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Local taxes › Cerro Gordo County › Mason City

City

Mason City

Cerro Gordo County · How cities work

$3,140 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.24 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,220 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.47 per $1,000)
$19.6Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$71.4Mcity 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.

  • John JaszewskiMason City City Council Ward 4 · elected November 4, 2025
  • John P. LeeMason City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tim LathamMason City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Will SymondsMason City City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • John P. LeeMason City City Council Ward 1 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joshua MassonMason City City Council Ward 3 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Paul AdamsMason City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Anne HansenMason City Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • James KoppinMason City Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike Doc AdamsMason City Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jay A. LalaMason City Park Board · elected November 7, 2023
  • Troy LevenhagenMason City 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.3

City Council · Tuesday, November 3, 2026Agenda (PDF)

AI summary

  • Discussion regarding updates to the city's zoning regulations and text amendments.
  • A proclamation for Veterans Day and a report from the City Administrator.
  • Approvals for special assessments on certain properties for various charges and for tree removal costs.
  • Approvals for the CDBG Roof Replacement Program policies and a new Code of Conduct for handling federal grant funds.
  • Approvals for forgivable loans and grant applications for Music Man LLC to rehabilitate properties at 321 and 331 South Delaware Avenue.
  • A contract award to Accord Architecture Co. for Southbridge Mall improvements, an urban renewal area amendment, the sale of an alley, and an ordinance change regarding garbage and recycling administrative fees.
City Council · Tuesday, October 20, 2026Agenda (PDF)

AI summary

  • Discuss "Sculptures on Parade - People's choice" during the special items section.
  • Consider hiring Cade Schilling as a Police Officer at $34.35 per hour.
  • Review the June financial report and the Mason City Housing Authority’s 2025-26 Annual Report.
  • Discuss appointments for the Airport Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
  • Review several resolutions regarding city funds, fire protection services with Lime Creek Township, and changes to the Downtown Revitalization Loan Area boundaries.
  • Address business involving equipment purchases from Hotsy Equipment Company, property and sidewalk permits for local businesses, and public hearings regarding urban renewal and property transfers.
City Council · Tuesday, October 6, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Iowa Funnel couldn’t read this agenda’s text (no text (a scanned PDF?)).

Show 5 more meetings
City Council · Tuesday, October 6, 2026Agenda (PDF)

AI summary

  • The Council will consider several new contracts, including Tannery Creek Systems, Inc. for police department software, Waste Innovations Systems, Inc. for sanitation technology, WHKS & Co. for a safety action plan, and Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. for a water facility risk assessment.
  • Infrastructure and development items include approving street and utility improvements on Pennsylvania Avenue with Heartland Asphalt, water facility improvements with Staab Construction Corporation, and various plat approvals for Briarstone Estates 3rd Addition and The Kirk Subdivision.
  • The Council will discuss a $30,000 Downtown Revitalization Loan to Tip the Barber and More, LLC, and a public hearing regarding sanitary sewer repairs, including a contract award to Bob McKiness Excavating and Grading, Inc.
  • Personnel and administrative actions include appointing Sarah Glowaski to the Airport Commission, hiring Kimberly Barkman as a Housing Inspector, hiring Joseph Gaubatz as Water Supply Superintendent at $42.98 per hour, and approving a fire protection agreement with Mason Township.
  • The Council will address several resolutions regarding property tax assessments for various charges and tree removals, as well as final votes on changing city codes related to nuisances (weeds) and building/housing regulations.
  • Special items include proclamations for Fire Prevention Week and Community Planning Month.
City Council · Tuesday, September 15, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Tuesday, September 15, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Tuesday, September 1, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Tuesday, August 18, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Mason City

Homes and businesses in most of Mason City pay a combined $37.24 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Cerro Gordo County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.47. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.55$13.72
FY21$36.17$14.39
FY22$38.43$14.03
FY23$38.02$14.00
FY24$36.22$13.99
FY25$33.57$13.98
FY26$33.76$13.98
FY27$37.24$14.47
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.55$13.72
FY21$36.17$14.39
FY22$38.43$14.03
FY23$38.02$14.00
FY24$36.22$13.99
FY25$33.57$13.98
FY26$33.76$13.98
FY27$37.24$14.47

Compared with places this size4

Mason City’s city property tax rate of $14.47 per $1,000 is the 7th lowest of 14 Iowa cities with 20,000–40,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.59.

Ottumwa: $21.01Fort Dodge: $20.89Clinton: $16.80Marshalltown: $16.25Muscatine: $16.17Burlington: $15.94Coralville: $14.70Bettendorf: $13.33Waukee: $12.80North Liberty: $11.84Johnston: $11.39Altoona: $10.75Clive: $9.92Mason City: $14.47$9.92 lowest$21.01 highestmiddle
See all 14
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Ottumwa$21.0125,648
2Fort Dodge$20.8924,886
3Clinton$16.8024,118
4Marshalltown$16.2527,886
5Muscatine$16.1723,298
6Burlington$15.9423,637
7Coralville$14.7023,959
8Mason City$14.4726,948
9Bettendorf$13.3340,281
10Waukee$12.8034,420
11North Liberty$11.8421,904
12Johnston$11.3925,022
13Altoona$10.7522,598
14Clive$9.9219,508

The $8.10 limit

Mason City’s general levy is $8.26 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.5 103 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.51 · FY26 $8.51 · FY27 $8.26 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.21 more6

  • Debt Service Levy$3.08 · $4.4M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.46 · $3.3M
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.51 · $675,005
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$0.16 · $215,004

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$115.7M of taxable value in Mason City is in TIF districts’ increment (8% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.7 It budgeted $2.4M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$2.1M
$1.5M

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY278

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $1.3M of the city’s own.

  • Cerro Gordo County$576,798
  • Mason City schools$316,811
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.5M
FY17$1.2M
FY18$1.3M
FY19$1.9M
FY20$1.7M
FY21$2.1M
FY22$1.6M
FY23$1.5M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.5M
FY17$1.2M
FY18$1.3M
FY19$1.9M
FY20$1.7M
FY21$2.1M
FY22$1.6M
FY23$1.5M

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$10.9M56%
  • Debt Service Levy$4.4M23%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.3M17%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$675,0053%
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$215,0041%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Mason City’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 54¢ of every dollar54¢Capital Projects: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Debt Service: 7¢ of every dollar7¢General Government: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 11¢ of every dollar11¢

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 13 Iowa cities closest in size (20,000–40,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (13)
Business Type / Enterprise54¢28¢
Capital Projects11¢25¢
Public Safety11¢14¢
Debt Service7¢11¢
General Government6¢4¢
Everything else11¢17¢

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$26.5M37%
  • Public Safety$14.4M20%
  • Debt Service$9.6M13%
  • General Government$7.8M11%
  • Culture and Recreation$4.9M7%
  • Public Works$4.9M7%
  • Community and Economic Development$3.0M4%
  • Health and Social Services$231,7940%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($69.2M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$4.7M$4.8M
Public Safety$13.0M$13.0M
Health and Social Services$429,762$372,162
General Government$7.4M$7.3M
Debt Service$7.4M$7.4M
Culture and Recreation$4.3M$4.6M
Community and Economic Development$2.1M$2.9M
Capital Projects$21.9M$14.0M
Business Type / Enterprise$20.4M$19.5M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out9

$117.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Mason City owes

$106.8M at June 30, 2026: $3,907 per resident. 192nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).10

$106.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$106.8M$3,907
2025$61.5M$2,250
2024$63.2M$2,311
2023$56.1M$2,051
2022$59.2M$2,164
2021$54.2M$1,983
2020$55.4M$2,026
2019$49.4M$1,808
2018$33.7M$1,234
2017$36.6M$1,339
2016$41.1M$1,502
2015$45.7M$1,671
2014$46.1M$1,686
2013$51.3M$1,875
2012$55.4M$2,025
2011$60.0M$2,195
2010$58.4M$2,136
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$106.8M$3,907
2025$61.5M$2,250
2024$63.2M$2,311
2023$56.1M$2,051
2022$59.2M$2,164
2021$54.2M$1,983
2020$55.4M$2,026
2019$49.4M$1,808
2018$33.7M$1,234
2017$36.6M$1,339
2016$41.1M$1,502
2015$45.7M$1,671
2014$46.1M$1,686
2013$51.3M$1,875
2012$55.4M$2,025
2011$60.0M$2,195
2010$58.4M$2,136

Up 83% since 2010.

The 5% limit11

General obligation debt is $60.0M, 50% of the limit of about $119.6M (5% of $2.39B, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

17 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSRF Loan for Water Reclamation Facility Nutrient Reduction Upgrades2047$43.0M
General ObligationRiver City Renaissance Arena project2038$12.0M
General ObligationStreet rehab, Peirce/12th ST NW, US 65 project, Sanitation upgrades2035$8.3M
General ObligationFunding for economic development grant to developer of conference center hotel.2041$7.6M
General ObligationCIP Bond Issuance- Street rehab, airport terminal, drill new water well, police & fire facilities2033$6.6M
General ObligationStreets and Water Improvements, 2024A.2034$4.4M
General ObligationDestination Iowa LOSST Bond backed by GO pledge- trails, bike park, riverwalk2034$4.0M
General ObligationStreet Projects, Police & Fire Equipment, general CIP.2030$2.9M
General ObligationStreet & Airport projects, Police & Fire building renovations.2032$2.8M
General ObligationRiver City Renaissance Arena and pavilion project 2019D2039$2.7M
Revenue BondsSewer plant upgrade2029$2.5M
General ObligationStreet projects, police and fire equipment, water and sewer projects2029$2.1M
General ObligationFunding for Street Projects, Police & Fire Equipment, and other CIP priorities.2032$2.0M
General ObligationPolice & fire equipment, parks improvements, water, sewer, cemetery, museum projects2028$1.6M
General ObligationRefunding for library rehab bonds2029$1.5M
General ObligationRiver City Renaissance hotel and sky-walk project 2019D2039$1.4M
Revenue Bondsplanning/design SRF loan for Water plant upgrades. Will be included in SRF construction loan in FY272028$1.3M

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 balances12. Mason City’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits13

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Thursday, July 9, 2026, by a CPA firm.

6 earlier reports for Mason City

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? 14

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: $4.7M in FY25, up 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$3.8M$3.8M$3.9M$3.9M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$630,873––$857,566

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.

$5.5M
$2.9M
  • State grants$2.7M93%
  • Police Grants$207,0877%
  • Commercial Rollback Backfill$6,9770%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.0M
FY20$1.5M
FY21$2.8M
FY22$2.5M
FY23$1.9M
FY24$5.5M
FY25$2.9M
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.0M
FY20$1.5M
FY21$2.8M
FY22$2.5M
FY23$1.9M
FY24$5.5M
FY25$2.9M

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−15%$3.6M → $3.9M, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+12%$611,978 → $857,566, up 40% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% 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 37% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% more.

$6.7M
$6.6M

Federal grants, for comparison: $2.5M in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

2 businesses have state awards in MASON CITY: $669K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 76 jobs. Closed projects promised 76 jobs; 76 were there at the end.15

  • EVCO Holdings, LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 115 jobs required
    $345K
  • Kraft Heinz Foods Company
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY19 · Closed: Met its contract · 32 jobs required, 32 at the end
    $233K
  • Cargill Kitchen Solutions
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Met its contract · 44 jobs required, 44 at the end
    $436K

Community college new jobs training: 32 contracts since 1995 worth $7.8M, for 1,207 pledged jobs.

Awards 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)16.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Mason City; 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.

  • Mason City City Council At-Large
    Now held by Paul Adams
  • Mason City City Council Ward 1
    Now held by John P. Lee
  • Mason City City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Joshua Masson
  • Mason City Park Board (2 seats)
    Now held by Jay A. Lala, Troy Levenhagen

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here17.

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 ballot18.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress19

Doug Campbell (Sen. 30)Christian A. Hermanson (Rep. 59)

U.S. House:District 2

Cerro Gordo CountyMason City schools