Local taxes › Allamakee County › Postville

City

Postville

Allamakee County · How cities work

$3,250 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.64 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,320 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.68 per $1,000)
$1.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.3Mcity 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.

  • Dennis KoenigPostville Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mary EngstromPostville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rebecca EngelhardtPostville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Devora Klein-MahrPostville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Larry A. MoorePostville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Laurie MoodyPostville 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 Postville

Homes and businesses in most of Postville pay a combined $38.64 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, $15.68. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Postville$15.6841%
  • Postville schools$13.4235%
  • Allamakee County$6.4517%
  • Allamakee County Veterans Memorial Hospital$1.213%
  • Northeast Iowa Community College$1.043%
  • Allamakee County Assessor$0.561%
  • Allamakee County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.27<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.08$15.48
FY21$37.12$15.47
FY22$22.84$14.96
FY23$22.67$14.77
FY24$40.00$16.00
FY25$22.42$15.35
FY26$38.24$15.37
FY27$38.64$15.68
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.08$15.48
FY21$37.12$15.47
FY22$22.84$14.96
FY23$22.67$14.77
FY24$40.00$16.00
FY25$22.42$15.35
FY26$38.24$15.37
FY27$38.64$15.68

Compared with places this size3

Postville’s city property tax rate of $15.68 per $1,000 is the 28th highest of 89 Iowa cities with 1,600–3,600 people. The middle of the group is $13.62.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Lake City: $19.32Eagle Grove: $19.32Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Pleasantville: $15.80Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Moville: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Postville: $15.68$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 89
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Albia$19.703,579
8Sac City$19.691,992
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Eagle Grove$19.323,615
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Tama$17.742,997
14Clarion$17.742,751
15Britt$17.722,001
16Missouri Valley$17.682,638
17Madrid$16.932,824
18Manson$16.871,646
19West Union$16.602,435
20Audubon$16.522,008
21Grundy Center$16.362,821
22Belle Plaine$16.342,335
23Colfax$16.252,305
24Durant$16.241,798
25Lamoni$16.152,072
26Marengo$16.102,415
27Pleasantville$15.801,696
28Postville$15.682,418
29Tipton$15.543,059
30Stuart$15.481,887
31Mount Ayr$15.321,616
32Granger$15.222,095
33Sigourney$15.201,974
34Guttenberg$15.191,804
35Sumner$14.832,032
36Woodbine$14.801,707
37Van Meter$14.601,840
38Rock Rapids$14.572,709
39Jesup$14.312,541
40Osage$14.293,559
41Urbana$14.201,635
42Parkersburg$14.151,986
43Ida Grove$14.101,988
44Lake Mills$13.822,077
45Wilton$13.622,914
46Avoca$13.511,685
47New Hampton$13.443,433
48Wapello$13.292,026
49Hudson$13.192,916
50Center Point$13.192,578
51Greenfield$13.131,988
52Hawarden$13.022,630
53Leon$12.931,779
54Garner$12.863,049
55Slater$12.791,626
56Bellevue$12.672,321
57Milford$12.573,258
58New London$12.561,853
59Lisbon$12.502,238
60Dallas Center$12.421,993
61Onawa$12.322,795
62Remsen$12.321,681
63Monroe$12.282,021
64Denver$12.271,955
65Alta$12.132,039
66Reinbeck$12.101,673
67Atkins$11.992,168
68Blue Grass$11.791,707
69Hull$11.792,459
70Columbus Junction$11.711,794
71Cascade$11.642,396
72West Branch$11.632,876
73Mitchellville$11.542,686
74Solon$11.533,284
75Prairie City$11.381,722
76Northwood$11.282,047
77Mediapolis$11.271,679
78Williamsburg$11.113,380
79Ely$11.082,371
80Ogden$10.991,970
81Farley$10.911,723
82Moville$10.671,707
83Story City$10.393,439
84Kalona$10.372,762
85West Burlington$10.153,249
86Peosta$9.822,195
87Robins$9.683,362
88Epworth$9.422,042
89Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Postville’s general levy is $7.81 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 below the limit.4 691 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.05 · FY27 $7.81 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.87 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.30 · $229,797
  • Debt Service Levy$3.19 · $222,312
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.71 · $49,129
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$0.68 · $47,028

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Postville’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $29,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$138,586
$69,632
YearTIF revenue
FY16$85,647
FY17$138,586
FY18$85,699
FY19$110,253
FY20$112,148
FY21$125,112
FY22$128,000
FY23$69,632
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$85,647
FY17$138,586
FY18$85,699
FY19$110,253
FY20$112,148
FY21$125,112
FY22$128,000
FY23$69,632

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$544,23650%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$229,79721%
  • Debt Service Levy$222,31220%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$49,1294%
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$47,0284%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Postville’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Capital Projects: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Works: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢General Government: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 7¢ of every dollar7¢

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 88 Iowa cities closest in size (1,600–3,600 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (88)
Business Type / Enterprise35¢39¢
Capital Projects19¢14¢
Public Works18¢10¢
Public Safety14¢12¢
General Government6¢6¢
Everything else7¢18¢

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$998,17030%
  • Public Safety$787,68524%
  • Capital Projects$680,00021%
  • General Government$343,80011%
  • Debt Service$224,4447%
  • Culture and Recreation$218,8507%
  • Community and Economic Development$20,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.9M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$603,400$575,138
Public Safety$589,100$546,201
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$249,050$243,808
Debt Service$85,000$84,550
Culture and Recreation$191,550$179,974
Community and Economic Development$110,000$16,472
Capital Projects$305,000$715,583
Business Type / Enterprise$1.7M$1.6M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$7.1M
$3.9M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Postville owes

$6.8M at June 30, 2026: $2,717 per resident. 309th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$10.2M
$6.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.8M$2,717
2025$6.2M$2,490
2024$7.1M$2,825
2023$8.2M$3,266
2022$8.3M$3,305
2021$8.8M$3,517
2020$9.6M$3,830
2019$10.1M$4,023
2018$10.2M$4,059
2017$9.8M$3,930
2016$4.9M$1,960
2015$5.5M$2,208
2014$6.1M$2,450
2013$6.8M$2,711
2012$7.3M$2,917
2011$8.3M$3,299
2010$8.8M$3,520
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.8M$2,717
2025$6.2M$2,490
2024$7.1M$2,825
2023$8.2M$3,266
2022$8.3M$3,305
2021$8.8M$3,517
2020$9.6M$3,830
2019$10.1M$4,023
2018$10.2M$4,059
2017$9.8M$3,930
2016$4.9M$1,960
2015$5.5M$2,208
2014$6.1M$2,450
2013$6.8M$2,711
2012$7.3M$2,917
2011$8.3M$3,299
2010$8.8M$3,520

Down 23% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $1.6M, 29% of the limit of about $5.6M (5% of $112.1M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

9 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWaste Water Treatment Facilty Improvement Watershed Sponsored Project2045$4.5M
General ObligationGeneral Obligation Captial Loan 2025 Water Line project and sidewalk project2040$835,000
General ObligationGO 2017A Post Street Project/Fire Tanker2032$480,000
Revenue BondsINDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY2027$360,700
General ObligationTaxable General Obligation Note Series 2023A2033$300,000
Revenue BondsSRF Sewer Lining2038$226,000
Capital Leases/Lease to Purchase2025 FORD EXPLOER WITH EQUIPMENT K92028$48,656
Capital Leases/Lease to PurchasePOLICE TASERS WITH EQUIPMENT2028$3,000
Capital Leases/Lease to PurchasePurchase agreement Police Tasers2027$2,520

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 balances9. Postville’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Thursday, April 2, 2026, by a CPA firm.

AI summary11

  • One employee has too much control over the money because they handle both the bank deposits and the recording of cash receipts.
  • The city will continue to monitor staff to ensure duties are divided as much as possible among their small team.
The findings, as the report states them
SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 Findings Related to the Financial Statements: INSTANCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE:No matters were notedMATERIAL WEAKNESSES:2025-001 Segregation of Duties Criteria - Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control. A good system of internal control provides for adequate segregation of duties so no one individual handles a transaction form its inception to completion. In order to maintain proper internal control, duties should be segregated so the authorization, custody and recording of transactions are not under the control of the same employee. This segregation of duties helps prevent losses from employee error or dishonesty and maximizes the accuracy of the City's financial statements. •Condition - One individual in the City has control over the bank deposits and posting cash receipts to the cash receipts journal. Cause - The City has a limited number of employees and procedures have not been. designed to adequately segregate duties or provide compensating controls through additional oversight of transactions and processes. Effect - Inadequate segregation· of duties could adversely affect the City's ability to prevent or detect and correct misstatements, errors or misappropriation on a timely basis by employees in the normal course of performing their assigned functions. Recommendation - We realize segregation of duties is difficult with a limited number of office employees. However, the City should be· aware of the potential for problems resulting from a lack of segregation of duties and should consistently look for ways to improve the City's internal controls. However, all incoming mail should be opened by an employee who is not authorized to make entries to the accounting records. This employee should prepare a listing of cash and checks received. The mail should then be forwarded to the accounting personnel for processing. Later, the same listing should be compared to the cash receipt records. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - The City will continue to monitor office staff so duties are segregated amongst the small staff. Conclusion-Response accepted.- 41 - ### Page 47 CITY OF POSTVILLE POSTVILLE, IOWA SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 Part 11: Other Findings Related to Required Statutory Reporting:2025-A Certified Budget - Disbursements during the year ended June 30, 2025, did not exceed the amounts budgeted. 2025-B Questionable Disbursements - We noted no disbursements that may not meet the requirements of public purpose as defined in an Attorney General's opinion dated April 25, 1979. 2025-C Travel Expense - No disbursements of City money for travel expenses of spouses of City officials or employees were noted. 2025-D Business Transactions - No business transactions between the City and City officials or employees were noted. 2025-E Restricted Donor Activity - No transactions were noted between the City, City officials, City employees and restricted donors in compliance with Chapter 68B of the Code of Iowa. 2025-F Bond Coverage - Surety bond coverage of City officials and employees is in accordance with statutory provisions. The amount of coverage should be reviewed annually to ensure that the coverage is adequate for current operations. 2025-G Deposits and Investments -No instances of non-compliance with the deposit and investment provisions of Chapters 12B and 12C of the Code of Iowa and the City's investment policy were noted. 2025-H City Council Minutes - No transactions were found that we believe should have been approved in the City Council minutes but were not. 2025-I Revenue Bonds and Notes - No instances of non-compliance with the revenue bond and note resolutions were noted. 2025-J Tax Increment Financing - The Special Revenue, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund properly disbursed payments for TIF loans. Also, the City of Postville properly completed the Tax Increment Debt Certificate Forms to request TIF property taxes. 2025-K Annual Urban Renewal Report - The Annual Urban Renewal Report was properly approved and certified to the Iowa Department of Management on or before December 1 as required by Chapter 384.22(2)(a) of the Code of Iowa and no exceptions were noted. - 42 -
16 earlier reports for Postville

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? 12

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: $355,474 in FY25, up 24% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$339,117$344,441$353,555$355,474
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––$76,650–

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.

$131,259
$75,407
  • State grants$75,407100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,907
FY20$74,569
FY21$131,259
FY22$114,287
FY23$26,112
FY24$10,800
FY25$75,407
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,907
FY20$74,569
FY21$131,259
FY22$114,287
FY23$26,112
FY24$10,800
FY25$75,407

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−2%$287,697 → $355,474, up 24% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% 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 60% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 28% more.

$349,374

Federal grants, for comparison: $153,485 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2003 worth $705K, for 94 pledged jobs.

Awards 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)13.

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 Postville; 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.

  • Postville City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Larry A. Moore, Devora Klein-Mahr, Laurie Moody

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

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 ballot15.

Related places