City

Aurora

$3,060 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.38 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$1,040 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.40 per $1,000)

$55,553property taxes the city levies, FY27

$152,548city 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.

David SchweitzerAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
David YoungAurora Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Deborah L. HundleyAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Kimberly WesselsAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Lawrence E. Levenhagen Jr.Aurora City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Sara GoedkenAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Deborah HundleyAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Dennis GoedkenAurora City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Michael EllisAurora 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 Aurora

Homes and businesses in most of Aurora pay a combined $36.38 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Buchanan County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.40. Estimate your bill.

East Buchanan schools$13.9438%
City of Aurora$12.4034%
Buchanan County$6.8019%
Hawkeye Community College$1.364%
Buchanan People'S Memorial Hospital$1.083%
Buchanan County Assessor$0.541%
Buchanan County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.21<1%
Buffalo-Aurora Cemetery$0.05<1%

Rates over time

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

CombinedCity’s own

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$32.71	$9.95
FY21	$33.71	$10.62
FY22	$29.63	$10.79
FY23	$29.57	$10.90
FY24	$34.75	$11.85
FY25	$30.89	$12.71
FY26	$36.16	$12.90
FY27	$36.38	$12.40

Show the numbers

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$32.71	$9.95
FY21	$33.71	$10.62
FY22	$29.63	$10.79
FY23	$29.57	$10.90
FY24	$34.75	$11.85
FY25	$30.89	$12.71
FY26	$36.16	$12.90
FY27	$36.38	$12.40

Compared with places this size³

Aurora’s city property tax rate of $12.40 per $1,000 is the 63rd highest of 189 Iowa cities with 110–250 people. The middle of the group is $10.95.

See all 189

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Brayton	$25.07	138
2	Harris	$23.13	145
3	Soldier	$21.92	176
4	Coulter	$21.80	220
5	Chelsea	$21.61	207
6	Smithland	$21.12	184
7	Volga	$20.23	200
8	Alta Vista	$19.88	219
9	Arthur	$19.86	218
10	Coin	$19.59	171
11	Rowan	$19.53	118
12	Chester	$19.30	134
13	Bouton	$19.25	125
14	Garden Grove	$19.20	173
15	Hastings	$18.95	157
16	Swaledale	$18.62	136
17	Jamaica	$18.24	196
18	Hillsboro	$17.68	158
19	Bristow	$17.39	139
20	Woolstock	$17.26	141
21	Prescott	$16.53	186
22	Monmouth	$16.41	129
23	Blockton	$16.37	123
24	Montour	$16.37	199
25	Geneva	$16.25	137
26	Waterville	$16.25	112
27	Deep River	$16.18	243
28	Waucoma	$16.17	235
29	Little Sioux	$15.74	170
30	Moorhead	$15.68	186
31	Onslow	$15.63	198
32	Linden	$15.62	206
33	Woodburn	$15.59	133
34	Kamrar	$15.47	178
35	Greeley	$15.23	216
36	Goodell	$15.16	139
37	Riverton	$14.94	243
38	Marathon	$14.89	221
39	Ladora	$14.74	223
40	Magnolia	$14.68	194
41	Bagley	$14.63	230
42	Davis City	$14.45	178
43	Lucas	$14.40	176
44	Crystal Lake	$14.36	243
45	Westgate	$14.05	190
46	Palmer	$13.89	137
47	Kellerton	$13.60	241
48	Quimby	$13.58	245
49	Ayrshire	$13.55	128
50	Searsboro	$13.55	129
51	Lanesboro	$13.53	112
52	Meservey	$13.43	212
53	Leland	$13.31	240
54	Calumet	$13.16	144
55	Portsmouth	$13.05	187
56	Clutier	$13.03	209
57	Silver City	$12.87	244
58	Delaware	$12.86	139
59	Patterson	$12.84	176
60	Clemons	$12.69	135
61	Blencoe	$12.57	223
62	Millersburg	$12.40	135
63	Aurora	$12.40	165
64	Bridgewater	$12.29	145
65	Cushing	$12.18	225
66	Hanlontown	$12.17	200
67	Stout	$12.14	194
68	Webb	$12.10	139
69	Paton	$12.09	217
70	Decatur	$12.08	174
71	Rembrandt	$12.03	199
72	Shambaugh	$11.98	161
73	Lone Rock	$11.92	143
74	East Peru	$11.89	119
75	New Providence	$11.88	233
76	Henderson	$11.85	140
77	Parnell	$11.78	190
78	Reasnor	$11.76	157
79	Ledyard	$11.74	118
80	Joice	$11.72	206
81	Cantril	$11.69	224
82	Wadena	$11.65	201
83	Exline	$11.60	157
84	Beaman	$11.54	155
85	College Springs	$11.44	172
86	Melrose	$11.27	110
87	Renwick	$11.16	228
88	Linn Grove	$11.15	155
89	Dundee	$11.14	193
90	Randolph	$11.08	183
91	Leighton	$11.07	153
92	Rake	$11.05	179
93	Somers	$10.99	121
94	Frederika	$10.99	206
95	Havelock	$10.95	127
96	Alexander	$10.90	165
97	Lambs Grove	$10.78	174
98	Wallingford	$10.75	154
99	Woden	$10.68	183
100	Cleghorn	$10.49	235
101	Barnes City	$10.44	152
102	Stockton	$10.37	171
103	Randall	$10.35	156
104	Dedham	$10.28	221
105	Deloit	$10.28	246
106	Meriden	$10.28	175
107	Drakesville	$10.24	170
108	Dawson	$10.19	110
109	Hancock	$10.13	199
110	La Motte	$10.09	235
111	Melvin	$10.05	196
112	Barnum	$9.96	186
113	Panama	$9.85	234
114	Grafton	$9.83	212
115	Clare	$9.81	133
116	Tingley	$9.81	146
117	Ionia	$9.65	220
118	Rutland	$9.65	116
119	Van Wert	$9.62	175
120	Rock Falls	$9.61	143
121	Kirkville	$9.59	159
122	Luxemburg	$9.58	240
123	Superior	$9.58	127
124	Rippey	$9.42	217
125	Larrabee	$9.41	116
126	Hamilton	$9.35	125
127	Floris	$9.29	119
128	Mitchell	$9.22	118
129	Westphalia	$9.18	133
130	Elberon	$9.16	178
131	Dixon	$9.03	204
132	Blairsburg	$8.93	175
133	Prairieburg	$8.91	156
134	Oakville	$8.89	198
135	Welton	$8.86	124
136	Archer	$8.84	116
137	Luther	$8.83	147
138	Harvey	$8.71	242
139	Washta	$8.65	206
140	Moorland	$8.61	169
141	Pilot Mound	$8.54	155
142	Ollie	$8.44	196
143	Thor	$8.38	182
144	South English	$8.27	196
145	Thurman	$8.26	162
146	Boxholm	$8.11	177
147	Fostoria	$8.10	229
148	Low Moor	$8.10	242
149	Rome	$8.10	112
150	Westfield	$8.10	121
151	Laurel	$8.10	214
152	Lineville	$8.10	194
153	Vincent	$8.09	125
154	Lockridge	$7.92	245
155	Mount Auburn	$7.86	162
156	Haverhill	$7.86	164
157	Grand River	$7.86	192
158	Olds	$7.86	174
159	Dickens	$7.86	146
160	Castalia	$7.86	141
161	Rose Hill	$7.86	156
162	West Chester	$7.82	147
163	Mcclelland	$7.79	147
164	Luzerne	$7.69	111
165	Lidderdale	$7.68	162
166	Bernard	$7.56	117
167	Fredonia	$7.55	227
168	Braddyville	$7.49	142
169	Alvord	$7.41	216
170	Franklin	$7.31	133
171	Weldon	$7.18	134
172	Brunsville	$6.95	128
173	Packwood	$6.77	186
174	Houghton	$6.73	129
175	Williamson	$6.72	126
176	Keswick	$6.49	238
177	Lincoln	$6.32	119
178	Gravity	$6.18	149
179	Ackworth	$5.90	117
180	Oakland Acres	$5.88	178
181	Springbrook	$5.79	145
182	Maysville	$5.77	155
183	Harper	$5.29	117
184	Panorama Park	$4.62	142
185	Mcintire	$2.78	115
186	Sherrill	$2.66	176
187	Centralia	$2.41	117
188	Rickardsville	$2.27	204
189	New Liberty	$2.27	141

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$35,67366%
Liability, property & self insurance costs$16,55030%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$2,1974%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Aurora’s budget goes, FY26

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 187 Iowa cities closest in size (110–250 people).

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (187)
General Government	26¢	22¢
Business Type / Enterprise	21¢	30¢
Public Safety	20¢	9¢
Culture and Recreation	19¢	8¢
Public Works	14¢	25¢
Everything else	1¢	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.

Culture and Recreation$51,88034%
General Government$46,49630%
Public Safety$35,56323%
Public Works$17,00011%
Health and Social Services$1,1171%
Community and Economic Development$4920%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($37,361 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$20,369	$17,547
Public Safety	$31,276	$69,235
Health and Social Services	$1,117	$1,117
General Government	$38,626	$37,684
Debt Service	$0	$0
Culture and Recreation	$49,395	$52,628
Community and Economic Development	$491	$490
Capital Projects	$0	$0
Business Type / Enterprise	$18,752	$9,131

What it spent each year

FY24 left out⁴

$216,309

$186,821

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’25

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? ⁵

What the state pays the city

$21,227 in FY25: up 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more. Road Use Tax, the money for streets the state sends every year by formula, is up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less; grants come and go.

In today's dollarsActual dollars

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$13,421	$13,804	$14,226	$14,303
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)	$1,248	$1,092	$4,954	$6,924
State grants	$2,909	–	–	–

Show the numbers

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$13,421	$13,804	$14,226	$14,303
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)	$1,248	$1,092	$4,954	$6,924
State grants	$2,909	–	–	–

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$13,499 → $14,303, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+331%$1,280 → $6,924, up 441% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 331% 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 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more.

$23,340

$22,464

’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Federal grants, for comparison: $12,037 in FY23.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

Aurora City Council At-Large

5 seats: the top 5 win.

Lawrence E. Levenhagen Jr. Winner3119.3%
David Schweitzer Winner3018.6%
Kimberly Wessels Winner2716.8%
Sara Goedken Winner2113.0%
Deborah L. Hundley Winner2012.4%
Dennis Goedken 1911.8%

2 more →

Aurora Mayor

David Young Unopposed23100.0%

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁶

Dan Zumbach (Sen. 34)Chad Ingels (Rep. 68)

U.S. House:District 2

Buchanan County East Buchanan schools

Notes

For a $200,000 home with the homestead credit, at the combined rate in most of the city. Some parts of the city pay a different rate (special districts, tax increment financing districts). ↩
Cities adopt their budgets each spring for the year starting July 1. ↩
FY27 rates from the Department of Management. A higher rate isn’t always a bigger bill: it depends on how much property there is to tax. Sizes: Census Bureau 2024 estimates. ↩
The state’s FY24 spending file repeats the year before for nearly every Iowa city, so that year isn’t shown. ↩
From the city’s annual financial reports to the state (Iowa Data Hub, city actual revenues). “Today’s dollars” adjusts each year by the consumer price index for the Midwest, so a flat line in today’s dollars means the money buys the same as before. ↩
Legislative and congressional districts that cover Aurora; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget Aurora works within. ↩

Sources: City budgets and levies from the Department of Management; tax rates from the Iowa Data Hub; state payments from the Department of Revenue; prices from the consumer price index; legislative districts from Census Bureau maps.