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A guide to Marshalltown’s FY27 school tax rate adjustments

Columnists

As the Marshalltown Cmmunity School District (MCSD) finalizes its budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year (FY27), it is important to provide clear context on how school funding works in Iowa and why adjustments to the local tax rate are sometimes necessary. School finance is driven by a combination of state formulas, enrollment trends, and mandated programs, all of which play a role in shaping the final tax rate. First, it’s important to understand that local school tax rates are largely driven by the state funding formula, not local discretion.The majority of a district’s tax rate is ...

This is what a World Superpower looks like

Columnists

America is living through a moment difficult to describe without sounding a little unhinged. But here goes: We are watching the United States do things that only the United States can do. In the span of a few days, Americans have watched astronauts push farther into space than any human beings in history, while U.S. forces execute military operations so precise and technologically overwhelming that they look like something written for a Hollywood script. Pilots are being rescued in missions that resemble “Mission: Impossible.” Terrorists are being eliminated with the kind of ...

Local news still matters

Our View

Yesterday, April 9, was the first national Local News Day, but here at the Times-Republican, every day is Local News Day. Our small but mighty team of journalists is present in Marshalltown and Marshall County every day doing what we do best — reporting on what’s happening in our communities, whether it’s our city and county governments, our schools or just a nice human interest feature on people who are making a difference. At the T-R, we still strive to be the most trusted source and the one our thousands of readers — and, at last count, over 22,000 Facebook followers — ...

Bible truth or tradition: According to the Bible, do we have an eternal soul, or are we living souls?

Columnists

About me: I am a truth seeker. How about you? I believe the Bible, in its original form, is the revealed Word and will of God. Somewhere I heard that the Bible was written so that a child could understand it. I wish I had read it more as a child—but it is never too late. AI is a wonderful tool if used properly, with quick access to a lot of research material. But we know AI can make mistakes. So can people. Sometimes, I question what I hear being taught in “church.” So don’t take my word for it (or anyone else’s, for that matter). Please check it out for yourself. People can ...

Big Tech’s ugly Data Centers finally meet the opposition

Columnists

It appears that folks living in the gently rolling farmland of southwestern Ohio don’t want a 2-million-square-foot data center plopped down the road from their front porches. What’s wrong with them? Are they snotty not-in-my-backyard liberals? Not quite. Wilmington, Ohio, is a very Republican region marked by modest incomes. Such demographics may have made the locals, and other rural Americans, look like an easy sale to the tech companies hunting for places to plop their massive data centers. Amazon Web Services, which is proposing this nine-building data center on about 500 ...

Adopt a plant-based diet this Earth Day

Your View

Earth Day highlights the urgent need for evidence-based solutions to the climate and ecological crises. But what most people don’t realize is the biggest impact we can make as individuals starts on our plates. Extensive research shows that animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and freshwater depletion. In contrast, plant-based food systems require significantly fewer natural resources and generate lower emissions, making them a more efficient and sustainable way to feed a growing global population. Adopting ...