Do undocumented immigrants pay taxes? Your Call the Courier questions answered

Q: Is there a way the city could make the railroad clean up the mess where the tracks cross Cedar Terrace Drive all the way down to Shaulis Road? There’s dead trees, there’s brush piles, there’s vines crawling all over. It’s getting to be a safety hazard.

A: Calling the city of Waterloo’s public works department may be the route to go. Their number is (319) 291-4455.

Q: Waterloo is building a big sports arena down by Deere’s. Will that make the citizens as much money as the convention center, the dog track and the All-In grocery store that never made us a dime.

A: The Waterloo CourtWorks facility is expected to bring $10 million to $15 million of economic impact into the area during the first five years it's open, according to a previous Courier article. This includes money spent at restaurants, hotel rooms booked and people shopping in local stores.

Q: What are the new voting requirements? What evidence do I have to show to vote and can I vote by mail? What are the requirements there to make you eligible to vote in this country now?

A: Iowa residents voting in person are required to show a valid form of identification before voting at the poll. This includes a Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID, a U.S. passport, a military ID, a veterans ID, a voter ID card or a tribal ID card/document. Anyone without these IDs can have their identity attested to by another registered voter in that precinct. For absentee voting, voters need to provide numbers from either their Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID, or a four digit voter PIN on a Iowa Voter ID Card. Voters may request a voter ID card by contacting their county auditor’s office.

Q: Who was the mother of Anthony Perkins’ son Osgood Perkins?

A: Osgood’s mother and Anthony’s wife was Berry Berenson. She was an actress, model and photographer and died in one of the planes during the 9/11 attacks.

Q: There are illegal immigrants working here in the United States – their employers, do they pay taxes? I’d just like to know.

A: According to the Tax Policy Center, a public policy thinktank, immigrants of any legal status are required to pay the same taxes as U.S. citizens. These come through automatic tax withholding from paychecks. The federal government allows anyone ineligible for a Social Security number to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for filing tax returns. Immigrants also pay the same sales taxes, as well as property taxes if they own a home.

Q: How much money do the taxpayers of Waterloo get back from the All-In grocery store?

A: The city of Waterloo provided All-In Grocers with about $2 million in grants and tax incentives. Since the developers met the contract requirements of building a structure, the contract was completed and did not default. The property owner, Central Property Holdings LLC, paid its last property tax installment of nearly $80,000 in September 2025, according to county records. An audit completed by State Auditor Rob Sand last year found the city did not identify any improper disbursements.

Q: There is a house on the 400 block of Bayard Street that has had a fire in the house. It’s a shell. When is somebody going to take it down? It’s a liability and it’s an eyesore.

A: In November, the city of Waterloo sold 420 Bayard Street to the Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, along with a grant of $7,500. The city acquired the property through the 657A process. It will demolish the home and Habitat for Humanity will build a single family home on the lot. The vacant house was engulfed in flames and deemed a total loss in January 2024.

Call (319) 291-1550 to leave a voicemail or email newsroom@wcfcourier.com with your question.