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Local taxes › Cherokee County › Aurelia

City

Aurelia

Cherokee County · How cities work

$2,400 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($28.48 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,000 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.84 per $1,000)
$455,634property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.0Mcity 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.

  • Brent FasslerAurelia City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jacquelyn BleilAurelia City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Roman RedigAurelia Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Sue JohnsonAurelia City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Cindy L NelsonAurelia City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Courtney BruceAurelia 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 Aurelia

Homes and businesses in most of Aurelia pay a combined $28.48 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Cherokee County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.84. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.90$12.13
FY21$27.02$12.11
FY22$25.29$10.72
FY23$25.16$10.78
FY24$26.70$10.88
FY25$28.00$10.79
FY26$28.63$12.08
FY27$28.48$11.84
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.90$12.13
FY21$27.02$12.11
FY22$25.29$10.72
FY23$25.16$10.78
FY24$26.70$10.88
FY25$28.00$10.79
FY26$28.63$12.08
FY27$28.48$11.84

Compared with places this size3

Aurelia’s city property tax rate of $11.84 per $1,000 is the 57th lowest of 171 Iowa cities with 650–1,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.18.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84State Center: $15.80Walker: $15.74Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Woodward: $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: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $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: $10.94Fontanelle: $10.88Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $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: $8.13Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Aurelia: $11.84$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 171
#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
7Allison$19.06937
8Dysart$17.951,266
9Greene$17.91971
10Alden$17.90738
11Lansing$17.67959
12Strawberry Point$17.581,141
13Rockwell$17.541,044
14Walnut$17.46728
15Gowrie$17.17943
16Colo$17.14856
17Mapleton$16.901,114
18George$16.891,106
19Fayette$16.851,193
20Adair$16.84792
21Eddyville$16.82965
22Oxford$16.70715
23Buffalo Center$16.58839
24Bancroft$16.52677
25Roland$16.511,376
26Eldon$16.42788
27Aplington$16.341,088
28Panora$16.141,096
29Mechanicsville$16.12974
30Dike$15.941,293
31Armstrong$15.87847
32Ruthven$15.84710
33State Center$15.801,403
34Walker$15.74671
35Earlham$15.551,411
36Shell Rock$15.521,265
37Newell$15.49850
38Riceville$15.31807
39Neola$15.30917
40Sidney$15.191,048
41Gilbertville$15.15792
42Logan$15.051,351
43Stratford$15.03688
44Griswold$15.01975
45Readlyn$14.99857
46Tripoli$14.991,208
47Essex$14.76721
48Lenox$14.651,355
49Manning$14.621,390
50Dunlap$14.561,030
51Garnavillo$14.52751
52Maxwell$14.50862
53Coon Rapids$14.491,258
54Nora Springs$14.251,330
55Kingsley$14.251,394
56Mcgregor$14.20725
57Olin$14.19652
58Primghar$14.18893
59Sheffield$14.161,123
60Elgin$14.05676
61Woodward$14.051,383
62Ossian$13.88777
63Alton$13.871,248
64Montezuma$13.791,421
65Redfield$13.73719
66Victor$13.72852
67Gilbert$13.711,397
68Edgewood$13.64908
69Sioux Rapids$13.63722
70Donnellson$13.63859
71Gladbrook$13.58775
72Clarksville$13.531,238
73Rockford$13.52722
74Janesville$13.431,052
75Glidden$13.431,140
76Calmar$13.391,100
77Boyden$13.39694
78Baxter$13.32983
79Manly$13.291,233
80Anita$13.28953
81Van Horne$13.27768
82Conrad$13.231,098
83Springville$13.221,161
84Keota$13.21888
85Shellsburg$13.20987
86De Soto$13.18937
87Treynor$13.031,104
88Odebolt$13.00967
89Coggon$12.99691
90Earlville$12.90713
91Danville$12.87910
92Underwood$12.85973
93New Sharon$12.801,249
94Malvern$12.791,056
95Montrose$12.78734
96Wellsburg$12.68709
97Buffalo$12.681,163
98Stanton$12.62664
99Hospers$12.58703
100Hazleton$12.48711
101West Point$12.39903
102Hinton$12.38959
103Preston$12.38940
104Alburnett$12.30672
105Hubbard$12.30837
106Hedrick$12.22717
107Carson$12.22772
108Wheatland$12.18765
109Schaller$12.14702
110Winfield$12.041,006
111Elkhart$12.001,079
112Afton$11.96864
113Lowden$11.93767
114Tabor$11.88983
115Aurelia$11.84970
116Merrill$11.64713
117Morning Sun$11.50702
118Battle Creek$11.49683
119Wall Lake$11.43739
120West Bend$11.42770
121Dakota City$11.39764
122Marcus$11.311,069
123Dunkerton$11.30840
124Whiting$11.21725
125Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
126Shelby$11.17730
127University Heights$11.121,188
128Blairstown$11.04705
129Manilla$11.01756
130Hamburg$10.95863
131Clarence$10.94991
132Fontanelle$10.88684
133Cambridge$10.53844
134Swisher$10.39909
135Schleswig$10.39820
136Melbourne$10.38771
137Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
138Fredericksburg$10.27983
139Lake Park$10.251,155
140Ventura$10.22701
141Inwood$10.22962
142Milo$10.20762
143Hartford$10.16729
144Central City$10.011,254
145Newhall$9.99887
146Graettinger$9.81810
147Long Grove$9.59849
148Lake View$9.391,120
149Paullina$9.21979
150Fairbank$9.001,133
151Winthrop$8.94814
152Walford$8.721,357
153Keosauqua$8.58944
154Grand Junction$8.57715
155Princeton$8.24917
156Lone Tree$8.131,341
157Lakeside$8.10695
158Riverside$8.021,063
159Hills$7.94911
160Fremont$7.86688
161Larchwood$7.52954
162North English$7.491,030
163Sloan$7.491,078
164Sully$7.41891
165Fruitland$7.21928
166Lawton$7.10949
167Wayland$7.07935
168Raymond$6.85754
169Shueyville$6.79725
170Arnolds Park$4.951,214
171Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Aurelia’s general levy is $7.76 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.34 below the limit.4 714 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.99 · FY26 $7.92 · FY27 $7.76 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.08 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.12 · $81,499
  • Debt Service Levy$1.20 · $46,057
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.76 · $29,046

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$298,12866%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$81,49918%
  • Debt Service Levy$46,05710%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$29,0466%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Aurelia’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 29¢ of every dollar29¢Business Type / Enterprise: 27¢ of every dollar27¢Public Works: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything 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 170 Iowa cities closest in size (650–1,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (170)
Capital Projects29¢9¢
Business Type / Enterprise27¢39¢
Public Works12¢15¢
Culture and Recreation11¢9¢
Public Safety10¢10¢
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.

  • Public Safety$252,55025%
  • Public Works$229,60023%
  • Culture and Recreation$205,55021%
  • Community and Economic Development$145,00014%
  • General Government$121,70012%
  • Debt Service$46,1425%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($482,795 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$301,600$218,227
Public Safety$154,800$146,281
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$96,120$77,624
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$253,450$225,020
Community and Economic Development$71,000$51,801
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$1.2M$422,279

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Aurelia owes

$739,897 at June 30, 2026: $764 per resident. 595th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.0M
$739,897
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$739,897$764
2025$1.0M$1,059
2024$857,701$886
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$49,000$51
2017$93,900$97
2016$138,900$143
2015$271,704$281
2014$331,322$342
2013$450,241$465
2012$540,559$558
2011$662,197$684
2010$728,035$752
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$739,897$764
2025$1.0M$1,059
2024$857,701$886
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$49,000$51
2017$93,900$97
2016$138,900$143
2015$271,704$281
2014$331,322$342
2013$450,241$465
2012$540,559$558
2011$662,197$684
2010$728,035$752

Up 2% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Aurelia’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF), released Wednesday, February 7, 2024, by a CPA firm.

10 earlier reports for Aurelia

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? 10

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: $142,999 in FY25, down 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$135,506$133,208$136,732$137,475
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$7,734$6,629$5,524

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.

$24,394
$1,337
  • State grants$1,337100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,384
FY20$21,238
FY21$24,394
FY22$1,701
FY23$1,692
FY24$1,353
FY25$1,337
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,384
FY20$21,238
FY21$24,394
FY22$1,701
FY23$1,692
FY24$1,353
FY25$1,337

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−18%$133,836 → $137,475, up 3% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 18% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−55%$9,761 → $5,524, down 43% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 55% 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.

$155,160

Federal grants, for comparison: $71,621 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)11.

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

Most recent: November 4, 2025

Ballot measures · 1

Passed Yes 84.5% (153) · No 15.5% (28)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 2

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Aurelia; 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.

  • Aurelia City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Courtney Bruce, Cindy L Nelson
  • Aurelia Mayor
    Now held by Roman Redig

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure DYNovember 4, 2025

    Passed Yes 84.5% (153) · No 15.5% (28)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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 ballot13.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress14

Lynn Evans (Sen. 3)Zach Dieken (Rep. 5)

U.S. House:District 4

Cherokee CountyAurelia schools