Today (Monday) is the deadline to file federal income tax returns, but you still have another two weeks to file your Iowa income taxes. Iowa Department of Revenue spokesperson, Victoria Daniels, advises you to file electronically. “That is best thing you can do for yourself. Number one, if you are going to get a refund, you will get it much quicker,” Daniels says. “Number two, a lot of the software programs, they actually do the calculations for you. And so you are less likely to have mistakes.”

Filing electronically also saves the state money. While it take less than one dollar for the Department of Revenue to process an e-filing, Daniels says it takes more than two dollars to process a paper return. Unlike the federal government, Iowa doesn’t allow people to ask for additional time to file their taxes. “If you don’t file on time and you don’t pay on time, then you’re going to be hit with a 10 percent penalty. And then also, if there is an amount due, that will earn interest at five percent a year,” Daniels says.

But, as long as you pay 90 percent of want you owe the state by May 2nd, you won’t suffer an additional penalty. Daniels says more than 90 percent of Iowans will get their tax refunds within two weeks of filing electronically.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – City Council members on Monday are scheduled to consider a proposal to penalize property owners an extra 25 percent on unpaid city fees for removing snow from sidewalks. The Sioux City Journal reports that the penalties would be levied on the unpaid fees added to the parcels’ property taxes.

City code requires owners to clear sidewalks within 12 hours after snow or ice has stopped falling. Noncompliance can result in a civil citation. If a sidewalk isn’t cleared after a 24-hour shovel notice is posted, a city contractor clears the sidewalk and the city bills the property owner for those costs.

The Creston Police Department says two thefts were reported over the past few days. Friday afternoon, a business owner told police someone took a chainsaw from his business (J&J Plumbing & Heating), at 211 S. Elm Street. The 20″ Jonsered chainsaw, which was taken sometime between 3:15-p.m. and 3:35-p.m. Friday, was valued at $503. And, Saturday evening, a resident in Creston reported sometime between March 16th and April 15th, someone took a fire ladder from an apartment at 301 W. Montgomery Street. The loss was estimated at $200.

Creston Police said also, 21-year old Todd Michael Murray, of Creston, was arrested over the weekend, on a charge of Driving While Suspended. Murray was later released from the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

The Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF), in accordance with grant
money received through Federal Home Loan Bank, says it is seeking applications from low to moderate income homeowners in the City of Red Oak for housing repairs.

SWIHTF currently has no waiting list for Red Oak, and seeks to find nine homeowners to participate in the program. The FHLB repair program can assist owner occupied households to eliminate health and safety hazards and to conserve energy in their homes. Examples of assistance include electrical, heating, plumbing, handicap accessibility, windows, etc. The assistance is in the form of a five year forgivable loan with a maximum of $5,000 per home in repairs.

Applicants must be the owner of record, reside in the home, and meet income guidelines. The condition of the home must be suitable for repair. Interested applicants should contact SWIHTF at 712-243-4196 for more information.