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Economy

Steady Growth Helps Bettendorf

WVIK News

Thanks to continued growth in residential and commercial building, Bettendorf is financially strong and can keep taxes low. That was the message Wednesday from Mayor Bob Gallagher during his annual state of the city address. 

He says there'll be no change in the current tax rate next year, and yet the city will still be able to accomplish more than any other city in Iowa.

"The 2019-2020 budget is going to continue with the same premises that we've had during my tenure - conservative, responsible spending, building and maintaining strong, healthy cash reserves so if something terrible happens we can take care of everything for up to 90 days."

Growth in the tax base will also mean less reliance for Bettendorf on its other revenue sources that can change from year to year, such as the sales tax and gambling.

Gallagher is also pleased with the success of the TBK Bank Sports Complex - after seven years of work by the city and developers.

"It opened in May and as a direct result of TBK, 6,500 hotel reservation nights have been made. Over 10 million dollars of other people's money came to the Quad Cities in tourism since May because of this."

It's also resulted in millions of dollars worth of development on adjacent lots, and expansion is already being discussed. 

Mayor Gallagher also highlighted important projects downtown, including the new Bridges Lofts apartments, and the new Ascentra corporate headquarters. 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.