15 Dec 2004
Page 1
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Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Dec 15, 2004
Page
1
Iowa farmland values jumped 15.6 percent in 2004 to a statewide average of 2629 per acre, the ISU survey shows all 99 counties gained and Scott County hit 4167 per acre. Linn and Johnson counties also posted substantial increases, reflecting a strong year for agricultural land.
Fragmentary OCR shows multiple percent values such as 101 percent to 15 percent and 151 percent to 20 percent with garbled symbols. No clear event or entities are readable to identify a person, organization, or location.
Iowa farmland values rise to a total 11.5 billion dollars across 32.6 million acres. The average value per acre hits 2,629 dollars in 2004, a new record, surpassing 2003’s 2,275. Highest county value is 4,167 in Scott. lowest 1,104 in Decatur. For the first time all 99 counties exceed 1,000 per acre since 1941. Farmland value up 234 percent since 1986.
Historic headaches linger as Iowa City plans spring dig to reuse old bricks. Public works director Rick Fosse notes brick streets are rare and costly to maintain, with Eastern Iowa towns facing extinction under frost and heavy traffic. Marion rescinds 15 mph on 10th Street amid worsening ruts and public demand for preservation.
The Iowa Utilities Board ruled Alliant Energy must phase in equalized electric rates over six more years and approved an 11.5 percent overall rate increase. Alliant must file a new rate case by June 30 with plans to equalize rates for large users within three years and for residential and ordinary commercial customers thereafter.
Alliant Energy customers in Iowa will see about a 1 percent rate increase early next year. The Iowa Utilities Board granted interim residential electric rate hikes last June from 10.3 percent in the IES Northern Zone to 18.5 percent in the IES Southern Zone, with zones spanning Cedar Rapids, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Ottumwa, Burlington, Newton, and Grinnell.
The Revenue Estimating Conference of Iowa lifted its projections through June 2006 citing a slowly improving economy. Payroll tax strength and wage gains lift tax collections by about $92 million, adding roughly $86 million available for fiscal 2006 budgeting.
U S eighth grade students improve in science and math compared with international peers while fourth graders show stagnant scores. The 2003 international results released Tuesday highlight a shrinking racial gap and ongoing Asia-led superiority in STEM, with emphasis on competitiveness.
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills indicates math and reading improvements statewide. Eighth grade proficiency rose to 72.2 percent in 2002-04 from 71.6 percent in 2001-03, while fourth grade proficiency moved to 76.8 percent from 75 percent.
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