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Local taxes › Calhoun County › Somers

City

Somers

Calhoun County · How cities work

$2,400 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($28.46 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$930 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.99 per $1,000)
$48,272property taxes the city levies, FY27
$121,113city 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.

  • Beaudry LyonSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dan GoodwinSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lance PeedSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Richard MartinSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rod ScottSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Terry VoteSomers Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Beau LyonSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Daniel JB GoodwinSomers City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Vicki ChaseSomers 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 Somers

Homes and businesses in most of Somers pay a combined $28.46 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, $10.99. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.02$8.10
FY21$28.57$10.33
FY22$27.81$10.53
FY23$27.57$10.46
FY24$27.74$10.92
FY25$27.38$10.25
FY26$28.22$10.82
FY27$28.46$10.99
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.02$8.10
FY21$28.57$10.33
FY22$27.81$10.53
FY23$27.57$10.46
FY24$27.74$10.92
FY25$27.38$10.25
FY26$28.22$10.82
FY27$28.46$10.99

Compared with places this size3

Somers’s city property tax rate of $10.99 per $1,000 is the 66th highest of 152 Iowa cities with 80–180 people. The middle of the group is $10.23.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Hansell: $23.66Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Soldier: $21.92Stanley: $20.69Coin: $19.59Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Grant: $18.71Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Little Sioux: $15.74Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Clemons: $12.69Cylinder: $12.52Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Decatur: $12.08Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Linn Grove: $11.15Promise City: $11.13Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Masonville: $11.00Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Pacific Junction: $10.56Barnes City: $10.44Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Andover: $8.28Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Carpenter: $8.10Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Buckeye: $7.94Morrison: $7.86Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Westwood: $7.67Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Pleasant Plain: $6.79Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Tennant: $6.29Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Sherrill: $2.66Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Somers: $10.99$1.78 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 152
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Hansell$23.6685
4Harris$23.13145
5Whitten$22.6598
6Soldier$21.92176
7Stanley$20.6986
8Coin$19.59171
9Rowan$19.53118
10Chester$19.30134
11Bouton$19.25125
12Ricketts$19.22105
13Garden Grove$19.20173
14Hastings$18.95157
15Grant$18.7182
16Swaledale$18.62136
17Derby$18.1389
18Hillsboro$17.68158
19Bristow$17.39139
20Woolstock$17.26141
21Monmouth$16.41129
22Blockton$16.37123
23Geneva$16.25137
24Waterville$16.25112
25Little Sioux$15.74170
26Woodburn$15.59133
27Kamrar$15.47178
28Goodell$15.16139
29Marne$15.03109
30Baldwin$14.9199
31Davis City$14.45178
32Lucas$14.40176
33Palmer$13.89137
34Ayrshire$13.55128
35Searsboro$13.55129
36Ferguson$13.5398
37Lanesboro$13.53112
38Calumet$13.16144
39Delaware$12.86139
40Patterson$12.84176
41Clemons$12.69135
42Cylinder$12.5284
43Millersburg$12.40135
44Aurora$12.40165
45Bridgewater$12.29145
46Arion$12.1499
47Webb$12.10139
48Decatur$12.08174
49Shambaugh$11.98161
50Lone Rock$11.92143
51East Peru$11.89119
52Henderson$11.85140
53Reasnor$11.76157
54Morley$11.7494
55Ledyard$11.74118
56Toronto$11.68101
57Exline$11.60157
58Beaman$11.54155
59College Springs$11.44172
60Melrose$11.27110
61Linn Grove$11.15155
62Promise City$11.1391
63Leighton$11.07153
64Rake$11.05179
65Masonville$11.0098
66Somers$10.99121
67Havelock$10.95127
68Alexander$10.90165
69Lambs Grove$10.78174
70Wallingford$10.75154
71Pacific Junction$10.5699
72Barnes City$10.44152
73Stockton$10.37171
74Randall$10.35156
75Meriden$10.28175
76Drakesville$10.24170
77North Washington$10.23107
78Dawson$10.19110
79Hartwick$9.9091
80Clare$9.81133
81Tingley$9.81146
82Rutland$9.65116
83Van Wert$9.62175
84Rock Falls$9.61143
85Kirkville$9.59159
86Superior$9.58127
87Webster$9.5594
88Martinsburg$9.49109
89Larrabee$9.41116
90Hamilton$9.35125
91Wiota$9.3291
92Floris$9.29119
93Mitchell$9.22118
94Westphalia$9.18133
95Elberon$9.16178
96Blairsburg$8.93175
97Prairieburg$8.91156
98Welton$8.86124
99Archer$8.84116
100Luther$8.83147
101Fraser$8.81107
102Macksburg$8.81103
103Moorland$8.61169
104Pilot Mound$8.54155
105Andover$8.28106
106Thurman$8.26162
107Boxholm$8.11177
108Carpenter$8.1092
109Rome$8.10112
110Westfield$8.10121
111Vincent$8.09125
112Buckeye$7.9482
113Morrison$7.86101
114Mount Auburn$7.86162
115Haverhill$7.86164
116Oyens$7.8688
117Olds$7.86174
118Castalia$7.86141
119Dickens$7.86146
120Rose Hill$7.86156
121West Chester$7.82147
122Cromwell$7.81104
123Mcclelland$7.79147
124Arispe$7.7195
125Luzerne$7.69111
126Lidderdale$7.68162
127Westwood$7.6796
128Bernard$7.56117
129Braddyville$7.49142
130Franklin$7.31133
131Spragueville$7.2092
132Weldon$7.18134
133Brunsville$6.95128
134Zwingle$6.9386
135Pleasant Plain$6.7983
136Houghton$6.73129
137Williamson$6.72126
138Lincoln$6.32119
139Tennant$6.2983
140Gravity$6.18149
141Ackworth$5.90117
142Oakland Acres$5.88178
143Springbrook$5.79145
144Maysville$5.77155
145Harper$5.29117
146Panorama Park$4.62142
147Keomah Village$3.15107
148Mcintire$2.78115
149Sherrill$2.66176
150Centralia$2.41117
151New Liberty$2.27141
152North Buena Vista$1.78107

The $8.10 limit

Somers’s general levy is $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, at the limit.4 247 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $2.89 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.67 · $7,221
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.22 · $5,295

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$35,07174%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$7,22115%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$5,29511%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Somers’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 73¢ of every dollar73¢Public Works: 12¢ of every dollar12¢General Government: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Culture and Recreation: 6¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 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 152 Iowa cities closest in size (80–180 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (152)
Capital Projects73¢2¢
Public Works12¢27¢
General Government7¢25¢
Culture and Recreation6¢8¢
Public Safety1¢10¢
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$46,50038%
  • Culture and Recreation$35,85430%
  • General Government$31,34626%
  • Public Safety$3,9003%
  • Health and Social Services$2,0002%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,5131%
Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$42,500$19,737
Public Safety$4,800$2,773
Health and Social Services$1,250$1,405
General Government$29,289$31,962
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$40,962$26,261
Community and Economic Development$1,700$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$20,000$30,558

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$305,744

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Somers owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.7

$63,855
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$46,096$360
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$8,358$65
2021$12,673$99
2020$25,650$200
2019$35,416$277
2018$43,912$343
2017$52,144$407
2016$51,855$405
2015$57,688$451
2014$41,377$323
2013$47,238$369
2012$52,932$414
2011$59,680$466
2010$63,855$499
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$46,096$360
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$8,358$65
2021$12,673$99
2020$25,650$200
2019$35,416$277
2018$43,912$343
2017$52,144$407
2016$51,855$405
2015$57,688$451
2014$41,377$323
2013$47,238$369
2012$52,932$414
2011$59,680$466
2010$63,855$499

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $390,634 (5% of $7.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Somers’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Thursday, June 30, 2022 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Thursday, June 30, 2022 (PDF), released Friday, March 31, 2023, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Somers

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: $17,798 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)$16,235$16,958$17,446$17,798

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.

$1,333
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$900
    FY20$965
    FY21$937
    FY22$1,333
    FY23$1,318
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$900
    FY20$965
    FY21$937
    FY22$1,333
    FY23$1,318
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−2%$14,512 → $17,798, up 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% 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 72% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 37% more.

    $19,851
    $14,519

    Federal grants, for comparison: $9,821 in FY25.

    Business awards

    Every award 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)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 · 2

    5 seats: the top 5 win.

    1 more →

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Somers; 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.

    • Somers City Council At-Large (5 seats)
      Now held by Daniel JB Goodwin, Richard Martin, Rod Scott, Beau Lyon, Vicki Chase
    • Somers Mayor
      Now held by Terry Vote

    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 CountyPrairie Valley schools