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Local taxes › Carroll County › Halbur

City

Halbur

Carroll County · How cities work

$2,460 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($29.23 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,210 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.37 per $1,000)
$102,266property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.3Mcity 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.

  • Ali EischeidHalbur City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bryan WittrockHalbur Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Scott MikkelsenHalbur City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Caleb HopkinsHalbur City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Daniel DrakeHalbur City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kim RiesselmanHalbur 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 Halbur

Homes and businesses in most of Halbur pay a combined $29.23 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Carroll County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.37. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$24.26$9.13
FY21$24.33$9.08
FY22$23.78$9.03
FY23$24.41$9.49
FY24$25.60$9.86
FY25$28.04$12.46
FY26$28.94$13.46
FY27$29.23$14.37
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$24.26$9.13
FY21$24.33$9.08
FY22$23.78$9.03
FY23$24.41$9.49
FY24$25.60$9.86
FY25$28.04$12.46
FY26$28.94$13.46
FY27$29.23$14.37

Compared with places this size3

Halbur’s city property tax rate of $14.37 per $1,000 is the 52nd highest of 205 Iowa cities with 180–400 people. The middle of the group is $12.12.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Earling: $20.47Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Pierson: $17.12Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Parnell: $11.78Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Grand River: $7.86Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Rickardsville: $2.27Halbur: $14.37$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 205
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Smithland$21.12184
7Earling$20.47394
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Fort Atkinson$19.19300
12Salem$19.15380
13Cumberland$18.42248
14Jamaica$18.24196
15Massena$18.23352
16Callender$17.78361
17Casey$17.72387
18Vail$17.66383
19Ringsted$17.65346
20Emerson$17.54401
21Pierson$17.12335
22Pisgah$17.09248
23Lohrville$16.95366
24Lakota$16.84261
25Marble Rock$16.78258
26Auburn$16.65253
27Mccallsburg$16.58356
28Prescott$16.53186
29Irwin$16.46320
30Montour$16.37199
31Lewis$16.25358
32Corwith$16.22259
33Deep River$16.18243
34Waucoma$16.17235
35Duncombe$16.10374
36Bayard$16.05402
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Moorhead$15.68186
40Onslow$15.63198
41Linden$15.62206
42Peterson$15.27321
43Greeley$15.23216
44Riverton$14.94243
45Marathon$14.89221
46Plainfield$14.84392
47Ryan$14.84348
48Ladora$14.74223
49Magnolia$14.68194
50Bagley$14.63230
51Garrison$14.38345
52Halbur$14.37268
53Lorimor$14.36377
54Crystal Lake$14.36243
55Kimballton$14.27281
56Steamboat Rock$14.19261
57Westgate$14.05190
58Mystic$14.01318
59Wesley$13.91382
60Diagonal$13.91331
61Bussey$13.83378
62Mondamin$13.82335
63Livermore$13.78382
64Fertile$13.70300
65Stockport$13.68272
66Kellerton$13.60241
67Quimby$13.58245
68Meservey$13.43212
69Persia$13.41292
70Lawler$13.39392
71Lacona$13.38336
72Leland$13.31240
73Ute$13.26326
74New Market$13.25381
75Plymouth$13.21368
76Harcourt$13.21257
77Bennett$13.16330
78Ridgeway$13.10261
79Farmersburg$13.09264
80Portsmouth$13.05187
81Clutier$13.03209
82Lehigh$12.97395
83Menlo$12.92347
84Templeton$12.91337
85Silver City$12.87244
86Martelle$12.83250
87Malcom$12.82257
88Blencoe$12.57223
89Williams$12.57299
90Maurice$12.56271
91Clearfield$12.50277
92Kensett$12.47256
93Mccausland$12.45314
94Spillville$12.40371
95Modale$12.34284
96Mingo$12.31314
97Brandon$12.29331
98Blakesburg$12.21273
99Cushing$12.18225
100Bonaparte$12.17357
101Hanlontown$12.17200
102Stout$12.14194
103Macedonia$12.12266
104Paton$12.09217
105Kiron$12.03262
106Rembrandt$12.03199
107Colesburg$11.97379
108Liscomb$11.96292
109New Providence$11.88233
110Thornton$11.86394
111Parnell$11.78190
112Joice$11.72206
113Atalissa$11.71287
114Cantril$11.69224
115Kelley$11.69312
116Orient$11.66363
117Wadena$11.65201
118Cincinnati$11.57280
119Delta$11.52257
120Terril$11.48310
121Westside$11.45283
122Holland$11.37261
123Churdan$11.31359
124Mallard$11.28255
125Miles$11.28400
126Renwick$11.16228
127Dundee$11.14193
128Randolph$11.08183
129Rake$11.05179
130Frederika$10.99206
131Milton$10.98395
132New Vienna$10.91384
133Letts$10.91358
134Goose Lake$10.89250
135Birmingham$10.87371
136Charlotte$10.86386
137Yale$10.85265
138Hornick$10.74255
139Woden$10.68183
140Riverdale$10.67385
141Bode$10.64304
142Union$10.58378
143Cleghorn$10.49235
144Calamus$10.47348
145Danbury$10.43315
146Lytton$10.38274
147Rhodes$10.36269
148Dedham$10.28221
149Deloit$10.28246
150Protivin$10.28264
151Andrew$10.22374
152Royal$10.20379
153Bronson$10.14294
154Hancock$10.13199
155Rudd$10.13339
156La Motte$10.09235
157Melvin$10.05196
158Defiance$10.05248
159Floyd$10.02297
160Barnum$9.96186
161Panama$9.85234
162Grafton$9.83212
163Lynnville$9.68382
164Ionia$9.65220
165Salix$9.63303
166Luxemburg$9.58240
167Rippey$9.42217
168Farnhamville$9.18364
169Middletown$9.16365
170Dixon$9.03204
171Lester$8.94309
172Oakville$8.89198
173Harvey$8.71242
174Washta$8.65206
175Ollie$8.44196
176Thor$8.38182
177Rowley$8.31264
178South English$8.27196
179Bertram$8.10267
180Fostoria$8.10229
181Low Moor$8.10242
182Nichols$8.10317
183Laurel$8.10214
184Lineville$8.10194
185Luana$7.98303
186Lockridge$7.92245
187Grand River$7.86192
188Pulaski$7.58259
189Sheldahl$7.56312
190Fredonia$7.55227
191Worthington$7.50374
192Harpers Ferry$7.49273
193Alvord$7.41216
194Columbus City$6.94385
195Donahue$6.83336
196Packwood$6.77186
197Libertyville$6.60278
198Keswick$6.49238
199Crawfordsville$6.44278
200Holy Cross$5.91348
201Conesville$5.86350
202Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
203Wahpeton$3.19337
204West Okoboji$2.92311
205Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Halbur’s general levy is $8.37 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.27 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 52 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $6.00 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.96 · $44,363
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.04 · $6,369

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.8M of taxable value in Halbur is in TIF districts’ increment (31% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $25,314 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$23,256

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $26,755 of the city’s own.

  • Carroll schools$23,650
  • Carroll County$9,508
YearTIF revenue
FY17$2,128
FY18$14,979
FY19$18,378
FY20$20,427
FY21$20,582
FY22$19,146
FY23$23,256
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY17$2,128
FY18$14,979
FY19$18,378
FY20$20,427
FY21$20,582
FY22$19,146
FY23$23,256

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$51,12450%
  • Debt Service Levy$44,36344%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$6,3696%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Halbur’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 70¢ of every dollar70¢Public Works: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Business Type / Enterprise: 7¢ of every dollar7¢General Government: 6¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 203 Iowa cities closest in size (180–400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (203)
Capital Projects70¢3¢
Public Works10¢21¢
Business Type / Enterprise7¢38¢
General Government6¢18¢
Debt Service4¢3¢
Everything else4¢19¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$1.0M75%
  • Public Works$131,30010%
  • General Government$78,9506%
  • Debt Service$52,4834%
  • Public Safety$45,1203%
  • Culture and Recreation$12,8001%
  • Community and Economic Development$3,0000%
  • Health and Social Services$1,7500%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($95,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$30,500$100,015
Public Safety$25,000$55,683
Health and Social Services$1,235$1,420
General Government$85,500$62,923
Debt Service$7,701$7,700
Culture and Recreation$12,220$14,403
Community and Economic Development$25,561$77,651
Capital Projects$54,000$0
Business Type / Enterprise$51,640$55,310

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$582,962
$426,372

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Halbur owes

$185,000 at June 30, 2026: $761 per resident. 598th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$390,953
$185,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$185,000$761
2025$206,000$848
2024$227,000$934
2023$247,000$1,016
2022$267,000$1,099
2021$286,000$1,177
2020$305,000$1,255
2019$324,000$1,333
2018$342,000$1,407
2017$360,000$1,481
2016$378,000$1,556
2015$390,953$1,609
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$185,000$761
2025$206,000$848
2024$227,000$934
2023$247,000$1,016
2022$267,000$1,099
2021$286,000$1,177
2020$305,000$1,255
2019$324,000$1,333
2018$342,000$1,407
2017$360,000$1,481
2016$378,000$1,556
2015$390,953$1,609
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Down 53% since 2015.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $873,115 (5% of $17.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansNew Water Tower2034$126,000
LoansNew Water Tower2034$59,000

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 balances11. Halbur’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, September 1, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

1 earlier report for Halbur

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? 13

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: $24,158 in FY25, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$23,227$23,281$24,018$24,158

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.

$50,344
$603
  • State grants$603100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$4,937
FY21$50,344
FY22$44,745
FY23$47,829
FY24$905
FY25$603
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$4,937
FY21$50,344
FY22$44,745
FY23$47,829
FY24$905
FY25$603

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$21,926 → $24,158, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% 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 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more.

$47,947
$47,545

Federal grants, for comparison: $3,214 in FY24.

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)14.

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

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Halbur; 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.

  • Halbur City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Daniel Drake, Caleb Hopkins, Kim Riesselman
  • Halbur Mayor
    Now held by Bryan Wittrock

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Jason Schultz (Sen. 6)Craig Steven Williams (Rep. 11)

U.S. House:District 4

Carroll CountyCarroll schools