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Local taxes › Clay County › Peterson

City

Peterson

Clay County · How cities work

$2,960 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.17 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,290 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.27 per $1,000)
$140,397property taxes the city levies, FY27
$489,257city 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.

  • Ashley SelkPeterson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brandon SteinkuehlerPeterson Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Judi CalhoonPeterson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Justine RyherdPeterson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tim SaundersPeterson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Gage AndersonPeterson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mark ThompsonPeterson 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 Peterson

Homes and businesses in most of Peterson pay a combined $35.17 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Clay County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $15.27. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.91$16.28
FY21$33.80$14.96
FY22$33.70$14.65
FY23$33.72$14.52
FY24$33.10$14.09
FY25$33.73$14.40
FY26$34.65$15.35
FY27$35.17$15.27
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.91$16.28
FY21$33.80$14.96
FY22$33.70$14.65
FY23$33.72$14.52
FY24$33.10$14.09
FY25$33.73$14.40
FY26$34.65$15.35
FY27$35.17$15.27

Compared with places this size3

Peterson’s city property tax rate of $15.27 per $1,000 is the 39th highest of 203 Iowa cities with 210–480 people. The middle of the group is $12.45.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Greeley: $15.23Russell: $15.18Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Humeston: $14.80Ladora: $14.74Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Rowley: $8.31Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Peterson: $15.27$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 203
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Elliott$21.61328
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Alta Vista$19.88219
8Arthur$19.86218
9Fort Atkinson$19.19300
10Salem$19.15380
11Cumberland$18.42248
12Massena$18.23352
13Callender$17.78361
14Casey$17.72387
15Vail$17.66383
16Ringsted$17.65346
17Emerson$17.54401
18Thompson$17.25478
19Ashton$17.17434
20Pierson$17.12335
21Burt$17.10404
22Pisgah$17.09248
23Latimer$16.96477
24Lohrville$16.95366
25Lakota$16.84261
26Marble Rock$16.78258
27Auburn$16.65253
28Mccallsburg$16.58356
29Whittemore$16.54478
30Irwin$16.46320
31Lewis$16.25358
32Corwith$16.22259
33Deep River$16.18243
34Waucoma$16.17235
35Duncombe$16.10374
36Bayard$16.05402
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Peterson$15.27321
40Greeley$15.23216
41Russell$15.18475
42Arlington$14.98415
43Riverton$14.94243
44Marathon$14.89221
45Maynard$14.85466
46Plainfield$14.84392
47Ryan$14.84348
48Otho$14.82417
49Humeston$14.80472
50Ladora$14.74223
51Bagley$14.63230
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Ocheyedan$14.22424
58Steamboat Rock$14.19261
59Garwin$14.08469
60Farragut$14.07480
61Mystic$14.01318
62Lime Springs$13.95467
63Dow City$13.94477
64Wesley$13.91382
65Diagonal$13.91331
66Bussey$13.83378
67Mondamin$13.82335
68Livermore$13.78382
69Fertile$13.70300
70Stockport$13.68272
71Kellerton$13.60241
72Albion$13.58444
73Quimby$13.58245
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Leland$13.31240
80Ute$13.26326
81New Market$13.25381
82Plymouth$13.21368
83Harcourt$13.21257
84Bennett$13.16330
85Ridgeway$13.10261
86Farmersburg$13.09264
87Little Rock$13.03447
88Lehigh$12.97395
89Menlo$12.92347
90Templeton$12.91337
91Silver City$12.87244
92Martelle$12.83250
93Malcom$12.82257
94Galva$12.68416
95Martensdale$12.63413
96Blencoe$12.57223
97Williams$12.57299
98Maurice$12.56271
99Norway$12.53463
100Clearfield$12.50277
101Kensett$12.47256
102Mccausland$12.45314
103Spillville$12.40371
104Modale$12.34284
105Mingo$12.31314
106Brandon$12.29331
107Blakesburg$12.21273
108Cushing$12.18225
109Bonaparte$12.17357
110Macedonia$12.12266
111Hawkeye$12.11429
112Paton$12.09217
113Kiron$12.03262
114Colesburg$11.97379
115Liscomb$11.96292
116New Providence$11.88233
117Thornton$11.86394
118Runnells$11.79467
119Allerton$11.72432
120Atalissa$11.71287
121Cantril$11.69224
122Kelley$11.69312
123Orient$11.66363
124Cincinnati$11.57280
125Delta$11.52257
126Terril$11.48310
127Westside$11.45283
128Holland$11.37261
129Churdan$11.31359
130Mallard$11.28255
131Miles$11.28400
132Renwick$11.16228
133Milton$10.98395
134New Vienna$10.91384
135Letts$10.91358
136Goose Lake$10.89250
137Birmingham$10.87371
138Charlotte$10.86386
139Yale$10.85265
140Batavia$10.77434
141Hornick$10.74255
142Riverdale$10.67385
143Bode$10.64304
144Union$10.58378
145Cleghorn$10.49235
146Calamus$10.47348
147Lovilia$10.46456
148Danbury$10.43315
149Lytton$10.38274
150Stacyville$10.36436
151Rhodes$10.36269
152Dedham$10.28221
153Deloit$10.28246
154Protivin$10.28264
155Andrew$10.22374
156Royal$10.20379
157Bronson$10.14294
158Rudd$10.13339
159La Motte$10.09235
160Defiance$10.05248
161Floyd$10.02297
162Panama$9.85234
163Lynnville$9.68382
164Ionia$9.65220
165Salix$9.63303
166Luxemburg$9.58240
167Rippey$9.42217
168Farnhamville$9.18364
169Middletown$9.16365
170Alleman$9.12439
171Lester$8.94309
172Harvey$8.71242
173Rowley$8.31264
174Bertram$8.10267
175Fostoria$8.10229
176Grandview$8.10431
177Lost Nation$8.10425
178Low Moor$8.10242
179Nichols$8.10317
180Laurel$8.10214
181Luana$7.98303
182Lockridge$7.92245
183Delhi$7.81438
184Klemme$7.74429
185Pulaski$7.58259
186Beacon$7.56434
187Sheldahl$7.56312
188Fredonia$7.55227
189Worthington$7.50374
190Harpers Ferry$7.49273
191Alvord$7.41216
192Marquette$7.08434
193Columbus City$6.94385
194Donahue$6.83336
195Libertyville$6.60278
196Keswick$6.49238
197Crawfordsville$6.44278
198Holy Cross$5.91348
199Conesville$5.86350
200University Park$5.27476
201Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
202Wahpeton$3.19337
203West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Peterson’s general levy is $7.94 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 below the limit.4 482 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $7.33 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.38 · $40,189
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.95 · $27,096

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$72,87852%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$40,18929%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$27,09619%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Peterson’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 30¢ of every dollar30¢Culture and Recreation: 25¢ of every dollar25¢Business Type / Enterprise: 22¢ of every dollar22¢General Government: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 8¢ of every dollar8¢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 201 Iowa cities closest in size (210–480 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (201)
Public Works30¢20¢
Culture and Recreation25¢8¢
Business Type / Enterprise22¢38¢
General Government15¢16¢
Public Safety8¢9¢
Everything else<1¢<1¢

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.

  • Culture and Recreation$165,13834%
  • Public Works$155,49432%
  • General Government$95,75520%
  • Public Safety$37,1708%
  • Capital Projects$33,6007%
  • Health and Social Services$2,1000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($115,830 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$146,920$148,727
Public Safety$39,155$42,070
Health and Social Services$1,250$682
General Government$61,376$60,775
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$103,410$102,949
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$120,852$117,067

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.2M
$635,039

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Peterson owes

$430,000 at June 30, 2026: $1,335 per resident. 487th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$502,000
$430,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$430,000$1,335
2025$454,000$1,410
2024$478,000$1,484
2023$502,000$1,559
2022$161,000$500
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$430,000$1,335
2025$454,000$1,410
2024$478,000$1,484
2023$502,000$1,559
2022$161,000$500
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Up 167% since 2022.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $877,461 (5% of $17.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSewer/Revenue Bond Loan # C1224R2041$281,000
Revenue BondsSewer Revenue Bond Loan: C1237R2041$126,000
Revenue BondsSewer/Revenue Bond Loan # C1273R2041$23,000

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. Peterson’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination Follow-Up, period ending Friday, March 31, 2017 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination Follow-Up for the period ending Friday, March 31, 2017 (PDF), released Tuesday, August 15, 2017, by a CPA firm.

1 earlier report for Peterson

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: $40,122 in FY25, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$38,890$38,844$39,905$40,122

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.

$28,101
$1,201
  • Other$1,201100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$4,011
FY21$645
FY22$23,024
FY23$28,101
FY24$1,078
FY25$1,201
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$4,011
FY21$645
FY22$23,024
FY23$28,101
FY24$1,078
FY25$1,201

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−15%$37,447 → $40,122, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% 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 48% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 18% more.

$72,270

Federal grants, for comparison: $301,836 in FY22.

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 · 3

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Peterson; 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.

  • Peterson City Council - At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Mark Thompson, Gage Anderson
  • Peterson Mayor
    Now held by Brandon Steinkuehler

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

Lynn Evans (Sen. 3)Megan Jones (Rep. 6)

U.S. House:District 4

Clay CountySioux Central schools