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Local taxes › Cass County › Atlantic

City

Atlantic

Cass County · How cities work

$3,250 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.61 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,470 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.48 per $1,000)
$4.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$10.5Mcity 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.

  • Dana HalderAtlantic City Council Ward 5 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jeremy ButlerAtlantic City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jim BehrensAtlantic City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rob ClausenAtlantic Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Elaine OtteAtlantic City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Emily KennedyAtlantic City Council Ward 1 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mike McDermottAtlantic City Council Ward 3 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Shawn SarsfieldAtlantic City Council Ward 4 · 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 Atlantic

Homes and businesses in most of Atlantic pay a combined $38.61 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Cass County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.48. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Atlantic$17.4845%
  • Atlantic schools$12.7533%
  • Cass County$4.7512%
  • Iowa Western Community College$1.474%
  • Cass County Hospital$1.404%
  • Cass County Assessor$0.521%
  • Cass County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.23<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.11$16.86
FY21$40.24$16.56
FY22$39.92$16.56
FY23$38.93$16.56
FY24$39.21$16.52
FY25$39.31$17.25
FY26$37.91$17.85
FY27$38.61$17.48
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.11$16.86
FY21$40.24$16.56
FY22$39.92$16.56
FY23$38.93$16.56
FY24$39.21$16.52
FY25$39.31$17.25
FY26$37.91$17.85
FY27$38.61$17.48

Compared with places this size3

Atlantic’s city property tax rate of $17.48 per $1,000 is the 9th highest of 54 Iowa cities with 4,500–10,000 people. The middle of the group is $15.00.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Keokuk: $19.68Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86Fort Madison: $18.84Denison: $18.69Perry: $17.91Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Fairfield: $16.69Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Grinnell: $15.60Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Nevada: $14.58Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Mount Pleasant: $11.94Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Sioux Center: $11.05Polk City: $11.00Bondurant: $10.82Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Evansdale: $8.00Atlantic: $17.48$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 54
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Keokuk$19.689,462
4Independence$19.016,266
5Iowa Falls$18.864,993
6Fort Madison$18.849,983
7Denison$18.698,302
8Perry$17.918,046
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Knoxville$17.467,440
11Clarinda$17.255,334
12Centerville$16.855,345
13Algona$16.755,341
14Fairfield$16.699,511
15Webster City$16.517,763
16Vinton$16.254,962
17Winterset$16.155,421
18Humboldt$16.004,774
19Anamosa$15.955,845
20Charles City$15.957,081
21Grinnell$15.609,495
22Decorah$15.527,454
23Sheldon$15.335,584
24Estherville$15.275,796
25Washington$15.217,281
26Harlan$15.074,898
27Shenandoah$15.024,878
28Creston$14.997,421
29Manchester$14.965,283
30Cherokee$14.825,186
31Glenwood$14.775,250
32Nevada$14.587,082
33Osceola$14.375,585
34Windsor Heights$14.305,106
35Orange City$14.016,547
36Hiawatha$13.787,347
37Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
38Mount Vernon$13.504,518
39Adel$13.436,763
40Maquoketa$12.856,064
41Camanche$12.754,536
42Le Claire$12.644,776
43Mount Pleasant$11.948,509
44Tiffin$11.806,695
45Huxley$11.684,737
46Sioux Center$11.058,675
47Polk City$11.006,430
48Bondurant$10.829,511
49Dyersville$10.274,559
50Spirit Lake$10.175,548
51Clear Lake$9.857,602
52Asbury$8.326,051
53Eldridge$8.136,967
54Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Atlantic’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 647 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.94 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.62 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.86 · $1.3M
  • Debt Service Levy$3.96 · $1.1M
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.80 · $211,513

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$4.5M of taxable value in Atlantic is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $190,940 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$189,374
$144,785

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 $61,429 of the city’s own.

  • Atlantic schools$41,510
  • Cass County$20,348
YearTIF revenue
FY16$143,309
FY17$109,264
FY18$134,417
FY19$189,374
FY20$182,410
FY21$158,486
FY22$146,161
FY23$144,785
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$143,309
FY17$109,264
FY18$134,417
FY19$189,374
FY20$182,410
FY21$158,486
FY22$146,161
FY23$144,785

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$2.1M45%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.3M28%
  • Debt Service Levy$1.1M23%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$211,5135%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Atlantic’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Public Safety: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Works: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Debt Service: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Business Type / Enterprise: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything else: 15¢ of every dollar15¢

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 53 Iowa cities closest in size (4,500–10,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (53)
Capital Projects35¢21¢
Public Safety18¢13¢
Public Works12¢8¢
Debt Service10¢7¢
Business Type / Enterprise10¢35¢
Everything else15¢15¢

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 Safety$2.9M28%
  • Public Works$2.0M19%
  • Debt Service$1.6M15%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.3M13%
  • Capital Projects$1.2M12%
  • General Government$1.0M10%
  • Community and Economic Development$436,8624%
  • Health and Social Services$9,6660%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.8M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$1.7M$1.7M
Public Safety$2.6M$2.8M
Health and Social Services$14,953$10,920
General Government$718,613$770,778
Debt Service$1.6M$1.6M
Culture and Recreation$1.1M$1.3M
Community and Economic Development$283,544$1.8M
Capital Projects$1.5M$1.7M
Business Type / Enterprise$1.6M$1.5M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$17.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Atlantic owes

$24.6M at June 30, 2026: $3,617 per resident. 221st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$25.2M
$24.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$24.6M$3,617
2025$16.9M$2,491
2024$14.7M$2,161
2023$15.7M$2,318
2022$16.9M$2,483
2021$18.1M$2,662
2020$20.3M$2,984
2019$21.8M$3,212
2018$23.4M$3,438
2017$24.1M$3,543
2016$25.2M$3,715
2015$21.8M$3,213
2014$21.3M$3,138
2013$20.2M$2,970
2012$13.5M$1,992
2011$18.1M$2,668
2010$3.9M$569
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$24.6M$3,617
2025$16.9M$2,491
2024$14.7M$2,161
2023$15.7M$2,318
2022$16.9M$2,483
2021$18.1M$2,662
2020$20.3M$2,984
2019$21.8M$3,212
2018$23.4M$3,438
2017$24.1M$3,543
2016$25.2M$3,715
2015$21.8M$3,213
2014$21.3M$3,138
2013$20.2M$2,970
2012$13.5M$1,992
2011$18.1M$2,668
2010$3.9M$569

Up 536% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $18.3M, 73% of the limit of about $25.1M (5% of $501.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

9 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2026A GO CORPORATE PURPOSE BONDS2045$11.3M
Revenue BondsWASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT2037$6.3M
General Obligation2025B SERIES 1 AMBULANCE & EQUIPMENT; POLICE VEHICILES & EQUIPMENT; STREET IMPROVEMENTS2045$4.1M
General Obligation2026B TAXABLE GO CORPORATE PURPOSE BONDS2045$1.8M
General Obligation2020 SERIES A GO BOND REFUNDING 2012-132028$700,000
General ObligationTAXABLE GO BOND TO PURCHASE LAND - Prairie Hills2042$444,000
General Obligation2016 GO Bond: Street Improvements2035$0
General Obligation2018 GO Bond: Vehicles, Street, Bridge, and Airport Improvements2037$0
General Obligation2025A Series: Public Safety Vehicles & Eqpt; Electric Generators; Library Improvements2029$0

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. Atlantic’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Thursday, August 28, 2025, by a CPA firm.

15 earlier reports for Atlantic

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: $996,431 in FY25, down 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 23% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$946,862$934,656$959,388$966,595
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$114,113$99,848$286,207$29,836

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.

$579,660
  • State grants$256,58144%
  • CEBA grants$222,00138%
  • Iowa Economic Development Authority$100,00017%
  • Other$1,0780%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$125,798
FY20$175,105
FY21$357,059
FY22$171,498
FY23$272,742
FY24$44,862
FY25$579,660
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$125,798
FY20$175,105
FY21$357,059
FY22$171,498
FY23$272,742
FY24$44,862
FY25$579,660

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$918,769 → $966,595, up 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−80%$117,733 → $29,836, down 75% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 80% 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 15% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% less.

$1.3M
$1.3M

Federal grants, for comparison: $947,843 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in ATLANTIC: $53K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 100 jobs. Closed projects promised 100 jobs; 0 were there at the end.14

  • Elkhart Plastics of Iowa & Elkhart Plastics, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY19 · Closed: Paid it all back · 100 jobs required, 0 at the end
    $53K

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2017 worth $1.4M, for 164 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)15.

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 · 4

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Atlantic; 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.

  • Atlantic City Council At-Large
    Now held by Elaine Otte
  • Atlantic City Council Ward 1
    Now held by Emily Kennedy
  • Atlantic City Council Ward 2
    Now held by Jim Behrens
  • Atlantic City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Mike McDermott
  • Atlantic City Council Ward 4
    Now held by Shawn Sarsfield

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Tom Shipley (Sen. 9)Thomas Jay Moore (Rep. 18)

U.S. House:District 3

Cass CountyAtlantic schools