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Local taxes › Clayton County › Garnavillo

City

Garnavillo

Clayton County · How cities work

$2,920 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.63 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,220 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.52 per $1,000)
$359,155property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.6Mcity 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.

  • Holly WebbGarnavillo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lance KuehlGarnavillo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rachel J. WolterGarnavillo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bill RademacherGarnavillo City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Chad SchmelzerGarnavillo City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Charles LawsonGarnavillo Mayor · 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 Garnavillo

Homes and businesses in most of Garnavillo pay a combined $34.63 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Clayton County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.52. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Garnavillo$14.5242%
  • Starmont schools$10.7931%
  • Clayton County$6.8920%
  • Southwestern Community College$1.073%
  • Garnavillo-Garnavillo Cemetery$0.481%
  • Cass-Strawberry Point Cemetery$0.441%
  • Clayton County Assessor$0.361%
  • Buena Vista-North Buena Vista Cem$0.05<1%
  • Monona-Luana Cemetery$0.03<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.41$14.17
FY21$34.20$14.17
FY22$33.67$14.17
FY23$33.44$14.17
FY24$34.09$14.17
FY25$34.46$14.17
FY26$34.92$14.49
FY27$34.63$14.52
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.41$14.17
FY21$34.20$14.17
FY22$33.67$14.17
FY23$33.44$14.17
FY24$34.09$14.17
FY25$34.46$14.17
FY26$34.92$14.49
FY27$34.63$14.52

Compared with places this size3

Garnavillo’s city property tax rate of $14.52 per $1,000 is the 57th highest of 185 Iowa cities with 500–1,100 people. The middle of the group is $12.87.

Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Pomeroy: $19.60Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Zearing: $14.99Readlyn: $14.99Wyoming: $14.81Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Maxwell: $14.50Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Garnavillo: $14.52$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 185
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Dayton$22.51766
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Allison$19.06937
9Dumont$19.04614
10Seymour$18.78646
11Dexter$18.69631
12Fonda$18.52636
13Kanawha$18.11638
14Swea City$18.04545
15Greene$17.91971
16Alden$17.90738
17Dows$17.70509
18New Hartford$17.69555
19Lansing$17.67959
20Rockwell$17.541,044
21Walnut$17.46728
22Murray$17.44609
23Gowrie$17.17943
24Colo$17.14856
25Mapleton$16.901,114
26George$16.891,106
27Adair$16.84792
28Eddyville$16.82965
29Elk Horn$16.78631
30Oxford$16.70715
31Buffalo Center$16.58839
32Bancroft$16.52677
33Eldon$16.42788
34Early$16.35571
35Truro$16.34515
36Aplington$16.341,088
37Panora$16.141,096
38Mechanicsville$16.12974
39Armstrong$15.87847
40Ruthven$15.84710
41Minden$15.77581
42Walker$15.74671
43Newell$15.49850
44Riceville$15.31807
45Neola$15.30917
46Sidney$15.191,048
47Gilbertville$15.15792
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Stratford$15.03688
50Griswold$15.01975
51Zearing$14.99508
52Readlyn$14.99857
53Wyoming$14.81526
54Hopkinton$14.79622
55Essex$14.76721
56Dunlap$14.561,030
57Garnavillo$14.52751
58Maxwell$14.50862
59Collins$14.32503
60Clermont$14.30571
61Moulton$14.25596
62Mcgregor$14.20725
63Olin$14.19652
64Primghar$14.18893
65Sheffield$14.161,123
66Elgin$14.05676
67Ossian$13.88777
68Redfield$13.73719
69Victor$13.72852
70Edgewood$13.64908
71Sioux Rapids$13.63722
72Donnellson$13.63859
73Gladbrook$13.58775
74Rockford$13.52722
75Janesville$13.431,052
76Calmar$13.391,100
77Boyden$13.39694
78Baxter$13.32983
79Anita$13.28953
80Van Horne$13.27768
81Conrad$13.231,098
82Keota$13.21888
83Shellsburg$13.20987
84De Soto$13.18937
85Quasqueton$13.12587
86Farmington$13.10583
87Anthon$13.05534
88Treynor$13.031,104
89Odebolt$13.00967
90Coggon$12.99691
91Earlville$12.90713
92Brighton$12.88592
93Danville$12.87910
94Underwood$12.85973
95Malvern$12.791,056
96Montrose$12.78734
97Goldfield$12.73617
98Wellsburg$12.68709
99Delmar$12.68541
100Badger$12.67540
101Stanton$12.62664
102Hospers$12.58703
103Everly$12.51570
104Hazleton$12.48711
105West Point$12.39903
106Hinton$12.38959
107Preston$12.38940
108Alburnett$12.30672
109Hubbard$12.30837
110Moravia$12.27625
111Hedrick$12.22717
112Carson$12.22772
113Wheatland$12.18765
114Schaller$12.14702
115Winfield$12.041,006
116Elkhart$12.001,079
117Afton$11.96864
118Lowden$11.93767
119Tabor$11.88983
120Albert City$11.88627
121Aurelia$11.84970
122Merrill$11.64713
123Morning Sun$11.50702
124Battle Creek$11.49683
125Wall Lake$11.43739
126West Bend$11.42770
127Dakota City$11.39764
128Marcus$11.311,069
129Dunkerton$11.30840
130Sutherland$11.25628
131Arcadia$11.23588
132Whiting$11.21725
133Shelby$11.17730
134Blairstown$11.04705
135Manilla$11.01756
136Hamburg$10.95863
137Clarence$10.94991
138Ireton$10.93571
139Fontanelle$10.88684
140Richland$10.82532
141Grand Mound$10.78608
142Cambridge$10.53844
143Swisher$10.39909
144Schleswig$10.39820
145Melbourne$10.38771
146Radcliffe$10.37540
147Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
148Fredericksburg$10.27983
149Ventura$10.22701
150Inwood$10.22962
151Milo$10.20762
152Hartford$10.16729
153What Cheer$10.01595
154Newhall$9.99887
155Cumming$9.85527
156Graettinger$9.81810
157Doon$9.78640
158Long Grove$9.59849
159Lake View$9.391,120
160Paullina$9.21979
161Winthrop$8.94814
162Crescent$8.72626
163Ainsworth$8.62511
164Keosauqua$8.58944
165Grand Junction$8.57715
166Princeton$8.24917
167Gilman$8.10530
168Kellogg$8.10597
169Lakeside$8.10695
170Riverside$8.021,063
171Agency$7.94623
172Hills$7.94911
173Fremont$7.86688
174Larchwood$7.52954
175North English$7.491,030
176Sloan$7.491,078
177Sully$7.41891
178Fruitland$7.21928
179Lawton$7.10949
180Wayland$7.07935
181Raymond$6.85754
182Keystone$6.80616
183Shueyville$6.79725
184Orleans$4.13503
185Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Garnavillo’s general levy is $8.52 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.42 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 23 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.78 · FY26 $8.78 · FY27 $8.52 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.00 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.20 · $78,836
  • Debt Service Levy$1.60 · $39,511
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.20 · $29,564

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Garnavillo’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

$90,175
$28,641
YearTIF revenue
FY16$82,271
FY17$80,843
FY18$87,012
FY19$84,541
FY20$90,175
FY21$28,641
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$82,271
FY17$80,843
FY18$87,012
FY19$84,541
FY20$90,175
FY21$28,641

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$210,12059%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$78,83622%
  • Debt Service Levy$39,51111%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$29,5648%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Garnavillo’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Public Works: 26¢ of every dollar26¢General Government: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 5¢ 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 184 Iowa cities closest in size (500–1,100 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (184)
Business Type / Enterprise35¢40¢
Public Works26¢16¢
General Government15¢10¢
Public Safety11¢9¢
Culture and Recreation8¢9¢
Everything else5¢8¢

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$500,00031%
  • Public Safety$375,92523%
  • Public Works$286,92518%
  • General Government$232,35014%
  • Culture and Recreation$198,02512%
  • Debt Service$40,0952%
  • Community and Economic Development$5,6000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($449,605 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$212,850$233,581
Public Safety$202,575$85,942
Health and Social Services$1,581$763
General Government$133,525$185,989
Debt Service$36,459$37,195
Culture and Recreation$80,530$75,987
Community and Economic Development$1,500$5,500
Capital Projects$361,525$245,501
Business Type / Enterprise$417,796$328,953

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$2.1M
$1.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Garnavillo owes

$645,337 at June 30, 2026: $846 per resident. 577th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.3M
$645,337
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$645,337$846
2025$718,337$941
2024$793,500$1,040
2023$863,500$1,132
2022$931,500$1,221
2021$998,500$1,309
2020$675,500$885
2019$719,500$943
2018$784,000$1,028
2017$886,068$1,161
2016$945,568$1,239
2015$1.1M$1,440
2014$1.1M$1,481
2013$1.3M$1,719
2012$1.3M$1,733
2011$966,000$1,266
2010$1.0M$1,375
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$645,337$846
2025$718,337$941
2024$793,500$1,040
2023$863,500$1,132
2022$931,500$1,221
2021$998,500$1,309
2020$675,500$885
2019$719,500$943
2018$784,000$1,028
2017$886,068$1,161
2016$945,568$1,239
2015$1.1M$1,440
2014$1.1M$1,481
2013$1.3M$1,719
2012$1.3M$1,733
2011$966,000$1,266
2010$1.0M$1,375

Down 38% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $271,000, 12% of the limit of about $2.3M (5% of $45.7M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

4 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationGO2020 Street Improvements2033$265,000
Revenue BondsMD0791R Water Mains, Hydrants, Valves, & System Generator2037$223,500
Revenue BondsCSB74982 Water Mains, Hydrants, & Valves2032$150,837
General ObligationMD0790G Water Mains, Hydrants, & Valves2027$6,000

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. Garnavillo’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, December 17, 2025, by a CPA firm.

12 earlier reports for Garnavillo

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: $108,365 in FY25, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$105,024$104,997$107,776$108,365
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$5,617$5,880––

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.

$113,216
$29,911
  • State grants$24,91183%
  • Other$5,00017%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,773
FY20$113,216
FY21$1,617
FY22$15,996
FY23$1,735
FY24$1,818
FY25$29,911
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,773
FY20$113,216
FY21$1,617
FY22$15,996
FY23$1,735
FY24$1,818
FY25$29,911

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−10%$96,243 → $108,365, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% 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 34% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% more.

$115,812
$111,765

Federal grants, for comparison: $54,127 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 · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Garnavillo; 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.

  • Garnavillo City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Bill Rademacher, Chad Schmelzer
  • Garnavillo Mayor
    Now held by Charles Lawson

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

Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Jason Gearhart (Rep. 64)

U.S. House:District 2

Clayton CountyStarmont schools