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Local taxes › Chickasaw County › Ionia

City

Ionia

Chickasaw County · How cities work

$2,440 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($28.98 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$810 a yearof that goes to the city ($9.65 per $1,000)
$76,281property taxes the city levies, FY27
$251,597city 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.

  • Jayson HolthausIonia City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jim RauschIonia City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Randy TaylorIonia Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Derek DayIonia City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Richard A. CrooksIonia City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ted Geerts Jr.Ionia 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 Ionia

Homes and businesses in most of Ionia pay a combined $28.98 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Chickasaw County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $9.65. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.06$8.74
FY21$27.41$8.87
FY22$27.32$9.12
FY23$26.62$9.22
FY24$27.16$9.39
FY25$29.02$10.04
FY26$29.58$10.03
FY27$28.98$9.65
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.06$8.74
FY21$27.41$8.87
FY22$27.32$9.12
FY23$26.62$9.22
FY24$27.16$9.39
FY25$29.02$10.04
FY26$29.58$10.03
FY27$28.98$9.65

Compared with places this size3

Ionia’s city property tax rate of $9.65 per $1,000 is the 55th lowest of 194 Iowa cities with 150–330 people. The middle of the group is $11.53.

Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Hastings: $18.95Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Maysville: $5.77Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Ionia: $9.65$2.27 lowest$22.05 highestmiddle
See all 194
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Fenton$22.05250
2Soldier$21.92176
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Smithland$21.12184
7Volga$20.23200
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Coin$19.59171
11Garden Grove$19.20173
12Fort Atkinson$19.19300
13Hastings$18.95157
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Hillsboro$17.68158
17Pisgah$17.09248
18Lakota$16.84261
19Marble Rock$16.78258
20Auburn$16.65253
21Prescott$16.53186
22Irwin$16.46320
23Montour$16.37199
24Corwith$16.22259
25Deep River$16.18243
26Waucoma$16.17235
27Granville$16.00302
28Minburn$15.75317
29Little Sioux$15.74170
30Moorhead$15.68186
31Onslow$15.63198
32Linden$15.62206
33Kamrar$15.47178
34Peterson$15.27321
35Greeley$15.23216
36Riverton$14.94243
37Marathon$14.89221
38Ladora$14.74223
39Magnolia$14.68194
40Bagley$14.63230
41Davis City$14.45178
42Lucas$14.40176
43Halbur$14.37268
44Crystal Lake$14.36243
45Kimballton$14.27281
46Steamboat Rock$14.19261
47Westgate$14.05190
48Mystic$14.01318
49Fertile$13.70300
50Stockport$13.68272
51Kellerton$13.60241
52Quimby$13.58245
53Meservey$13.43212
54Persia$13.41292
55Leland$13.31240
56Ute$13.26326
57Harcourt$13.21257
58Bennett$13.16330
59Ridgeway$13.10261
60Farmersburg$13.09264
61Portsmouth$13.05187
62Clutier$13.03209
63Silver City$12.87244
64Patterson$12.84176
65Martelle$12.83250
66Malcom$12.82257
67Blencoe$12.57223
68Williams$12.57299
69Maurice$12.56271
70Clearfield$12.50277
71Kensett$12.47256
72Mccausland$12.45314
73Aurora$12.40165
74Modale$12.34284
75Mingo$12.31314
76Blakesburg$12.21273
77Cushing$12.18225
78Hanlontown$12.17200
79Stout$12.14194
80Macedonia$12.12266
81Paton$12.09217
82Decatur$12.08174
83Kiron$12.03262
84Rembrandt$12.03199
85Shambaugh$11.98161
86Liscomb$11.96292
87New Providence$11.88233
88Parnell$11.78190
89Reasnor$11.76157
90Joice$11.72206
91Atalissa$11.71287
92Cantril$11.69224
93Kelley$11.69312
94Wadena$11.65201
95Exline$11.60157
96Cincinnati$11.57280
97Beaman$11.54155
98Delta$11.52257
99Terril$11.48310
100Westside$11.45283
101College Springs$11.44172
102Holland$11.37261
103Mallard$11.28255
104Renwick$11.16228
105Linn Grove$11.15155
106Dundee$11.14193
107Randolph$11.08183
108Leighton$11.07153
109Rake$11.05179
110Frederika$10.99206
111Alexander$10.90165
112Goose Lake$10.89250
113Yale$10.85265
114Lambs Grove$10.78174
115Wallingford$10.75154
116Hornick$10.74255
117Woden$10.68183
118Bode$10.64304
119Cleghorn$10.49235
120Barnes City$10.44152
121Danbury$10.43315
122Lytton$10.38274
123Stockton$10.37171
124Rhodes$10.36269
125Randall$10.35156
126Dedham$10.28221
127Deloit$10.28246
128Protivin$10.28264
129Meriden$10.28175
130Drakesville$10.24170
131Bronson$10.14294
132Hancock$10.13199
133La Motte$10.09235
134Melvin$10.05196
135Defiance$10.05248
136Floyd$10.02297
137Barnum$9.96186
138Panama$9.85234
139Grafton$9.83212
140Ionia$9.65220
141Salix$9.63303
142Van Wert$9.62175
143Kirkville$9.59159
144Luxemburg$9.58240
145Rippey$9.42217
146Elberon$9.16178
147Dixon$9.03204
148Lester$8.94309
149Blairsburg$8.93175
150Prairieburg$8.91156
151Oakville$8.89198
152Luther$8.83147
153Harvey$8.71242
154Washta$8.65206
155Moorland$8.61169
156Pilot Mound$8.54155
157Ollie$8.44196
158Thor$8.38182
159Rowley$8.31264
160South English$8.27196
161Thurman$8.26162
162Boxholm$8.11177
163Bertram$8.10267
164Fostoria$8.10229
165Low Moor$8.10242
166Nichols$8.10317
167Laurel$8.10214
168Lineville$8.10194
169Luana$7.98303
170Lockridge$7.92245
171Mount Auburn$7.86162
172Haverhill$7.86164
173Grand River$7.86192
174Olds$7.86174
175Rose Hill$7.86156
176West Chester$7.82147
177Mcclelland$7.79147
178Lidderdale$7.68162
179Pulaski$7.58259
180Sheldahl$7.56312
181Fredonia$7.55227
182Harpers Ferry$7.49273
183Alvord$7.41216
184Packwood$6.77186
185Libertyville$6.60278
186Keswick$6.49238
187Crawfordsville$6.44278
188Gravity$6.18149
189Oakland Acres$5.88178
190Maysville$5.77155
191Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
192West Okoboji$2.92311
193Sherrill$2.66176
194Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Ionia’s general levy is $8.13 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.03 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 206 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.37 · FY27 $8.13 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $1.52 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.01 · $7,892
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.51 · $3,946

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$63,29684%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$7,89211%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3,9465%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ionia’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 38¢ of every dollar38¢Public Works: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Culture and Recreation: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Public Safety: 12¢ of every dollar12¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 1¢ 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 192 Iowa cities closest in size (150–330 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (192)
Business Type / Enterprise38¢34¢
Public Works24¢22¢
Culture and Recreation14¢8¢
Public Safety12¢10¢
General Government11¢20¢
Everything else1¢2¢

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$127,70051%
  • Culture and Recreation$52,00021%
  • General Government$41,50016%
  • Public Safety$25,17110%
  • Community and Economic Development$5,0002%
  • Health and Social Services$2260%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($139,917 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$164,000$55,871
Public Safety$15,250$23,402
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$34,400$23,610
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$40,000$47,879
Community and Economic Development$1,000$465
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$279,000$71,279

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$919,391

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ionia owes

$355,000 at June 30, 2026: $1,571 per resident. 446th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$570,000
$355,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$355,000$1,571
2025$370,000$1,637
2024$570,000$2,522
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$18,831$83
2016$37,661$167
2015$52,254$231
2014$68,240$302
2013$83,558$370
2012$83,558$370
2011$113,289$501
2010$120,273$532
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$355,000$1,571
2025$370,000$1,637
2024$570,000$2,522
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$18,831$83
2016$37,661$167
2015$52,254$231
2014$68,240$302
2013$83,558$370
2012$83,558$370
2011$113,289$501
2010$120,273$532

Up 195% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $707,787 (5% of $14.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSanitary Sewer Improvements Project in City of Ionia. Municipal Pipe Tool Co is contractor.2044$186,000
Revenue BondsWastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project. Blazek Corp is the contractor.2044$169,000

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 balances9. Ionia’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF), released Friday, November 22, 2019, by a CPA firm.

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? 11

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: $22,148 in FY25, down 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$20,630$19,168$19,645$19,752
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––$2,053$2,396

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.

$202,245
  • State grants$200,82699%
  • Enrich Iowa & Open Access/ State of Iowa-library$1,4191%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$39
FY21$72
FY22$0
FY23$3,967
FY24$7,711
FY25$202,245
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$39
FY21$72
FY22$0
FY23$3,967
FY24$7,711
FY25$202,245

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−33%$23,601 → $19,752, down 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+37%$1,397 → $2,396, up 72% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 37% 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 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less.

$35,339
$33,344

Federal grants, for comparison: $20,559 in FY23.

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)12.

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 Ionia; 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.

  • Ionia City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Ted Geerts Jr., Richard A. Crooks, Derek Day
  • Ionia Mayor
    Now held by Randy Taylor

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

Sandy Salmon (Sen. 29)Charley Thomson (Rep. 58)

U.S. House:District 2

Chickasaw CountyNew Hampton schools