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Local taxes › Buena Vista County › Alta

City

Alta

Buena Vista County · How cities work

$2,800 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.24 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,020 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.13 per $1,000)
$912,358property taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.2Mcity 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.

  • Alyson SieversAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Desi SuterAlta Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Laura MillardAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Peggy HinkeldeyAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bruce McGowanAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lee MeyerAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Pam HendersonAlta City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Anna SpeersAlta Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian SchreckAlta Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Shannon StrandAlta Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lori AndersonAlta Park Board · 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 Alta

Homes and businesses in most of Alta pay a combined $33.24 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Buena Vista County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.13. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.14$10.59
FY21$30.35$11.51
FY22$29.68$11.51
FY23$29.54$11.49
FY24$31.67$11.49
FY25$32.48$11.49
FY26$33.44$11.93
FY27$33.24$12.13
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.14$10.59
FY21$30.35$11.51
FY22$29.68$11.51
FY23$29.54$11.49
FY24$31.67$11.49
FY25$32.48$11.49
FY26$33.44$11.93
FY27$33.24$12.13

Compared with places this size3

Alta’s city property tax rate of $12.13 per $1,000 is the 24th lowest of 103 Iowa cities with 1,400–3,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.15.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Kalona: $10.37Walcott: $10.29Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Alta: $12.13$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 103
#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
9Corning$19.361,509
10Lake City$19.321,656
11Corydon$18.221,563
12Toledo$18.212,372
13La Porte City$18.082,267
14Tama$17.742,997
15Clarion$17.742,751
16Britt$17.722,001
17Missouri Valley$17.682,638
18Madrid$16.932,824
19Manson$16.871,646
20Nashua$16.811,515
21Ackley$16.631,538
22West Union$16.602,435
23Audubon$16.522,008
24Roland$16.511,376
25Monona$16.411,462
26Grundy Center$16.362,821
27Belle Plaine$16.342,335
28Colfax$16.252,305
29Durant$16.241,798
30Lamoni$16.152,072
31Marengo$16.102,415
32Holstein$15.811,475
33State Center$15.801,403
34Pleasantville$15.801,696
35Postville$15.682,418
36Earlham$15.551,411
37Brooklyn$15.491,474
38Stuart$15.481,887
39Mount Ayr$15.321,616
40Granger$15.222,095
41Sigourney$15.201,974
42Guttenberg$15.191,804
43Sumner$14.832,032
44Woodbine$14.801,707
45Bedford$14.661,474
46Manning$14.621,390
47Van Meter$14.601,840
48Rock Rapids$14.572,709
49Jesup$14.312,541
50Kingsley$14.251,394
51Urbana$14.201,635
52Parkersburg$14.151,986
53Hartley$14.111,584
54Ida Grove$14.101,988
55Woodward$14.051,383
56Guthrie Center$14.041,579
57Lake Mills$13.822,077
58Montezuma$13.791,421
59Gilbert$13.711,397
60Wilton$13.622,914
61Avoca$13.511,685
62Wapello$13.292,026
63Hudson$13.192,916
64Center Point$13.192,578
65Greenfield$13.131,988
66Hawarden$13.022,630
67Akron$12.931,545
68Leon$12.931,779
69Garner$12.863,049
70Slater$12.791,626
71Bellevue$12.672,321
72Sanborn$12.621,463
73New London$12.561,853
74Lisbon$12.502,238
75Dallas Center$12.421,993
76Onawa$12.322,795
77Remsen$12.321,681
78Monroe$12.282,021
79Denver$12.271,955
80Alta$12.132,039
81Reinbeck$12.101,673
82Atkins$11.992,168
83Wellman$11.881,531
84Blue Grass$11.791,707
85Hull$11.792,459
86Columbus Junction$11.711,794
87Cascade$11.642,396
88West Branch$11.632,876
89Mitchellville$11.542,686
90Palo$11.491,554
91Prairie City$11.381,722
92Northwood$11.282,047
93Mediapolis$11.271,679
94Ely$11.082,371
95Ogden$10.991,970
96Farley$10.911,723
97Oakland$10.851,519
98Moville$10.671,707
99Kalona$10.372,762
100Walcott$10.291,556
101Peosta$9.822,195
102Epworth$9.422,042
103Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Alta’s general levy is $8.26 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 129 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.26 · FY26 $8.26 · FY27 $8.26 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.88 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.77 · $133,171
  • Debt Service Levy$1.55 · $116,564
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.54 · $40,899
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.01 · $625

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Alta’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

$79,423
YearTIF revenue
FY16$33,632
FY17$54,142
FY18$62,030
FY19$65,834
FY20$72,140
FY21$77,915
FY22$77,368
FY23$79,423
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$33,632
FY17$54,142
FY18$62,030
FY19$65,834
FY20$72,140
FY21$77,915
FY22$77,368
FY23$79,423

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$620,56968%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$133,17115%
  • Debt Service Levy$116,56413%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$40,8994%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$6250%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Alta’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Public Works: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Safety: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢General Government: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything else: 19¢ of every dollar19¢

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 102 Iowa cities closest in size (1,400–3,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (102)
Business Type / Enterprise28¢41¢
Public Works18¢10¢
Public Safety13¢11¢
Culture and Recreation12¢7¢
General Government10¢6¢
Everything else19¢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.

  • Culture and Recreation$499,14823%
  • Public Works$485,65523%
  • Public Safety$406,55019%
  • General Government$300,53014%
  • Debt Service$185,0859%
  • Community and Economic Development$157,5007%
  • Capital Projects$120,0006%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($804,872 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$404,291$223,153
Public Safety$399,100$291,030
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$252,180$313,589
Debt Service$35,900$0
Culture and Recreation$517,559$638,316
Community and Economic Development$203,944$170,394
Capital Projects$198,500$2.5M
Business Type / Enterprise$608,072$666,589

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$4.8M
$3.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Alta owes

$5.5M at June 30, 2026: $2,653 per resident. 312th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$6.3M
$5.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.5M$2,653
2025$5.8M$2,772
2024$6.3M$3,042
2023$5.3M$2,542
2022$4.3M$2,050
2021$2.7M$1,306
2020$3.0M$1,420
2019$3.1M$1,502
2018$3.4M$1,608
2017$3.6M$1,713
2016$3.7M$1,768
2015$3.9M$1,869
2014$3.9M$1,872
2013$4.1M$1,962
2012$320,000$153
2011$220,000$105
2010$250,000$120
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.5M$2,653
2025$5.8M$2,772
2024$6.3M$3,042
2023$5.3M$2,542
2022$4.3M$2,050
2021$2.7M$1,306
2020$3.0M$1,420
2019$3.1M$1,502
2018$3.4M$1,608
2017$3.6M$1,713
2016$3.7M$1,768
2015$3.9M$1,869
2014$3.9M$1,872
2013$4.1M$1,962
2012$320,000$153
2011$220,000$105
2010$250,000$120

Up 2115% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $1.2M, 15% of the limit of about $7.8M (5% of $156.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

4 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansConstruction of a new wastewater treatment facility.2052$3.0M
LoansTo line sewer lines and fix intakes around town, and fix stormwater drainage in the SW area of town.2042$1.3M
General ObligationUsed for capital improvement projects. Debt purpose will change.2038$1.1M
General ObligationFire Truck Acquisition Note2029$152,000

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 balances9. Alta’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, December 4, 2025, by a CPA firm.

13 earlier reports for Alta

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? 11

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: $305,898 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)$283,407$287,195$294,794$296,394
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$15,207$13,306$11,406$9,504

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.

$127,225
$64,089
  • State grants$46,58273%
  • CEBA grants$17,50727%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$5,367
FY20$2,299
FY21$7,534
FY22$5,584
FY23$67,160
FY24$127,225
FY25$64,089
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$5,367
FY20$2,299
FY21$7,534
FY22$5,584
FY23$67,160
FY24$127,225
FY25$64,089

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−3%$243,257 → $296,394, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−44%$13,586 → $9,504, down 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 44% 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 46% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% more.

$328,644
$293,579

Federal grants, for comparison: $10,000 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in ALTA: $10.2M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 51 jobs.12

  • Platinum Crush, LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 51 jobs required, 51 reported
    $10.2M

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)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

Ballot measures · 1

Failed Yes 39.8% (208) · No 60.2% (315)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 5

2 seats: the top 2 win.

1 more →

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Alta; 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.

  • Alta City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Bruce McGowan, Lee Meyer, Pam Henderson
  • Alta Mayor
    Now held by Desi Suter
  • Alta Park Board
    Now held by Lori Anderson

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

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure CINovember 4, 2025

    Failed Yes 39.8% (208) · No 60.2% (315)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

Lynn Evans (Sen. 3)Zach Dieken (Rep. 5)

U.S. House:District 4

Buena Vista CountyAlta schools