciliation payment for Fiscal Year 2020 on November 17, 2020 in the amount of
$1,610,103. This is the largest reconciliation payment that the City of Dubuque has ever
received. The lowa Department of Revenue has indicated that the reconciliation payment for
Dubuque was large because the total LOST receipts for FY20 for Dubuque County exceeded
their estimates. This was the case in quite a few lowa counties in FY20. The law change that
was effective July 1, 2019 which required remote sellers that exceed a certain sales revenue to
charge lowa sales tax, including local option sales tax, the same as retailers with a physical
presence in lowa. This law change most likely played a role in the increased LOST receipts in
FY20. The reconciliation payment is only evidence of receipts exceeding the lowa Department
of Revenue's estimates. The year-to-year increase in total Local Option Sales Tax receipts
would be more illustrative of the actual impact of the online sales tax law changes.
The lowa Department of Revenue does not have data on actual online sales because those
sales are reported by retailers in the same manner as in-person sales. The lowa Department of
Revenue has done some work in try to estimate the impact of collections from online sales,
and it is apparent their estimates of the impact from Senate File 2417 in 2018 have been
surpassed by actual receipts, but they do not have firm data to support that.
By resolution, 50% of sales tax funds must be used in the General Fund for property tax relief
in FY 2022. Sales tax receipts are projected to increase 22.60% over FY 2021 budget
$2,112,016 and 1.85% over FY 2021 actual of$5,625,145 based on FY 2021 revised revenue
estimate which includes a reconciliation payment from the State of lowa of$1,610,103
received in November 2020, increase 1.85% percent to calculate the FY 2022 budget, and
then increase at an annual rate of 1.85% percent per year beginning in FY 2023. The
estimates received from the State of lowa show a 0.68% increase in the first payment
estimated for FY 2022 as compared to the first payment budgeted for FY 2021. The following
chart shows the past four years of actual sales tax funds and projected FY 2022 for the
General Fund:
61
Budget Message
. i � � � . � � �
PY Q4 $ 748,108 $ 366,087 $ 355,027 $ 380,549 $ 419,551
Quarter 1 $ 1,080,294 $ 1,066,816 $ 1,124,105 $ 1,252,896 $ 1,390,714
Quarter 2 $ 1,109,978 $ 1,098,596 $ 1,149,881 $ 1,274,904 $ 1,415,144
Quarter 3 $ 939,923 $ 1,031,606 $ 971,871 $ 1,072,643 $ 1,190,634
Quarter4 $ 732,174 $ 700,312 $ 761,097 $ 839,102 $ 931,403
Reconciliation $ 77,018 $ 217,699 $ 219,332 $ 805,052 $ 381,500
Total $ 4,687,495 $ 4,481,116 $ 4,581,313 $ 5,625,146 $ 5,728,946
% Change +5.17% -4.61% +2.24% +22.78% +1.85%
Gaming Revenue
Gaming revenues generated from lease payments from the Dubuque Racing Association
(DRA) are estimated to increase $43,621 from $5,185,737 in FY 2021 to $5,229,358 in FY
2022 based on Fiscal Year 2019 actual plus Sports Betting.
In Calendar Year 2020, gross gaming revenues were down 24.3% for the DRA and the
Diamond Jo was down -26.9%. Due to COVID, both casinos in the market were closed from
March 17, 2020 to May 31, 2020. The DRA showed decreases in hotel room revenue, food,
and beverage sales and entertainment ticket sales.
The lowa Legislature passed Sports Betting Legislation in June 2019. DRA started Retail (On-
Site) on August 27, 2019 with Mobile Wagering starting on November 12, 2019. Diamond Jo
Casino partnered with Betfair Interactive US LLC (FanDuel Sportsbook) and they started
Sports Betting Retail in September 2019 and Mobile Wagering in September 2020. DRA had
$562,601 in Sports Book revenue and $16,141,637 in Sports Betting handle during 2020. With
an amended lease, the City began receiving 0.5% of the handle from Sports Betting in FY
2021.
Multi-Residential Property Tax Classification
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016), new State legislation created a new property tax
classification for rental properties called multi-residential, which requires a rollback, or
assessment limitations order, on multi-residential property which will eventually equal the
residential rollback. Multi-residential property includes apartments with three or more units.
Rental properties of two units were already classified as residential property. The State of
lowa will not backfill property tax loss from the rollback on multi-residential property. The
rollback will occur as follows:
- . . . � , � . .
FY 2017 86.25% 331 239
FY 2018 82.50% 472 127
FY 2019 78.75% 576 503
FY 2020 75.00% 691 640
FY 2021 71.25% 952 888
FY 2022 67.50% 1 376 042
FY 2023 63.75% 1 297 731
FY 2024 56.41% 1 460 190
Total 7 158 360
. o = urren resi en ia ro ac
62
Budget Message
This annual loss in tax revenue of$1,376,042 in FY 2022 and $1,460,190 from multi-
residential property when fully implemented in FY 2024 will not be backfilled by the
State. From Fiscal Year 2017 through Fiscal Year 2024 the City will lose $7,158,360 in total,
meaning landlords will have paid that much less in property taxes. The state did not require
landlords to charge lower rents or to make additional investment in their property.
Multi-Residential Property Tax
Based on Average Assessed Value $262,418
$2,500 $2,349
$2,226 �2,160
$2,015
$2,000 $1,872 $1,897
� $1,738 $1,780
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22
� Multi-Residential Property Tax Paid - City Portion Only
Health Insurance
The City portion of health insurance expense is projected to increase from $1,025 per month
per contract to $1,086 per month per contract (based on 588 contracts) in FY 2022 (general
fund cost of$299,766). The City of Dubuque is self-insured, and actual expenses are paid
each year with the City only having stop-loss coverage for major claims. In FY 2017, The City
went out for bid for third party administrator and the estimated savings has resulted from the
new contract and actual claims paid with there being actual reductions in cost in FY 2018
(19.42%) and FY 2019 (0.35%). In addition, firefighters began paying an increased employee
health care premium sharing from 10% to 15% and there was a 7% increase in the premium
on July 1, 2018. During FY 2019, the City went out for bid for third party administrator for the
prescription drug plan there has been savings resulting from the bid award. Based on FY 2021
actual experience, Fiscal Year 2022 is projected to have a 6% increase in health insurance
costs. Fiscal Year 2022 projections include additional prescription drug plan savings of
$219,256. Estimates for FY 2023 were increased 6%; FY 2024 were increased 7%; FY 2025
were increased 8%; and FY 2026 were increased 8%.
63
Budget Message
Downtown Revitalization
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Government TransparencX
Finance staff conducted community outreach with Balancing Act using print and digital
marketing and presentations.
• October: Point Neighborhood Association.
• November: The City Manager hosted an evening virtual public budget input meeting.
The Budget Office conducted a virtual community outreach session using GoToMeeting.
• December: City staff conducted two virtual community outreach sessions using
GoToMeeting and Facebook Live streaming.
A total of 71 community members attended the virtual budget presentations. There have
been 148 page views of the Balancing Act budget simulator tool and 4 budgets have
been submitted by the public as of February 23, 2021. The input provided will be
analyzed by City staff and evaluated by the City Manager for inclusion in the Fiscal Year
2022 budget recommendation as deemed appropriate.
Open Budget
URL: www.dollarsandcents.cityofdubuque.org
During Fiscal Year 2016, the City launched a web based open data platform. The City of
Dubuque's Open Budget application provides an opportunity for the public to explore and
visually interact with Dubuque's operating and capital budgets. This application is in support of
the five-year organizational goal of a financially responsible city government and high-
64
Budget Message
performance organization and allows users with and without budget data experience, to better
understand expenditures in these categories.
Open Expenses
URL: http://expenses.cityofdubuque.org/
During Fiscal Year 2017, an additional module was added to the open data platform which
included an interactive checkbook which will allow residents to view the City's payments to
vendors. The final step will be adding performance measures to the open data platform to
allow residents to view outcomes of the services provided by the City.
Balancing Act
URL:http://bit.ly/fy22budgetsim
During Fiscal Year 2019, the City of Dubuque launched a new interactive budget simulation
tool called Balancing Act. The online simulation invites community members to learn about the
City's budget process and submit their own version of a balanced budget under the same
constraints faced by City Council, respond to high-priority budget input questions, and leave
comments.
Taxpayer Receipt
URL: http://bit.ly/taxpayerreceipt
During Fiscal Year 2019, the City launched an online application which allows users to
generate an estimate of how their tax dollars are spent. The tool uses data inputted by the user
such as income, age, taxable value of home, and percentage of goods purchased within City
limits. The resulting customized receipt demonstrates an estimate of how much in City taxes
the user contributes to Police, Fire, Library, Parks, and other city services. This tool is in
support of the City Council goal of a financially responsible and high-performance organization
and addresses a Council-identified outcome of providing opportunities for residents to engage
in City governance and enhance transparency of City decision-making.
65
Budget Message
Conclusion
If the City Council approves the budget recommendation, it will support continued investment
in people, businesses and organizations that are making a difference in our community, and
continued investment in the infrastructure that must exist for Dubuque to continue to thrive.
There will be six City Council special meetings prior to the adoption of the FY 2022 budget
before the state mandated deadline of March 31, 2021. I want to thank Director of Finance and
Budget Jennifer Larson, Assistant City Manager Cori Burbach, Budget/Financial Analyst Kayla
Morrison, Budget/Financial Analyst Jenna Hirtz, Public Information Officer Randy Gehl,
Confidential Account Clerk Ella Lahey, Office Manager Juanita Hilkin, Secretary Stephanie
Valentine, and Communications Specialist Kristin Hill, for all their hard work and dedication in
preparation of this budget recommendation.
�Jv'"r'"'� �Gl�r
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:jml
66
Fiscal Year 2022
Budget Recommendation
March 1, 2021
1
Property Tax Rate
2
% Change $ Change
Property Tax Rate -0.93%-$0.09
Avg. Residential Payment +1.62%+$12.49
Avg. Commercial Payment %0 $0
Avg. Industrial Payment -0.30%-$14.20
Avg. Multi-Residential Payment -6.15%-$116.55
Recommended FY22
Property Tax Rate Comparison
$9.87 $10.05 $10.65 $11.77
$14.52 $14.95 $15.77 $15.88 $16.78 $17.56 $18.26 $18.44
3
Recommended FY22
Property Taxes Per Capita
$461.00 $545.30 $547.17
$710.15 $717.66
$812.14 $824.14 $828.03 $886.48
$990.46
$1,079.31$1,167.50
4
Percentage of Legal Debt
Limit Utilized
64%63%57%53%49%49%45%45%40%
27%22%22%
5
General Fund Reserve
FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025
City’s Spendable
General Fund Cash
Reserve Fund
Balance
$17,903,632 $17,903,63 $17,903,632 $17,903,632 $17,903,632
% of Projected
Revenue*25.21%24.72%24.24%23.76%23.29%
6
*Goal = 20%
Retired Debt vs. New Debt
(in Millions)
7
$14.3
$16.4 $17.4 $17.1
$23.4
$18.1
$16.9
$18.4
$19.7 $20.5 $21.1 $21.2 $21.6 $21.6 $22.4
$13.0
$14.8
$12.1
$4.1
$10.5
$17.8
$15.7 $14.6
$15.8
$6.4
$5.0
$1.0 $1.0 $1.0 $1.0
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27 FY28 FY29 FY30
Retired Debt New Debt
Reduction of Statutory Debt
Limit Used
69.7%
84.3%83.9%
89.9%86.1%
69.5%63.4%
56.3%
50.2%45.7%44.7%44.2%44.6%40.4%37.1%
FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26
FY16 to FY22 = 41.45% decrease
in use of the statutory debt limit.
8
City Utilities
9
Recommended
FY22 Rate
Change from
FY21
Water $31.67 +3%
Sewer $43.51 +3%
Solid Waste $15.38 +2.6%
Stormwater $8.85 +6.76%
Comparisons to Iowa’s Largest Cities
10
Dubuque’s
Recommended
FY22 Rate
Average w/o
Dubuque
Rank Among
Largest Iowa
Cities
Water $31.67 $35.10 2nd Lowest
Sewer $43.51 $41.08 4th Highest
Solid
Waste $15.38 $17.77 5th Lowest
Stormwater $8.85 $6.24 2nd Highest
City Utility Assistance
•Short-Term Assistance Program for Rent, Mortgage,
and Utilities (Pandemic assistance funded by
federal grant)
•50% Base Rate Reduction of Monthly Utility Fees
(Water, Sewer, Solid Waste, Stormwater) for Income-
Qualified Customers
•Leak Allowances and Water Leak Repair Grant
11
Recommended Improvement
Packages
•64 of the requested 132 improvement level decision
packages are recommended for funding
•$390,611 for annually recurring and $165,737 for non-
recurring improvement packages in General Fund
•FY21 General Fund savings of $117,012 used to fund a
portion of the non-recurring
•Remaining funded from non-property tax support total of
$341,721
•Total of $3,119,106 in general fund improvement package
requests = net property tax impact of $2,620,387
12
Recommended Improvement
Packages: Highlights
•Creation of Office of Shared Prosperity & Neighborhood Support with
4 staff members (2 new) to begin implementation of the Equitable
Poverty Reduction and Prevention Plan
•Equitable Fines & Fee Reform: Full-time Community Diversion &
Prevention Coordinator (Police Department) and full-time Community
Outreach Coordinator (AmeriCorps)
•Minority-Owned Business Microloan Program
•Addition of full-time Development & Training Coordinator in Human
Resources
13
Public Safety
14
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 19-20#19-20%2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Population
Des Moines NA NA NA 1287 1456 169 +13%NA NA NA 14 22 216,853
Davenport 152 168 195 195 279 84 +43%6 12 6 2 10 102,085
Cedar Rapids 87 104 117 99 163 64 +65%4 6 3 7 12 133,174
Waterloo 99 62 85 92 106 14 +15%3 6 6 2 7 67,798
Sioux City NA NA NA 9 59 50 +555%NA NA NA 3 5 82,396
Iowa City 20 20 NA 13 57 44 +338%0 4 0 1 2 76,290
Dubuque 26 20 5 16 17 1 +6%1 1 1 0 1 57,941
Council Bluffs NA NA NA 9 13 4 +31%4 2 4 6 0 62,421
Ames 3 3 2 2 5 3 +150%1 1 1 1 0 67,154
Peoria, IL 469 670 602 615 728 113 +18%10 10 24 25 14 111,388
Rockford, IL NA NA 497 442 679 237 +54%NA NA NA NA 36 147,881
Average 252.6 323.8 9.9
CONFIRMED SHOTS FIRED MURDERS
2019 Median Household Income
15
$45,897 $47,327 $48,105 $51,029 $51,669 $53,524 $53,525 $54,234 $55,433 $58,511 $60,523 $62,843
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
Iowa City Waterloo Ames Davenport Average
w/o DBQ
Council
Bluffs
Des
Moines
Dubuque Sioux City Cedar
Rapids
State of
Iowa
USA
Dubuque’s MHI is 18% higher than the lowest city (Iowa City) and
5% above the average of the other cities.
Tax Rate & 2019 MHI
16
Ames
Cedar Rapids
Council Bluffs
Davenport
Des MoinesDubuque
Iowa City
Sioux City
Waterloo
Average w/o Dubuque
$45,000
$47,500
$50,000
$52,500
$55,000
$57,500
$60,000
$9 $10 $11 $12 $13 $14 $15 $16 $17 $18 $192019 Median Household IncomeCity Property Tax Rate
The upper left of this graph is the preferred quadrant,
showing lower taxes and higher median household income.
10-Year Average Annual
Growth Rate: MHI 2010-2019
17
1.20%
1.57%1.73%1.78%1.79%1.86%1.88%1.90%1.94%
2.37%2.40%
2.65%
2.16%
1.93%
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
2.5%
3.0%
2019 Median Housing Value
18
$143,500 $147,800
$217,500
Dubuque State of Iowa USA
Median Housing Value 10-Year
Average Annual Growth Rate
19
1.7%
2.2%
1.4%
Dubuque State of Iowa USA
(2010-2019, ACS)
Fiscal Year 2022
Budget Recommendation
March 1, 2021
20