BUDGET WOES; YOUR INPUT WELCOMED As you’ve probably read or heard, the Iowa State Legislature passed new property tax laws this spring that force Des Moines and other Iowa cities to trim budgets for fiscal year 2027-28. The Des Moines City Council faces the daunting task of cutting $12 million from our General Fund. David Derong, a communications team member from the City Manager’s Office, has developed a nifty Budget Savings Calculator for residents to weigh in on priorities

SERGEANT BEHIND DMPD DATA Des Moines police Sgt. Bryan O’Donnell is quick to acknowledge he loves data and organization. That’s a good thing: When I visited Sgt. O’Donnell, in his tidy second-floor office at police headquarters, I counted 54 tasks on the whiteboard behind his desk. Yes, this sergeant has a boatload of duties. Sgt. O’Donnell manages the department’s tasks to achieve Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) accreditation while overseeing