Candidates for the Iowa City Council in November’s election will meet to discuss the issues at the League of Women Voters of Johnson County Candidate Forum on Monday night. The 90-minute forum will take place in the assembly room of the Iowa City Senior Center (28 S Linn St), and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The forum is open to the public, and attendees will be able to submit questions in writing for the moderator to ask the candidates. It will be livestreamed on both the League’s Facebook page and City Channel 4.
Two at-large council seats and the council seat in District B will be on the ballot in November. Every registered voter in Iowa City will be able to vote for all three positions. You do not need to live in District B to vote for the District B council representatives. It is only in primary elections that voting a district candidate is restricted to residents of that district. No primary was necessary this year.
There are four candidates for the two at-large seats. Incumbents Megan Alter and Bruce Teague are running for reelection. (Although Teague has served as mayor of Iowa City since 2020, he is a member of the city council. Under the Iowa City Charter, the city council elects one of its members to a two-year term as mayor. The mayor remains a member of the city council.)
Alter and Teague are facing challengers Newman Abuissa and Clara Reynen.
In District B, incumbent Shawn Harmsen is being challenged by Amy Hospodarsky.
In the November election, Iowa Citians will also vote on Public Measure MB – Local Option Sales and Services. If the measure is approved, the city will introduce a 1 percent sales tax on goods and services starting on July 1.
According to the ballot measure summary published by the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, revenue generated by the sale tax will be allocated to a set of specific purposes.
50% for property tax relief;
The specific purposes for which the revenues shall otherwise be expended are:
25% to preserve existing affordable housing stock, increase shelter, transitional, and permanent housing supports, and increase access to and the supply of affordable housing for households with low incomes.
10% for maintenance and construction of public streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, and facilities as designated by City Council.
15% for community partnerships, including, but not limited to, partnerships that support intergovernmental, economic development, arts and culture, and social service priorities as designated by City Council.
The 2025 City and School Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Earlier voting in the election begins on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
