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Local taxes › Buena Vista County › Rembrandt

City

Rembrandt

Buena Vista County · How cities work

$2,880 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.23 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,010 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.03 per $1,000)
$41,063property taxes the city levies, FY27
$197,170city 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.

  • Damon Lynn HickmanRembrandt City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Justin HarringtonRembrandt City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael SiebrechtRembrandt City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brent SmithRembrandt City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Doyle EngebretsonRembrandt Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Edward WittRembrandt 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 Rembrandt

Homes and businesses in most of Rembrandt pay a combined $34.23 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, $12.03. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.81$9.37
FY21$31.11$10.06
FY22$31.30$10.15
FY23$30.71$9.45
FY24$32.22$10.09
FY25$33.76$11.55
FY26$34.21$11.63
FY27$34.23$12.03
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.81$9.37
FY21$31.11$10.06
FY22$31.30$10.15
FY23$30.71$9.45
FY24$32.22$10.09
FY25$33.76$11.55
FY26$34.21$11.63
FY27$34.23$12.03

Compared with places this size3

Rembrandt’s city property tax rate of $12.03 per $1,000 is the 87th highest of 201 Iowa cities with 130–300 people. The middle of the group is $11.54.

Brayton: $25.07Harris: $23.13Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Chester: $19.30Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Swaledale: $18.62Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Montour: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Greeley: $15.23Goodell: $15.16Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Palmer: $13.89Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Harcourt: $13.21Calumet: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Clemons: $12.69Blencoe: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Bridgewater: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Webb: $12.10Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96Lone Rock: $11.92New Providence: $11.88Henderson: $11.85Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Fredonia: $7.55Braddyville: $7.49Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Franklin: $7.31Weldon: $7.18Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Panorama Park: $4.62Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27New Liberty: $2.27Rembrandt: $12.03$2.27 lowest$25.07 highestmiddle
See all 201
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Brayton$25.07138
2Harris$23.13145
3Fenton$22.05250
4Soldier$21.92176
5Coulter$21.80220
6Chelsea$21.61207
7Smithland$21.12184
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Coin$19.59171
12Chester$19.30134
13Garden Grove$19.20173
14Hastings$18.95157
15Swaledale$18.62136
16Cumberland$18.42248
17Jamaica$18.24196
18Hillsboro$17.68158
19Bristow$17.39139
20Woolstock$17.26141
21Pisgah$17.09248
22Lakota$16.84261
23Marble Rock$16.78258
24Auburn$16.65253
25Prescott$16.53186
26Montour$16.37199
27Geneva$16.25137
28Corwith$16.22259
29Deep River$16.18243
30Waucoma$16.17235
31Little Sioux$15.74170
32Moorhead$15.68186
33Onslow$15.63198
34Linden$15.62206
35Woodburn$15.59133
36Kamrar$15.47178
37Greeley$15.23216
38Goodell$15.16139
39Riverton$14.94243
40Marathon$14.89221
41Ladora$14.74223
42Magnolia$14.68194
43Bagley$14.63230
44Davis City$14.45178
45Lucas$14.40176
46Halbur$14.37268
47Crystal Lake$14.36243
48Kimballton$14.27281
49Steamboat Rock$14.19261
50Westgate$14.05190
51Palmer$13.89137
52Stockport$13.68272
53Kellerton$13.60241
54Quimby$13.58245
55Meservey$13.43212
56Persia$13.41292
57Leland$13.31240
58Harcourt$13.21257
59Calumet$13.16144
60Ridgeway$13.10261
61Farmersburg$13.09264
62Portsmouth$13.05187
63Clutier$13.03209
64Silver City$12.87244
65Delaware$12.86139
66Patterson$12.84176
67Martelle$12.83250
68Malcom$12.82257
69Clemons$12.69135
70Blencoe$12.57223
71Maurice$12.56271
72Clearfield$12.50277
73Kensett$12.47256
74Millersburg$12.40135
75Aurora$12.40165
76Modale$12.34284
77Bridgewater$12.29145
78Blakesburg$12.21273
79Cushing$12.18225
80Hanlontown$12.17200
81Stout$12.14194
82Macedonia$12.12266
83Webb$12.10139
84Paton$12.09217
85Decatur$12.08174
86Kiron$12.03262
87Rembrandt$12.03199
88Shambaugh$11.98161
89Liscomb$11.96292
90Lone Rock$11.92143
91New Providence$11.88233
92Henderson$11.85140
93Parnell$11.78190
94Reasnor$11.76157
95Joice$11.72206
96Atalissa$11.71287
97Cantril$11.69224
98Wadena$11.65201
99Exline$11.60157
100Cincinnati$11.57280
101Beaman$11.54155
102Delta$11.52257
103Westside$11.45283
104College Springs$11.44172
105Holland$11.37261
106Mallard$11.28255
107Renwick$11.16228
108Linn Grove$11.15155
109Dundee$11.14193
110Randolph$11.08183
111Leighton$11.07153
112Rake$11.05179
113Frederika$10.99206
114Alexander$10.90165
115Goose Lake$10.89250
116Yale$10.85265
117Lambs Grove$10.78174
118Wallingford$10.75154
119Hornick$10.74255
120Woden$10.68183
121Cleghorn$10.49235
122Barnes City$10.44152
123Lytton$10.38274
124Stockton$10.37171
125Rhodes$10.36269
126Randall$10.35156
127Dedham$10.28221
128Deloit$10.28246
129Protivin$10.28264
130Meriden$10.28175
131Drakesville$10.24170
132Bronson$10.14294
133Hancock$10.13199
134La Motte$10.09235
135Melvin$10.05196
136Defiance$10.05248
137Floyd$10.02297
138Barnum$9.96186
139Panama$9.85234
140Grafton$9.83212
141Clare$9.81133
142Tingley$9.81146
143Ionia$9.65220
144Van Wert$9.62175
145Rock Falls$9.61143
146Kirkville$9.59159
147Luxemburg$9.58240
148Rippey$9.42217
149Westphalia$9.18133
150Elberon$9.16178
151Dixon$9.03204
152Blairsburg$8.93175
153Prairieburg$8.91156
154Oakville$8.89198
155Luther$8.83147
156Harvey$8.71242
157Washta$8.65206
158Moorland$8.61169
159Pilot Mound$8.54155
160Ollie$8.44196
161Thor$8.38182
162Rowley$8.31264
163South English$8.27196
164Thurman$8.26162
165Boxholm$8.11177
166Bertram$8.10267
167Fostoria$8.10229
168Low Moor$8.10242
169Laurel$8.10214
170Lineville$8.10194
171Lockridge$7.92245
172Mount Auburn$7.86162
173Haverhill$7.86164
174Grand River$7.86192
175Olds$7.86174
176Castalia$7.86141
177Dickens$7.86146
178Rose Hill$7.86156
179West Chester$7.82147
180Mcclelland$7.79147
181Lidderdale$7.68162
182Pulaski$7.58259
183Fredonia$7.55227
184Braddyville$7.49142
185Harpers Ferry$7.49273
186Alvord$7.41216
187Franklin$7.31133
188Weldon$7.18134
189Packwood$6.77186
190Libertyville$6.60278
191Keswick$6.49238
192Crawfordsville$6.44278
193Gravity$6.18149
194Oakland Acres$5.88178
195Springbrook$5.79145
196Maysville$5.77155
197Panorama Park$4.62142
198Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
199Sherrill$2.66176
200Rickardsville$2.27204
201New Liberty$2.27141

The $8.10 limit

Rembrandt’s general levy is $8.21 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.11 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 145 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.21 · FY27 $8.21 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.82 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.56 · $8,695
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.23 · $4,167
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.03 · $97

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$27,83068%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$8,69521%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4,16710%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$970%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Rembrandt’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 40¢ of every dollar40¢General Government: 26¢ of every dollar26¢Culture and Recreation: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Health and Social Services: 1¢ of every dollarEverything else: 1¢ of every dollar

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 199 Iowa cities closest in size (130–300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (199)
Public Works40¢23¢
General Government26¢21¢
Culture and Recreation16¢8¢
Public Safety15¢9¢
Health and Social Services1¢<1¢
Everything else1¢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.

  • Public Works$83,00042%
  • General Government$55,99028%
  • Culture and Recreation$28,37214%
  • Public Safety$24,80813%
  • Community and Economic Development$3,5002%
  • Health and Social Services$1,5001%
Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$65,500$52,861
Public Safety$22,958$20,458
Health and Social Services$1,500$1,200
General Government$27,777$23,404
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$26,892$25,506
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$91,674$76,741

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$529,551
$243,550

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Rembrandt owes

$111,500 at June 30, 2026: $533 per resident. 635th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$160,882
$111,500
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$111,500$533
2025$132,000$632
2024$140,000$670
2023$147,000$703
2022$154,000$737
2021$160,882$770
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$111,500$533
2025$132,000$632
2024$140,000$670
2023$147,000$703
2022$154,000$737
2021$160,882$770
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Down 31% since 2021.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $383,095 (5% of $7.7M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bondsreline sewer lines2040$111,500

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. Rembrandt’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, March 31, 2019 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, March 31, 2019 (PDF), released Friday, November 22, 2019, by a CPA firm.

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: $28,289 in FY25, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$27,626$27,449$28,139$28,289

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−9%$24,870 → $28,289, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% 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 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more.

$31,056
$27,743

Federal grants, for comparison: $11,419 in FY22.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2002 worth $745K, for 174 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)12.

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 · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Rembrandt; 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.

  • Rembrandt City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Edward Witt, Brent Smith
  • Rembrandt Mayor
    Now held by Doyle Engebretson

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

Lynn Evans (Sen. 3)Megan Jones (Rep. 6)

U.S. House:District 4

Buena Vista CountySioux Central schools