A popular group of tourist attractions in northeast Iowa faces deep funding cuts.
The Waterloo City Council is considering slashing the budget of the Grout Museum District by $300,000, around one-fifth of its budget.
Margaret Moye, the district’s executive director, says it’s because of state property tax legislation passed in 2023 that consolidated several local levies, including the one funding the museum district.
“I respect that the legislation put the city in a very difficult place,” Moye says. “It capped growth areas, it changed how cities can collect different funds, but the simple fact is that the voters of Waterloo approved this levy because they recognize our value.”
The city faces a $2.1-million-dollar budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. Moye is urging members of the community to make their voices heard at the council’s budget hearing on March 30th.
“There’s quite a few folks who absolutely understand how we fit into the ecosystem of Waterloo, and the fact that we’re a tourist draw, and we bring dollars to other entities besides ourselves, and we are community players and are in active partnerships across Waterloo and Cedar Falls.”
The district runs the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veteran’s Museum and the Grout Museum of History and Science, in addition to several historical sites.
