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Local taxes › Calhoun County › Manson

City

Manson

Calhoun County · How cities work

$2,930 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.81 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,420 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.87 per $1,000)
$1.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.4Mcity 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.

  • Dave AndersonManson Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • John WalstromManson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark EgliManson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mitchell LewisManson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jesse GrossnickleManson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lonny NimkeManson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Dennis Fitzgerald (Write In)Manson Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Drew Samuelson (Write In)Manson Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Madison Swanson (Write In)Manson Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Braden Moser Write inManson Park Board · elected November 7, 2023
  • Trudi Cabrera Write inManson 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 Manson

Homes and businesses in most of Manson pay a combined $34.81 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Calhoun County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.87. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.30$18.39
FY21$37.08$18.35
FY22$35.51$17.25
FY23$35.08$16.98
FY24$35.47$17.29
FY25$36.30$18.25
FY26$36.20$17.65
FY27$34.81$16.87
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.30$18.39
FY21$37.08$18.35
FY22$35.51$17.25
FY23$35.08$16.98
FY24$35.47$17.29
FY25$36.30$18.25
FY26$36.20$17.65
FY27$34.81$16.87

Compared with places this size3

Manson’s city property tax rate of $16.87 per $1,000 is the 19th highest of 118 Iowa cities with 1,100–2,500 people. The middle of the group is $14.10.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Belmond: $19.86Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Arnolds Park: $4.95Manson: $16.87$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 118
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Villisca$19.741,106
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
14Dysart$17.951,266
15Britt$17.722,001
16Strawberry Point$17.581,141
17Mapleton$16.901,114
18George$16.891,106
19Manson$16.871,646
20Fayette$16.851,193
21Nashua$16.811,515
22Ackley$16.631,538
23West Union$16.602,435
24Audubon$16.522,008
25Roland$16.511,376
26Monona$16.411,462
27Belle Plaine$16.342,335
28Colfax$16.252,305
29Durant$16.241,798
30Lamoni$16.152,072
31Marengo$16.102,415
32Dike$15.941,293
33Holstein$15.811,475
34State Center$15.801,403
35Pleasantville$15.801,696
36Postville$15.682,418
37Earlham$15.551,411
38Shell Rock$15.521,265
39Brooklyn$15.491,474
40Stuart$15.481,887
41Mount Ayr$15.321,616
42Granger$15.222,095
43Sigourney$15.201,974
44Guttenberg$15.191,804
45Logan$15.051,351
46Tripoli$14.991,208
47Sumner$14.832,032
48Woodbine$14.801,707
49Bedford$14.661,474
50Lenox$14.651,355
51Manning$14.621,390
52Van Meter$14.601,840
53Coon Rapids$14.491,258
54Nora Springs$14.251,330
55Kingsley$14.251,394
56Urbana$14.201,635
57Sheffield$14.161,123
58Parkersburg$14.151,986
59Hartley$14.111,584
60Ida Grove$14.101,988
61Woodward$14.051,383
62Guthrie Center$14.041,579
63Alton$13.871,248
64Lake Mills$13.822,077
65Montezuma$13.791,421
66Gilbert$13.711,397
67Clarksville$13.531,238
68Avoca$13.511,685
69Glidden$13.431,140
70Calmar$13.391,100
71Wapello$13.292,026
72Manly$13.291,233
73Conrad$13.231,098
74Springville$13.221,161
75Greenfield$13.131,988
76Treynor$13.031,104
77Akron$12.931,545
78Leon$12.931,779
79New Sharon$12.801,249
80Slater$12.791,626
81Buffalo$12.681,163
82Bellevue$12.672,321
83Sanborn$12.621,463
84New London$12.561,853
85Lisbon$12.502,238
86Dallas Center$12.421,993
87Remsen$12.321,681
88Monroe$12.282,021
89Denver$12.271,955
90Alta$12.132,039
91Reinbeck$12.101,673
92Atkins$11.992,168
93Wellman$11.881,531
94Blue Grass$11.791,707
95Hull$11.792,459
96Columbus Junction$11.711,794
97Cascade$11.642,396
98Palo$11.491,554
99Prairie City$11.381,722
100Northwood$11.282,047
101Mediapolis$11.271,679
102Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
103University Heights$11.121,188
104Ely$11.082,371
105Ogden$10.991,970
106Farley$10.911,723
107Oakland$10.851,519
108Moville$10.671,707
109Walcott$10.291,556
110Lake Park$10.251,155
111Central City$10.011,254
112Peosta$9.822,195
113Epworth$9.422,042
114Lake View$9.391,120
115Fairbank$9.001,133
116Walford$8.721,357
117Lone Tree$8.131,341
118Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Manson’s general levy is $8.13 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.03 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 231 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.37 · FY27 $8.13 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.74 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.47 · $216,766
  • Debt Service Levy$3.27 · $204,610
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.00 · $125,081

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$507,93448%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$216,76621%
  • Debt Service Levy$204,61019%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$125,08112%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Manson’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 43¢ of every dollar43¢Public Works: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 15¢ of every dollar15¢General Government: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Debt Service: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Everything else: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 117 Iowa cities closest in size (1,100–2,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (117)
Business Type / Enterprise43¢40¢
Public Works16¢12¢
Public Safety15¢11¢
General Government10¢6¢
Debt Service9¢6¢
Everything else8¢11¢

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$375,62126%
  • Public Safety$368,79926%
  • General Government$231,27316%
  • Debt Service$209,38515%
  • Culture and Recreation$206,40214%
  • Community and Economic Development$29,6002%
  • Health and Social Services$3,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($999,650 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$352,050$452,995
Public Safety$340,498$374,612
Health and Social Services$3,000$2,708
General Government$441,446$410,027
Debt Service$209,535$209,535
Culture and Recreation$232,195$230,492
Community and Economic Development$24,797$26,152
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$695,000$888,184

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$6.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Manson owes

$11.2M at June 30, 2026: $6,577 per resident. 61st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$11.7M
$11.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$11.2M$6,577
2025$11.7M$6,862
2024$3.9M$2,275
2023$4.3M$2,495
2022$4.5M$2,640
2021$4.0M$2,366
2020$4.3M$2,544
2019$4.6M$2,717
2018$4.8M$2,828
2017$3.3M$1,911
2016$3.5M$2,032
2015$3.8M$2,207
2014$1.7M$1,012
2013$2.0M$1,156
2012$2.2M$1,297
2011$2.5M$1,435
2010$2.7M$1,567
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$11.2M$6,577
2025$11.7M$6,862
2024$3.9M$2,275
2023$4.3M$2,495
2022$4.5M$2,640
2021$4.0M$2,366
2020$4.3M$2,544
2019$4.6M$2,717
2018$4.8M$2,828
2017$3.3M$1,911
2016$3.5M$2,032
2015$3.8M$2,207
2014$1.7M$1,012
2013$2.0M$1,156
2012$2.2M$1,297
2011$2.5M$1,435
2010$2.7M$1,567

Up 320% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $770,000, 14% of the limit of about $5.5M (5% of $110.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansWater system improvements2045$6.5M
Loanswater system improvements new well2055$1.8M
LoansWater System Improvements2045$1.4M
General Obligationstreet improvements2030$770,000
LoansWater system improvements2062$708,415

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

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, March 27, 2026, by a CPA firm.

11 earlier reports for Manson

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: $295,245 in FY25, up 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$235,768$235,178$241,401$242,711
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$19,036$16,655$57,127$52,534

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.

$122,627
$1,724
  • Library - Direct State Aid$1,724100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,911
FY20$7,091
FY21$64,863
FY22$122,627
FY23$119,167
FY24$1,736
FY25$1,724
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,911
FY20$7,091
FY21$64,863
FY22$122,627
FY23$119,167
FY24$1,736
FY25$1,724

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−11%$218,324 → $242,711, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+133%$17,965 → $52,534, up 192% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 133% 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.

$251,801
$193,840

Federal grants, for comparison: $36,400 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award 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 · 3

3 seats: the top 3 win.

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Manson; 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.

  • Manson City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Jesse Grossnickle, Lonny Nimke
  • Manson Mayor
    Now held by Dave Anderson
  • Manson Park Board (2 seats)
    Now held by Braden Moser Write in, Trudi Cabrera Write in

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

Tim Kraayenbrink (Sen. 4)Wendy Larson (Rep. 7)

U.S. House:District 4

Calhoun CountyManson Northwest Webster schools