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DSM mayor critical of judge’s ruling

By Jason Hancock 6/4/09

A Polk County Judge’s order that the City of Des Moines refund a majority of the $12.6 million a year it has collected with a franchise fee since 2004 is “ironic,” Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said.
“It is ironic that just two weeks ago the state enacted legislation which memorializes Iowa cities’ right to collect [...]

Judge rules majority of city franchise fees must be refunded

By Jason Hancock 6/3/09

A Polk County judge has ruled that the City of Des Moines must refund aportion of the franchise fee it has charged utility customers since 2004.
Of the $12.6 million a year raised from the franchise fee, the city must refund $9 million, according to the ruling by Judge Joel Novak. The fee, which amounts to [...]

Cities now authorized to charge franchise fees

By Jason Hancock 5/28/09

Cities can now charge a 5 percent franchise fee for gas and electric utilities under a bill signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver, easing but not solving budget problems for Iowa’s capitol city.
Des Moines City Manager Rick Clark told The Des Moines Register that the city would face a $5 million budget shortfall in [...]

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