If you own a median-priced home in Des Moines, you could have to pay at least $50 more in annual property taxes following the Iowa Legislature's decision to end a backfill program, according to info presented to the City Council last week.

Driving the news: Under the bill passed last month, annual backfill payments of up to $152.1 million will be phased out by the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2030.

Why it matters: The backfill was created to help avoid a tax shift to homeowners, and the potential outcome of its removal runs counter to the city's — and many state lawmakers' — long-term goal of lowering property taxes.

Flashback: The money was part of a plan to offset revenue losses for local governments after state lawmakers made sweeping commercial and industrial property taxes cuts in 2013.

By the numbers: Iowa schools will ultimately lose nearly $60 million annually; cities $52.4 million and counties $29.6 million, according to state estimates.

• That's a $600K hit for DSM, the equivalent of a 60-cent property tax rate increase, City Manager Scott Sanders told council members Friday.
• DART estimates the changes could add as much as five cents to their portions of DSM-area property tax bills. Polk County estimates as much as 15 cents.

What they're saying: Democrats are accusing Republicans of breaking promises, while Republicans say the assistance was never intended to be permanent.

• Republicans also noted other actions this year that they say will reduce local government burdens, such as paying for mental health services.

🗯 Our thought bubble: The sky isn't falling, but Sanders' point should be taken seriously to prepare for and minimize the possible negative consequences.

Full story.

Polk County agreed to pay a $200K settlement yesterday in a discrimination case alleging that a now-fired manager was recorded saying she wasn't offering a gay man a job because of his "extracurricular activities."

Why it matters: Workplace discrimination is illegal, it contributes to low morale and can cost taxpayers or businesses big bucks.

• The case also raises more questions about whether a toxic workplace environment exists within county government now that several complaints have been filed.

What happened: James Sargent didn't get a job as a medicolegal death investigator (MDI) in 2017 despite meeting professional requirements, landing an interview and being invited to shadow another employee, according to his lawsuit.

• An audio recording of chief MDI Amanda Luick in 2017 reportedly mocking Sargent's sexuality was discovered by another county employee in January of 2020, the suit says.
• Soon after the recording surfaced, Luick and Polk County's longtime medical examiner Gregory Schmunk were fired.
• The county described Schmunk's termination as a lack of oversight "related to ongoing personnel issues."

Separately: The county's HR director Jim Nahas was fired in January for allegedly mishandling a sexual harassment claim from a female employee against supervisor Matt McCoy.

• McCoy denies the claim, and further accuses another supervisor, Tom Hockensmith, of using a homophobic slur to reference him during a separate incident.
• Hockensmith denied the accusation to Axios yesterday, calling it "despicable."

Full story.

We all have some tall grass after the endless rain that drenched us last week.

• But even before then, Axios Des Moines reader Allison Missal Akright noticed the city's lawn care left something to be desired.

She asks: "We've noticed several medians by MLK, Cottage Grove, Polk Blvd, etc., have an abundance of dandelions... We don't remember seeing so many weeds and dandelions on city property before. Are they cutting back on costs or is it something else?"

• Great question! We also noticed, so we reached out to Peter Zemansky, who works for the city, for some answers.

What we learned: A fall application that deals with weeds and dandelions was missed due to DSM Public Works' derecho cleanup efforts in the fall.

• But the contractor hired by the city is expected to go out this week, so expect those weeds to reduce here soon.

You can zip around town soon, thanks to a fleet of rentable e-bikes dropping in the metro this month.

Des Moines' BCycle program, which runs bicycle share stations across the metro, will add 65 e-bikes before the end of June.

• The bikes offer pedal assist, so you can climb that hill more easily or haul your groceries without breaking a sweat.

How it works: You can rent an e-bike by either paying for it at a kiosk or through the BCycle app. The cost is still being determined.

Plus: Expect three new BCycle stations this summer — Colby Park in Windsor Heights, Campbell Park in Clive and the Clive Aquatic Center.

See how the new e-bike works here.

• Hundreds are helping in the search for Xavior Harrelson, a missing 11-year-old boy from Montezuma who was last seen Thursday morning. (ABC News)
• Big Grove Brewery is opening a Des Moines location next spring. (Des Moines Register)
• A bill banning schools from teaching "critical race theory" awaits Gov. Kim Reynolds' signature. The bill bans classrooms from teaching that the U.S. or Iowa is systemically racist or that a person is inherently racist or sexist. (Des Moines Register 🔒)

 🌽 Shoutout to Kathy Byrnes of Des Moines for today's pun!

Polk County will soon offer incentives to people who haven't yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, under a $100K budget resolution approved yesterday.

• Details will be made public within the next ten days, Sarah Boese, a County Board of Supervisors staff member, told Axios yesterday.

By the numbers: About 45% of the county's eligible residents are now vaccinated, including about 85% of those age 65 and older, according to the Washington Post.

Of note: Hy-Vee launched a program yesterday to give $10 gift cards to people fully vaccinated at its pharmacies between now and Nov. 11.