Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Bremer County › Janesville

City

Janesville

Bremer County · How cities work

$2,860 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.01 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,130 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.43 per $1,000)
$722,565property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.5Mcity 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.

  • Brenda SchmidtkeJanesville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David A. BeenblossomJanesville Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jeff ConoverJanesville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Susan L. StapletonJanesville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ben McAllisterJanesville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Brian DixJanesville 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 Janesville

Homes and businesses in most of Janesville pay a combined $34.01 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Bremer County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.43. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.41$9.83
FY21$32.94$11.16
FY22–$11.16
FY23–$12.21
FY24$34.52$13.98
FY25–$13.68
FY26$34.26$13.68
FY27$34.01$13.43
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.41$9.83
FY21$32.94$11.16
FY22–$11.16
FY23–$12.21
FY24$34.52$13.98
FY25–$13.68
FY26$34.26$13.68
FY27$34.01$13.43

Compared with places this size3

Janesville’s city property tax rate of $13.43 per $1,000 is the 78th highest of 172 Iowa cities with 700–1,600 people. The middle of the group is $13.22.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Oxford: $16.70Ackley: $16.63Buffalo Center: $16.58Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Palo: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Oakland: $10.85Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Janesville: $13.43$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 172
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Allison$19.06937
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Dysart$17.951,266
12Greene$17.91971
13Alden$17.90738
14Lansing$17.67959
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Rockwell$17.541,044
17Walnut$17.46728
18Gowrie$17.17943
19Colo$17.14856
20Mapleton$16.901,114
21George$16.891,106
22Fayette$16.851,193
23Adair$16.84792
24Eddyville$16.82965
25Nashua$16.811,515
26Oxford$16.70715
27Ackley$16.631,538
28Buffalo Center$16.58839
29Roland$16.511,376
30Eldon$16.42788
31Monona$16.411,462
32Aplington$16.341,088
33Panora$16.141,096
34Mechanicsville$16.12974
35Dike$15.941,293
36Armstrong$15.87847
37Ruthven$15.84710
38Holstein$15.811,475
39State Center$15.801,403
40Earlham$15.551,411
41Shell Rock$15.521,265
42Brooklyn$15.491,474
43Newell$15.49850
44Riceville$15.31807
45Neola$15.30917
46Sidney$15.191,048
47Gilbertville$15.15792
48Logan$15.051,351
49Griswold$15.01975
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Tripoli$14.991,208
52Essex$14.76721
53Bedford$14.661,474
54Lenox$14.651,355
55Manning$14.621,390
56Dunlap$14.561,030
57Garnavillo$14.52751
58Maxwell$14.50862
59Coon Rapids$14.491,258
60Nora Springs$14.251,330
61Kingsley$14.251,394
62Mcgregor$14.20725
63Primghar$14.18893
64Sheffield$14.161,123
65Woodward$14.051,383
66Ossian$13.88777
67Alton$13.871,248
68Montezuma$13.791,421
69Redfield$13.73719
70Victor$13.72852
71Gilbert$13.711,397
72Edgewood$13.64908
73Sioux Rapids$13.63722
74Donnellson$13.63859
75Gladbrook$13.58775
76Clarksville$13.531,238
77Rockford$13.52722
78Janesville$13.431,052
79Glidden$13.431,140
80Calmar$13.391,100
81Baxter$13.32983
82Manly$13.291,233
83Anita$13.28953
84Van Horne$13.27768
85Conrad$13.231,098
86Springville$13.221,161
87Keota$13.21888
88Shellsburg$13.20987
89De Soto$13.18937
90Treynor$13.031,104
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Akron$12.931,545
93Earlville$12.90713
94Danville$12.87910
95Underwood$12.85973
96New Sharon$12.801,249
97Malvern$12.791,056
98Montrose$12.78734
99Wellsburg$12.68709
100Buffalo$12.681,163
101Sanborn$12.621,463
102Hospers$12.58703
103Hazleton$12.48711
104West Point$12.39903
105Hinton$12.38959
106Preston$12.38940
107Hubbard$12.30837
108Hedrick$12.22717
109Carson$12.22772
110Wheatland$12.18765
111Schaller$12.14702
112Winfield$12.041,006
113Elkhart$12.001,079
114Afton$11.96864
115Lowden$11.93767
116Tabor$11.88983
117Wellman$11.881,531
118Aurelia$11.84970
119Merrill$11.64713
120Morning Sun$11.50702
121Palo$11.491,554
122Wall Lake$11.43739
123West Bend$11.42770
124Dakota City$11.39764
125Marcus$11.311,069
126Dunkerton$11.30840
127Whiting$11.21725
128Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
129Shelby$11.17730
130University Heights$11.121,188
131Blairstown$11.04705
132Manilla$11.01756
133Hamburg$10.95863
134Clarence$10.94991
135Oakland$10.851,519
136Cambridge$10.53844
137Swisher$10.39909
138Schleswig$10.39820
139Melbourne$10.38771
140Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
141Walcott$10.291,556
142Fredericksburg$10.27983
143Lake Park$10.251,155
144Inwood$10.22962
145Milo$10.20762
146Hartford$10.16729
147Central City$10.011,254
148Newhall$9.99887
149Graettinger$9.81810
150Long Grove$9.59849
151Lake View$9.391,120
152Paullina$9.21979
153Fairbank$9.001,133
154Winthrop$8.94814
155Walford$8.721,357
156Keosauqua$8.58944
157Grand Junction$8.57715
158Princeton$8.24917
159Lone Tree$8.131,341
160Riverside$8.021,063
161Hills$7.94911
162Larchwood$7.52954
163North English$7.491,030
164Sloan$7.491,078
165Sully$7.41891
166Fruitland$7.21928
167Lawton$7.10949
168Wayland$7.07935
169Raymond$6.85754
170Shueyville$6.79725
171Arnolds Park$4.951,214
172Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Janesville’s general levy is $7.49 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.61 below the limit.4 810 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.94 · FY26 $7.71 · FY27 $7.49 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.94 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.66 · $144,128
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.43 · $130,146
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.86 · $45,892

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$436,997 of taxable value in Janesville is in TIF districts’ increment (1% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $65,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$42,747

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 $4,705 of the city’s own.

  • Bremer County$2,063
YearTIF revenue
FY16$10,411
FY17$8,048
FY18$5,781
FY19$3,956
FY20$2,004
FY22$23,920
FY23$42,747
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$10,411
FY17$8,048
FY18$5,781
FY19$3,956
FY20$2,004
FY22$23,920
FY23$42,747

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$401,67356%
  • Debt Service Levy$144,12820%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$130,14618%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$45,8926%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Janesville’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Public Safety: 25¢ of every dollar25¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Debt Service: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 12¢ of every dollar12¢

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 171 Iowa cities closest in size (700–1,600 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (171)
Business Type / Enterprise35¢40¢
Public Safety25¢10¢
Culture and Recreation10¢9¢
Debt Service9¢6¢
Public Works8¢15¢
Everything else12¢21¢

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 Safety$634,94743%
  • Culture and Recreation$297,08220%
  • Debt Service$195,59913%
  • Public Works$178,62612%
  • General Government$166,87111%
  • Capital Projects$15,0001%
  • Community and Economic Development$5,2210%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($713,887 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$180,331$187,840
Public Safety$536,297$257,135
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$154,110$116,959
Debt Service$78,240$78,240
Culture and Recreation$402,545$202,857
Community and Economic Development$44,476$45,864
Capital Projects$1.5M$2.3M
Business Type / Enterprise$560,434$543,926

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$3.7M
$2.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Janesville owes

$3.2M at June 30, 2026: $3,135 per resident. 269th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$3.8M
$3.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.2M$3,135
2025$3.5M$3,338
2024$3.7M$3,532
2023$3.8M$3,711
2022$2.4M$2,364
2021$1.6M$1,532
2020$1.7M$1,636
2019$804,534$778
2018$811,150$784
2017$278,750$270
2016$303,000$293
2015$318,750$308
2014$282,000$273
2013$293,000$283
2012$525,000$508
2011$278,483$269
2010$448,483$434
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.2M$3,135
2025$3.5M$3,338
2024$3.7M$3,532
2023$3.8M$3,711
2022$2.4M$2,364
2021$1.6M$1,532
2020$1.7M$1,636
2019$804,534$778
2018$811,150$784
2017$278,750$270
2016$303,000$293
2015$318,750$308
2014$282,000$273
2013$293,000$283
2012$525,000$508
2011$278,483$269
2010$448,483$434

Up 623% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $2.0M, 39% of the limit of about $5.1M (5% of $101.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation7TH ST BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT2042$1.4M
Revenue Bonds2021 Waste Water Treatment Improvements Project. Aeration System and Blowers.2041$800,000
General Obligation7TH ST EAST LIFT STATION PROJECT2034$570,000
Revenue BondsBarrick Road Water Extension and Improvement Project2037$375,000
Revenue BondsWastewater Treatment Plant Improvements2031$112,000

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. Janesville’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, March 11, 2026, by a CPA firm.

13 earlier reports for Janesville

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: $150,590 in FY25, up 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$140,341$142,290$146,055$146,848
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$9,354$7,484$2,806$3,742

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.

$2.9M
$459,454
  • State grants$443,02696%
  • CEBA grants$16,4284%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$25,795
FY20$26,553
FY21$15,081
FY22$204,679
FY23$913,302
FY24$2.9M
FY25$459,454
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$25,795
FY20$26,553
FY21$15,081
FY22$204,679
FY23$913,302
FY24$2.9M
FY25$459,454

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−3%$120,143 → $146,848, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+13%$2,639 → $3,742, up 42% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% more

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 49% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% more.

$140,011

Federal grants, for comparison: $73,712 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2005 worth $195K, for 34 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)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

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Janesville; 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.

  • Janesville City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Brian Dix, Ben McAllister
  • Janesville Mayor
    Now held by David A. Beenblossom

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

Sandy Salmon (Sen. 29)Pat Grassley (Rep. 57)

U.S. House:District 2

Bremer CountyJanesville schools