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Commissioner wants to end funding for economic development

By Greg Bebermeyer

07/07/2022

Brown County Courthouse

(KNZA)--A Brown County Commissioner doesn't believe the county should continue providing funding to two economic development groups.

As a budget cutting measure, Commissioner Bill Pollock made a motion at Tuesday's Brown County Commission meeting that the $50,000 the county has been providing to the Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development and Horton Industrial Development Corporation not be included in the 2023 budget. The motion died due to the lack of a second.

In making his motion, Pollock said the tax dollars are not the Commission's to give.

He said the city of Hiawatha currently has a citywide quarter-cent retailers sales tax earmarked for economic development, which generated more than $190,000 last year.

Commissioner Rich Lehmkuhl said he would like to hear how the two groups are using the funding before making a decision. He said he would also like to hear from Hiawatha city officials how the proceeds from the sales tax are used.

Commission Chairman Lamar Shoemaker said he also wanted more information before making a decision.

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