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Local taxes › Black Hawk County › La Porte City

City

La Porte City

Black Hawk County · How cities work

$3,100 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.77 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,520 a yearof that goes to the city ($18.08 per $1,000)
$1.3Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.1Mcity 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.

  • Brooke ClarkLa Porte City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jasmine GastonLa Porte City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jordan SchmitzLa Porte City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brett HakemanLa Porte City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jan PintLa Porte City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kristi J. HarrillLa Porte City 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 La Porte City

Homes and businesses in most of La Porte City pay a combined $36.77 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, $18.08. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.91$15.89
FY21$36.09$16.08
FY22$36.39$16.44
FY23$36.20$16.81
FY24$36.89$17.87
FY25$36.72$17.80
FY26$37.05$18.08
FY27$36.77$18.08
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.91$15.89
FY21$36.09$16.08
FY22$36.39$16.44
FY23$36.20$16.81
FY24$36.89$17.87
FY25$36.72$17.80
FY26$37.05$18.08
FY27$36.77$18.08

Compared with places this size3

La Porte City’s city property tax rate of $18.08 per $1,000 is the 12th highest of 95 Iowa cities with 1,500–3,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.62.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Guthrie Center: $14.04Lake Mills: $13.82Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Akron: $12.93Leon: $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: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Kalona: $10.37Walcott: $10.29West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10La Porte City: $18.08$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 95
#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
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Traer$19.561,547
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
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
19Nashua$16.811,515
20Ackley$16.631,538
21West Union$16.602,435
22Audubon$16.522,008
23Grundy Center$16.362,821
24Belle Plaine$16.342,335
25Colfax$16.252,305
26Durant$16.241,798
27Lamoni$16.152,072
28Marengo$16.102,415
29Pleasantville$15.801,696
30Postville$15.682,418
31Tipton$15.543,059
32Stuart$15.481,887
33Mount Ayr$15.321,616
34Granger$15.222,095
35Sigourney$15.201,974
36Guttenberg$15.191,804
37Sumner$14.832,032
38Woodbine$14.801,707
39Van Meter$14.601,840
40Rock Rapids$14.572,709
41Jesup$14.312,541
42Urbana$14.201,635
43Parkersburg$14.151,986
44Hartley$14.111,584
45Ida Grove$14.101,988
46Guthrie Center$14.041,579
47Lake Mills$13.822,077
48Wilton$13.622,914
49Avoca$13.511,685
50Wapello$13.292,026
51Hudson$13.192,916
52Center Point$13.192,578
53Greenfield$13.131,988
54Hawarden$13.022,630
55Akron$12.931,545
56Leon$12.931,779
57Garner$12.863,049
58Slater$12.791,626
59Bellevue$12.672,321
60Milford$12.573,258
61New London$12.561,853
62Lisbon$12.502,238
63Dallas Center$12.421,993
64Onawa$12.322,795
65Remsen$12.321,681
66Monroe$12.282,021
67Denver$12.271,955
68Alta$12.132,039
69Reinbeck$12.101,673
70Atkins$11.992,168
71Wellman$11.881,531
72Blue Grass$11.791,707
73Hull$11.792,459
74Columbus Junction$11.711,794
75Cascade$11.642,396
76West Branch$11.632,876
77Mitchellville$11.542,686
78Solon$11.533,284
79Palo$11.491,554
80Prairie City$11.381,722
81Northwood$11.282,047
82Mediapolis$11.271,679
83Williamsburg$11.113,380
84Ely$11.082,371
85Ogden$10.991,970
86Farley$10.911,723
87Oakland$10.851,519
88Moville$10.671,707
89Kalona$10.372,762
90Walcott$10.291,556
91West Burlington$10.153,249
92Peosta$9.822,195
93Robins$9.683,362
94Epworth$9.422,042
95Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

La Porte City’s general levy is $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, at the limit.4 247 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $9.98 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.87 · $372,250
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.61 · $313,061
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.44 · $29,997
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.06 · $3,933

Tax increment financing (TIF)

La Porte City’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $231,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$211,648
YearTIF revenue
FY16$139,168
FY17$154,135
FY18$195,599
FY19$185,053
FY20$184,950
FY21$144,462
FY22$206,195
FY23$211,648
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$139,168
FY17$154,135
FY18$195,599
FY19$185,053
FY20$184,950
FY21$144,462
FY22$206,195
FY23$211,648

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$550,19543%
  • Debt Service Levy$372,25029%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$313,06125%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$29,9972%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$3,9330%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of La Porte City’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Public Works: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Safety: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Debt Service: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything else: 9¢ of every dollar9¢

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 94 Iowa cities closest in size (1,500–3,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (94)
Business Type / Enterprise35¢40¢
Public Works17¢10¢
Public Safety16¢12¢
Debt Service14¢7¢
Culture and Recreation10¢8¢
Everything else9¢24¢

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$903,92530%
  • Public Safety$687,33722%
  • Debt Service$586,59319%
  • Culture and Recreation$474,16015%
  • General Government$283,0389%
  • Community and Economic Development$110,0004%
  • Capital Projects$10,0000%
  • Health and Social Services$8,2000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.6M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$906,325$726,986
Public Safety$641,094$664,486
Health and Social Services$6,100$14,071
General Government$245,830$252,023
Debt Service$644,158$648,913
Culture and Recreation$481,097$430,029
Community and Economic Development$267,500$167,126
Capital Projects$25,000$124,334
Business Type / Enterprise$5.0M$602,554

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$11.0M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What La Porte City owes

$12.1M at June 30, 2026: $5,304 per resident. 109th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$13.7M
$12.1M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$12.1M$5,304
2025$13.7M$5,985
2024$4.0M$1,736
2023$4.5M$1,977
2022$5.0M$2,211
2021$5.4M$2,349
2020$2.1M$922
2019$2.4M$1,057
2018$2.7M$1,189
2017$3.1M$1,359
2016$3.5M$1,530
2015$3.0M$1,305
2014$3.3M$1,455
2013$3.7M$1,615
2012$4.0M$1,760
2011$2.5M$1,073
2010$2.8M$1,219
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$12.1M$5,304
2025$13.7M$5,985
2024$4.0M$1,736
2023$4.5M$1,977
2022$5.0M$2,211
2021$5.4M$2,349
2020$2.1M$922
2019$2.4M$1,057
2018$2.7M$1,189
2017$3.1M$1,359
2016$3.5M$1,530
2015$3.0M$1,305
2014$3.3M$1,455
2013$3.7M$1,615
2012$4.0M$1,760
2011$2.5M$1,073
2010$2.8M$1,219

Up 335% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. La Porte City’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by a CPA firm.

3 earlier reports for La Porte City

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: $334,738 in FY25, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$315,751$314,304$322,621$324,372
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$16,585$14,512$56,788$10,366

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.

$539,218
$12,317
  • State grants$12,317100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,998
FY20$11,526
FY21$65,747
FY22$27,490
FY23$18,816
FY24$539,218
FY25$12,317
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,998
FY20$11,526
FY21$65,747
FY22$27,490
FY23$18,816
FY24$539,218
FY25$12,317

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$295,189 → $324,372, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−49%$16,150 → $10,366, down 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 49% 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 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more.

$408,356
$393,147

Federal grants, for comparison: $29,923 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 286 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 La Porte City; 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.

  • La Porte City City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Jan Pint, Kristi J. Harrill, Brett Hakeman

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

Past ballot measures

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

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

U.S. House:District 2

Black Hawk CountyUnion schools