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Local taxes › Cerro Gordo County › Rockwell

City

Rockwell

Cerro Gordo County · How cities work

$3,140 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.30 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,480 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.54 per $1,000)
$661,692property 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.

  • Abbie EmhoffRockwell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bradley MeyerRockwell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Larry WentzRockwell Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tracy WorleyRockwell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian KoobRockwell City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jacob DitsworthRockwell 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 Rockwell

Homes and businesses in most of Rockwell pay a combined $37.30 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, $17.54. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.80$10.29
FY21$31.72$12.74
FY22$32.08$13.26
FY23$32.92$14.39
FY24$33.49$14.82
FY25$34.14$15.97
FY26$36.31$16.54
FY27$37.30$17.54
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.80$10.29
FY21$31.72$12.74
FY22$32.08$13.26
FY23$32.92$14.39
FY24$33.49$14.82
FY25$34.14$15.97
FY26$36.31$16.54
FY27$37.30$17.54

Compared with places this size3

Rockwell’s city property tax rate of $17.54 per $1,000 is the 16th highest of 173 Iowa cities with 700–1,600 people. The middle of the group is $13.21.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Walnut: $17.46Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Oxford: $16.70Ackley: $16.63Buffalo Center: $16.58Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Palo: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Oakland: $10.85Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Rockwell: $17.54$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 173
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Allison$19.06937
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Dysart$17.951,266
12Greene$17.91971
13Alden$17.90738
14Lansing$17.67959
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Rockwell$17.541,044
17Walnut$17.46728
18Gowrie$17.17943
19Colo$17.14856
20Mapleton$16.901,114
21George$16.891,106
22Fayette$16.851,193
23Adair$16.84792
24Eddyville$16.82965
25Nashua$16.811,515
26Oxford$16.70715
27Ackley$16.631,538
28Buffalo Center$16.58839
29Roland$16.511,376
30Eldon$16.42788
31Monona$16.411,462
32Aplington$16.341,088
33Panora$16.141,096
34Mechanicsville$16.12974
35Dike$15.941,293
36Armstrong$15.87847
37Ruthven$15.84710
38Holstein$15.811,475
39State Center$15.801,403
40Earlham$15.551,411
41Shell Rock$15.521,265
42Brooklyn$15.491,474
43Newell$15.49850
44Riceville$15.31807
45Neola$15.30917
46Sidney$15.191,048
47Gilbertville$15.15792
48Logan$15.051,351
49Griswold$15.01975
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Tripoli$14.991,208
52Essex$14.76721
53Bedford$14.661,474
54Lenox$14.651,355
55Manning$14.621,390
56Dunlap$14.561,030
57Garnavillo$14.52751
58Maxwell$14.50862
59Coon Rapids$14.491,258
60Nora Springs$14.251,330
61Kingsley$14.251,394
62Mcgregor$14.20725
63Primghar$14.18893
64Sheffield$14.161,123
65Woodward$14.051,383
66Ossian$13.88777
67Alton$13.871,248
68Montezuma$13.791,421
69Redfield$13.73719
70Victor$13.72852
71Gilbert$13.711,397
72Edgewood$13.64908
73Sioux Rapids$13.63722
74Donnellson$13.63859
75Gladbrook$13.58775
76Clarksville$13.531,238
77Rockford$13.52722
78Janesville$13.431,052
79Glidden$13.431,140
80Calmar$13.391,100
81Baxter$13.32983
82Manly$13.291,233
83Anita$13.28953
84Van Horne$13.27768
85Conrad$13.231,098
86Springville$13.221,161
87Keota$13.21888
88Shellsburg$13.20987
89De Soto$13.18937
90Treynor$13.031,104
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Akron$12.931,545
93Earlville$12.90713
94Danville$12.87910
95Underwood$12.85973
96New Sharon$12.801,249
97Malvern$12.791,056
98Montrose$12.78734
99Wellsburg$12.68709
100Buffalo$12.681,163
101Sanborn$12.621,463
102Hospers$12.58703
103Hazleton$12.48711
104West Point$12.39903
105Hinton$12.38959
106Preston$12.38940
107Hubbard$12.30837
108Hedrick$12.22717
109Carson$12.22772
110Wheatland$12.18765
111Schaller$12.14702
112Winfield$12.041,006
113Elkhart$12.001,079
114Afton$11.96864
115Lowden$11.93767
116Tabor$11.88983
117Wellman$11.881,531
118Aurelia$11.84970
119Merrill$11.64713
120Morning Sun$11.50702
121Palo$11.491,554
122Wall Lake$11.43739
123West Bend$11.42770
124Dakota City$11.39764
125Marcus$11.311,069
126Dunkerton$11.30840
127Whiting$11.21725
128Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
129Shelby$11.17730
130University Heights$11.121,188
131Blairstown$11.04705
132Manilla$11.01756
133Hamburg$10.95863
134Clarence$10.94991
135Oakland$10.851,519
136Cambridge$10.53844
137Swisher$10.39909
138Schleswig$10.39820
139Melbourne$10.38771
140Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
141Walcott$10.291,556
142Fredericksburg$10.27983
143Lake Park$10.251,155
144Ventura$10.22701
145Inwood$10.22962
146Milo$10.20762
147Hartford$10.16729
148Central City$10.011,254
149Newhall$9.99887
150Graettinger$9.81810
151Long Grove$9.59849
152Lake View$9.391,120
153Paullina$9.21979
154Fairbank$9.001,133
155Winthrop$8.94814
156Walford$8.721,357
157Keosauqua$8.58944
158Grand Junction$8.57715
159Princeton$8.24917
160Lone Tree$8.131,341
161Riverside$8.021,063
162Hills$7.94911
163Larchwood$7.52954
164North English$7.491,030
165Sloan$7.491,078
166Sully$7.41891
167Fruitland$7.21928
168Lawton$7.10949
169Wayland$7.07935
170Raymond$6.85754
171Shueyville$6.79725
172Arnolds Park$4.951,214
173Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Rockwell’s general levy is $8.04 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.06 below the limit.4 406 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.20 · FY26 $8.20 · FY27 $8.04 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.50 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.78 · $143,133
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.78 · $140,579
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.86 · $69,299
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.09 · $3,168

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$1.3M of taxable value in Rockwell is in TIF districts’ increment (3% of the city’s taxable value), 2024 valuations, taxed in FY26.6 It budgeted $13,660 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$11,423

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY267

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $16,107 of the city’s own.

  • Calhoun County$7,611
YearTIF revenue
FY16$2,690
FY17$2,807
FY18$3,049
FY19$4,913
FY20$6,006
FY21$7,736
FY22$7,703
FY23$11,423
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$2,690
FY17$2,807
FY18$3,049
FY19$4,913
FY20$6,006
FY21$7,736
FY22$7,703
FY23$11,423

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$299,30346%
  • Debt Service Levy$143,13322%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$140,57921%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$69,29911%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$3,1680%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Rockwell’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 25¢ of every dollar25¢Business Type / Enterprise: 16¢ of every dollar16¢General Government: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Community and Economic Development: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Everything else: 23¢ of every dollar23¢

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 172 Iowa cities closest in size (700–1,600 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (172)
Public Works25¢15¢
Business Type / Enterprise16¢40¢
General Government12¢8¢
Community and Economic Development12¢2¢
Culture and Recreation12¢9¢
Everything else23¢26¢

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$393,13531%
  • General Government$200,57516%
  • Culture and Recreation$182,50015%
  • Community and Economic Development$182,50015%
  • Public Safety$151,33412%
  • Debt Service$144,55512%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($231,600 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$373,097$294,247
Public Safety$134,921$135,307
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$125,820$163,917
Debt Service$143,795$143,795
Culture and Recreation$143,600$135,667
Community and Economic Development$135,000$97,717
Capital Projects$0$25,859
Business Type / Enterprise$212,920$153,989

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$1.8M
$1.6M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Rockwell owes

$930,000 at June 30, 2026: $868 per resident. 573rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$1.6M
$930,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$930,000$868
2025$1.1M$1,036
2024$1.2M$1,106
2023$1.3M$1,218
2022$1.4M$1,326
2021$1.5M$1,433
2020$1.6M$1,527
2019$700,000$654
2018$745,000$696
2017$790,000$738
2016$900,734$841
2015$963,808$900
2014$1.0M$947
2013$1.1M$994
2012$1.1M$1,041
2011$128,721$120
2010$129,189$121
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$930,000$868
2025$1.1M$1,036
2024$1.2M$1,106
2023$1.3M$1,218
2022$1.4M$1,326
2021$1.5M$1,433
2020$1.6M$1,527
2019$700,000$654
2018$745,000$696
2017$790,000$738
2016$900,734$841
2015$963,808$900
2014$1.0M$947
2013$1.1M$994
2012$1.1M$1,041
2011$128,721$120
2010$129,189$121

Up 620% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Rockwell’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Monday, June 29, 2026, by a CPA firm.

4 earlier reports for Rockwell

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? 12

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: $152,103 in FY25, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$147,250$147,382$151,282$152,103

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−3%$124,963 → $152,103, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% 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 44% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% more.

$255,267
$241,491

Federal grants, for comparison: $74,014 in FY23.

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)13.

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

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Rockwell; 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.

  • Rockwell City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Brian Koob, Jacob Ditsworth
  • Rockwell Mayor
    Now held by Larry Wentz

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

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 ballot15.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

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

U.S. House:District 2

Cerro Gordo CountyWest Fork schools