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Local taxes › Allamakee County › Harpers Ferry

City

Harpers Ferry

Allamakee County · How cities work

$2,320 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($27.59 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$630 a yearof that goes to the city ($7.49 per $1,000)
$402,985property taxes the city levies, FY27
$646,322city budget, FY27, without city-run utilities (not yet reported)2

Who runs it

The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.

  • Alan GarinHarpers Ferry City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jerry C. ValleyHarpers Ferry Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kenneth A. BartaHarpers Ferry City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Daren KaeppelHarpers Ferry City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Russ WalkerHarpers Ferry City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Thomas E. DigginsHarpers Ferry City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023

Officials are worked out from election results: every member whose four-year term is still running, plus appointments and titles Iowa Funnel has been told about. A resignation may not show yet.

Meetings and agendas

What the council is deciding: each agenda, the resolutions and ordinances on it, and a plain-language summary.

Iowa Funnel doesn’t read this city’s agendas yet. Every council and board posts its agenda at least 24 hours before it meets.

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Harpers Ferry

Homes and businesses in most of Harpers Ferry pay a combined $27.59 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Allamakee County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $7.49. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Harpers Ferry pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.17$7.84
FY21$26.11$7.81
FY22–$7.86
FY23–$8.10
FY24$27.90$8.37
FY25–$7.86
FY26$28.15$7.71
FY27$27.59$7.49
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.17$7.84
FY21$26.11$7.81
FY22–$7.86
FY23–$8.10
FY24$27.90$8.37
FY25–$7.86
FY26$28.15$7.71
FY27$27.59$7.49

Compared with places this size3

Harpers Ferry’s city property tax rate of $7.49 per $1,000 is the 14th lowest of 205 Iowa cities with 180–400 people. The middle of the group is $12.14.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Earling: $20.47Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Parnell: $11.78Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Frederika: $10.99Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Grand River: $7.86Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Alvord: $7.41Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Rickardsville: $2.27Harpers Ferry: $7.49$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 205
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Smithland$21.12184
7Earling$20.47394
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Fort Atkinson$19.19300
12Salem$19.15380
13Cumberland$18.42248
14Jamaica$18.24196
15Massena$18.23352
16Callender$17.78361
17Casey$17.72387
18Vail$17.66383
19Ringsted$17.65346
20Emerson$17.54401
21Pierson$17.12335
22Burt$17.10404
23Pisgah$17.09248
24Lohrville$16.95366
25Lakota$16.84261
26Marble Rock$16.78258
27Auburn$16.65253
28Mccallsburg$16.58356
29Prescott$16.53186
30Irwin$16.46320
31Montour$16.37199
32Lewis$16.25358
33Corwith$16.22259
34Deep River$16.18243
35Waucoma$16.17235
36Duncombe$16.10374
37Bayard$16.05402
38Granville$16.00302
39Minburn$15.75317
40Moorhead$15.68186
41Onslow$15.63198
42Linden$15.62206
43Peterson$15.27321
44Greeley$15.23216
45Riverton$14.94243
46Marathon$14.89221
47Plainfield$14.84392
48Ryan$14.84348
49Ladora$14.74223
50Magnolia$14.68194
51Bagley$14.63230
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Steamboat Rock$14.19261
58Westgate$14.05190
59Mystic$14.01318
60Wesley$13.91382
61Diagonal$13.91331
62Bussey$13.83378
63Mondamin$13.82335
64Livermore$13.78382
65Fertile$13.70300
66Stockport$13.68272
67Kellerton$13.60241
68Quimby$13.58245
69Meservey$13.43212
70Persia$13.41292
71Lawler$13.39392
72Lacona$13.38336
73Leland$13.31240
74Ute$13.26326
75New Market$13.25381
76Plymouth$13.21368
77Harcourt$13.21257
78Bennett$13.16330
79Ridgeway$13.10261
80Farmersburg$13.09264
81Portsmouth$13.05187
82Clutier$13.03209
83Lehigh$12.97395
84Menlo$12.92347
85Templeton$12.91337
86Silver City$12.87244
87Martelle$12.83250
88Malcom$12.82257
89Blencoe$12.57223
90Williams$12.57299
91Maurice$12.56271
92Clearfield$12.50277
93Kensett$12.47256
94Mccausland$12.45314
95Spillville$12.40371
96Modale$12.34284
97Mingo$12.31314
98Brandon$12.29331
99Blakesburg$12.21273
100Cushing$12.18225
101Bonaparte$12.17357
102Hanlontown$12.17200
103Stout$12.14194
104Macedonia$12.12266
105Paton$12.09217
106Kiron$12.03262
107Rembrandt$12.03199
108Colesburg$11.97379
109Liscomb$11.96292
110New Providence$11.88233
111Thornton$11.86394
112Parnell$11.78190
113Joice$11.72206
114Atalissa$11.71287
115Cantril$11.69224
116Kelley$11.69312
117Orient$11.66363
118Wadena$11.65201
119Cincinnati$11.57280
120Delta$11.52257
121Terril$11.48310
122Westside$11.45283
123Holland$11.37261
124Churdan$11.31359
125Mallard$11.28255
126Miles$11.28400
127Renwick$11.16228
128Dundee$11.14193
129Randolph$11.08183
130Frederika$10.99206
131Milton$10.98395
132New Vienna$10.91384
133Letts$10.91358
134Goose Lake$10.89250
135Birmingham$10.87371
136Charlotte$10.86386
137Yale$10.85265
138Hornick$10.74255
139Woden$10.68183
140Riverdale$10.67385
141Bode$10.64304
142Union$10.58378
143Cleghorn$10.49235
144Calamus$10.47348
145Danbury$10.43315
146Lytton$10.38274
147Rhodes$10.36269
148Dedham$10.28221
149Deloit$10.28246
150Protivin$10.28264
151Andrew$10.22374
152Royal$10.20379
153Bronson$10.14294
154Hancock$10.13199
155Rudd$10.13339
156La Motte$10.09235
157Melvin$10.05196
158Defiance$10.05248
159Floyd$10.02297
160Barnum$9.96186
161Panama$9.85234
162Grafton$9.83212
163Lynnville$9.68382
164Ionia$9.65220
165Salix$9.63303
166Luxemburg$9.58240
167Rippey$9.42217
168Farnhamville$9.18364
169Middletown$9.16365
170Dixon$9.03204
171Lester$8.94309
172Oakville$8.89198
173Harvey$8.71242
174Washta$8.65206
175Ollie$8.44196
176Thor$8.38182
177Rowley$8.31264
178South English$8.27196
179Bertram$8.10267
180Fostoria$8.10229
181Low Moor$8.10242
182Nichols$8.10317
183Laurel$8.10214
184Lineville$8.10194
185Luana$7.98303
186Lockridge$7.92245
187Grand River$7.86192
188Pulaski$7.58259
189Sheldahl$7.56312
190Fredonia$7.55227
191Worthington$7.50374
192Harpers Ferry$7.49273
193Alvord$7.41216
194Columbus City$6.94385
195Donahue$6.83336
196Packwood$6.77186
197Libertyville$6.60278
198Keswick$6.49238
199Crawfordsville$6.44278
200Holy Cross$5.91348
201Conesville$5.86350
202Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
203Wahpeton$3.19337
204West Okoboji$2.92311
205Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Harpers Ferry’s general levy is $7.49 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.61 below the limit.4 809 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.71 · FY27 $7.49 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

The city’s levies, FY27

What the city raises from each levy. The general levy is capped by state law; the others are set aside for one purpose.

  • Consolidate General Fund$402,618100%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Harpers Ferry’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 32¢ of every dollar32¢General Government: 26¢ of every dollar26¢Business Type / Enterprise: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Public Safety: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Everything else: 4¢ of every dollar

Planned spending from all funds, including city-run utilities like water and sewer (“business type”), which some cities run and others don’t. Transfers between funds are left out. “Cities this size” is the average for the 203 Iowa cities closest in size (180–400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (203)
Public Works32¢20¢
General Government26¢17¢
Business Type / Enterprise21¢38¢
Culture and Recreation10¢8¢
Public Safety7¢9¢
Everything else4¢2¢

Planned spending, FY27

All funds: property taxes, utility and other fees, state and federal money. “Business type” is city-run utilities and enterprises like water or sewer.

  • Public Works$264,16341%
  • General Government$209,57932%
  • Culture and Recreation$81,84713%
  • Public Safety$58,2259%
  • Community and Economic Development$32,5085%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($156,897 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$229,127$178,585
Public Safety$47,400$46,146
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$137,657$134,054
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$111,670$63,886
Community and Economic Development$26,600$25,154
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$474,707$2.5M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out5

$3.0M
$783,194

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Harpers Ferry owes

$2.2M at June 30, 2026: $8,501 per resident. 29th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).6

$2.4M
$2.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.2M$8,501
2025$2.3M$8,680
2024$2.3M$8,857
2023$2.4M$9,034
2022$2.1M$8,025
2021$244,001$931
2020$202,000$771
2019$263,000$1,004
2018$322,000$1,229
2017$378,000$1,443
2016$434,000$1,656
2015$489,000$1,866
2014$570,864$2,179
2013$602,051$2,298
2012$625,884$2,389
2011$741,978$2,832
2010$532,385$2,032
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.2M$8,501
2025$2.3M$8,680
2024$2.3M$8,857
2023$2.4M$9,034
2022$2.1M$8,025
2021$244,001$931
2020$202,000$771
2019$263,000$1,004
2018$322,000$1,229
2017$378,000$1,443
2016$434,000$1,656
2015$489,000$1,866
2014$570,864$2,179
2013$602,051$2,298
2012$625,884$2,389
2011$741,978$2,832
2010$532,385$2,032

Up 318% since 2010.

The 5% limit7

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $4.9M (5% of $99.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsUSDA loan for Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvement project.2062$2.2M

General obligation bonds are repaid from property taxes; revenue bonds and loans from the fees or revenue they’re tied to. On the Treasurer’s site

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Harpers Ferry’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF), released Friday, January 31, 2025, by the Auditor of State.

3 earlier reports for Harpers Ferry

State money

What the State of Iowa pays the city each year, and whether it has kept up with prices. Does state money keep pace? 10

What the state pays the city every year

Road Use Tax for streets, the commercial and industrial tax “backfill”, and ambulance reimbursement, paid every year by formula: $31,955 in FY25, down 71% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 77% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$31,704$30,515$31,351$31,521
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$1,086$869$652$434

Grants and project money

State grants and money for specific projects (roads, development, natural resources) vary with what the city applies for and wins, so they aren’t counted as the state’s regular support.

$473
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$466
    FY21$473
    FY22$0
    FY23$54
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$466
    FY21$473
    FY22$0
    FY23$54
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−29%$35,481 → $31,521, down 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−100%$73,840 → $434, down 99% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 100% less

    Collected by the state for the city

    The local option sales tax is a city tax voters approved; the state collects it with the state sales tax and sends it back. It isn’t state aid. It’s up 21% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% less.

    $37,551
    $36,349

    Federal grants, for comparison: $24,148 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 284 days.

    For the Tuesday, November 2, 2027 election, candidates file Monday, August 23, 2027 to Thursday, September 16, 2027 with the county auditor (or the city clerk, if the auditor names the clerk to take them)11.

    In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

    Most recent: November 4, 2025

    City · 2

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Harpers Ferry; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

    Who has filed for Tuesday, November 2, 2027

    Filing hasn’t opened. These seats are expected on the ballot.

    • Harpers Ferry City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Russ Walker, Daren Kaeppel, Thomas E. Diggins
    • Harpers Ferry Mayor
      Now held by Jerry C. Valley

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

    Past ballot measures

    None found since 2022.

    When a measure can be on the ballot

    • Tuesday, March 2, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
    • Tuesday, September 14, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
    • Tuesday, November 2, 2027 · any question, including bonds
    • Tuesday, March 7, 2028 · no bond or debt questions

    Bonds and other borrowing can only go on the November ballot13.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress14

    Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Jason Gearhart (Rep. 64)

    U.S. House:District 2

    Allamakee CountyAllamakee schools