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Local taxes › Black Hawk County › Hudson

City

Hudson

Black Hawk County · How cities work

$3,170 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.66 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,110 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.19 per $1,000)
$1.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.9Mcity 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.

  • Hector BaldiviezoHudson Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Marcus BowmanHudson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steven KramerHudson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Darryl KochHudson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jeff LawsonHudson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Matt ReisetterHudson 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 Hudson

Homes and businesses in most of Hudson pay a combined $37.66 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Black Hawk County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.19. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.35$11.40
FY21$33.25$11.39
FY22$33.15$11.38
FY23$31.84$11.36
FY24$34.28$11.36
FY25$35.12$11.36
FY26$35.25$11.35
FY27$37.66$13.19
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.35$11.40
FY21$33.25$11.39
FY22$33.15$11.38
FY23$31.84$11.36
FY24$34.28$11.36
FY25$35.12$11.36
FY26$35.25$11.35
FY27$37.66$13.19

Compared with places this size3

Hudson’s city property tax rate of $13.19 per $1,000 is the 31st lowest of 77 Iowa cities with 2,000–4,300 people. The middle of the group is $14.15.

Eldora: $26.87Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Eagle Grove: $19.32West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Lamoni: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Forest City: $15.77Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Sumner: $14.83Waukon: $14.76Rock Rapids: $14.57Monticello: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Rock Valley: $13.76Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Northwood: $11.28Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Hudson: $13.19$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 77
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Rockwell City$20.742,185
3Bloomfield$20.412,773
4Belmond$19.862,405
5Sibley$19.772,787
6Albia$19.703,579
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Eagle Grove$19.323,615
9West Liberty$18.683,724
10Chariton$18.374,278
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
18West Union$16.602,435
19Audubon$16.522,008
20Grundy Center$16.362,821
21Belle Plaine$16.342,335
22Colfax$16.252,305
23Lamoni$16.152,072
24Cresco$16.133,890
25Marengo$16.102,415
26Forest City$15.774,199
27Postville$15.682,418
28Tipton$15.543,059
29Granger$15.222,095
30Sigourney$15.201,974
31Jefferson$14.884,148
32Hampton$14.864,340
33Sumner$14.832,032
34Waukon$14.763,799
35Rock Rapids$14.572,709
36Monticello$14.494,095
37Jesup$14.312,541
38Osage$14.293,559
39Parkersburg$14.151,986
40Ida Grove$14.101,988
41Lake Mills$13.822,077
42Rock Valley$13.764,024
43Emmetsburg$13.703,632
44Wilton$13.622,914
45New Hampton$13.443,433
46Wapello$13.292,026
47Hudson$13.192,916
48Center Point$13.192,578
49Greenfield$13.131,988
50Hawarden$13.022,630
51Garner$12.863,049
52Bellevue$12.672,321
53Milford$12.573,258
54Lisbon$12.502,238
55Dallas Center$12.421,993
56Onawa$12.322,795
57Monroe$12.282,021
58Denver$12.271,955
59Alta$12.132,039
60Atkins$11.992,168
61Hull$11.792,459
62Cascade$11.642,396
63West Branch$11.632,876
64Mitchellville$11.542,686
65Solon$11.533,284
66Northwood$11.282,047
67Williamsburg$11.113,380
68Ely$11.082,371
69Ogden$10.991,970
70Carter Lake$10.673,752
71Story City$10.393,439
72Kalona$10.372,762
73West Burlington$10.153,249
74Peosta$9.822,195
75Robins$9.683,362
76Epworth$9.422,042
77Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Hudson’s general levy is $7.73 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.37 below the limit.4 726 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $7.89 · FY27 $7.73 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.46 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.17 · $386,839
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.28 · $156,197
  • Debt Service Levy$1.01 · $176,180

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$53.2M of taxable value in Hudson is in TIF districts’ increment (29% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $1.5M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$929,862

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $648,343 of the city’s own.

  • Hudson schools$675,550
  • Black Hawk County$282,638
YearTIF revenue
FY16$136,952
FY17$254,985
FY18$287,894
FY19$416,584
FY20$713,930
FY21$912,485
FY22$896,779
FY23$929,862
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$136,952
FY17$254,985
FY18$287,894
FY19$416,584
FY20$713,930
FY21$912,485
FY22$896,779
FY23$929,862

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$943,38357%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$386,83923%
  • Debt Service Levy$176,18011%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$156,1979%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Hudson’s budget goes, FY26

Public Safety: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Debt Service: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Business Type / Enterprise: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Capital Projects: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 25¢ of every dollar25¢

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 76 Iowa cities closest in size (2,000–4,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (76)
Public Safety21¢12¢
Debt Service16¢7¢
Business Type / Enterprise13¢40¢
Capital Projects13¢15¢
Public Works11¢10¢
Everything else25¢16¢

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.

  • Debt Service$1.2M25%
  • Public Safety$1.2M24%
  • Capital Projects$681,00014%
  • Community and Economic Development$629,21913%
  • Culture and Recreation$534,24911%
  • General Government$413,8878%
  • Public Works$219,8765%
  • Health and Social Services$6,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($791,576 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$668,351$707,258
Public Safety$967,263$1.1M
Health and Social Services$10,000$818
General Government$717,511$523,258
Debt Service$923,711$924,313
Culture and Recreation$496,832$409,336
Community and Economic Development$424,782$671,071
Capital Projects$0$518,717
Business Type / Enterprise$834,266$777,583

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$10.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Hudson owes

$5.8M at June 30, 2026: $2,262 per resident. 352nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$7.0M
$5.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.8M$2,262
2025$6.7M$2,626
2024$4.1M$1,611
2023$4.7M$1,828
2022$5.7M$2,221
2021$4.4M$1,742
2020$5.0M$1,982
2019$5.7M$2,221
2018$5.7M$2,238
2017$6.5M$2,544
2016$7.0M$2,753
2015$4.9M$1,927
2014$5.2M$2,046
2013$5.5M$2,143
2012$6.0M$2,342
2011$3.5M$1,378
2010$3.6M$1,402
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.8M$2,262
2025$6.7M$2,626
2024$4.1M$1,611
2023$4.7M$1,828
2022$5.7M$2,221
2021$4.4M$1,742
2020$5.0M$1,982
2019$5.7M$2,221
2018$5.7M$2,238
2017$6.5M$2,544
2016$7.0M$2,753
2015$4.9M$1,927
2014$5.2M$2,046
2013$5.5M$2,143
2012$6.0M$2,342
2011$3.5M$1,378
2010$3.6M$1,402

Up 61% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $5.8M, 35% of the limit of about $16.5M (5% of $329.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationCorporate Purpose Bond2040$2.6M
General ObligationStreet Reconstruction2033$1.1M
General ObligationConstructing Sanitary Sewer, Storm Sewer, Water System, Street and Sidewalk Improvements and advance refunding the City's 2011 GO Capital Loan Notes2029$975,000
General ObligationCorporate Purpose Bonds2040$865,000
General ObligationConstruction of Butterfield Lift Station #2, Construction in the Northern Tier, Bike Trail Phase I2027$285,000

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 balances11. Hudson’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Reaudit for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Wednesday, September 9, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

17 earlier reports for Hudson

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? 13

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: $374,748 in FY25, up 19% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$345,361$350,358$319,016$361,743
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$21,341$19,553$5,079$13,005

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.

$132,141
$3,314
  • State grants$3,314100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$48,506
FY20$0
FY21$1,679
FY22$2,347
FY23$1,740
FY24$132,141
FY25$3,314
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$48,506
FY20$0
FY21$1,679
FY22$2,347
FY23$1,740
FY24$132,141
FY25$3,314

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−2%$294,802 → $361,743, up 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−47%$19,522 → $13,005, down 33% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 47% 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 44% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% more.

$438,941
$431,276

Federal grants, for comparison: $132,700 in FY24.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 1996 worth $80K, for 18 pledged jobs.

Awards statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 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)14.

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 Hudson; 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.

  • Hudson City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Matt Reisetter, Jeff Lawson, Darryl Koch
  • Hudson Mayor
    Now held by Hector Baldiviezo

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Dave Sires (Sen. 38)Derek Wulf (Rep. 76)

U.S. House:District 2

Black Hawk CountyHudson schools