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Local taxes › Clinton County › Charlotte

City

Charlotte

Clinton County · How cities work

$2,850 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.84 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$910 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.86 per $1,000)
$100,021property taxes the city levies, FY27
$351,216city 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.

  • Brandon EberhartCharlotte Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Gary BunceCharlotte City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Peggy SellnauCharlotte City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ray SnyderCharlotte City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brandon EberhartCharlotte City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kellene HosetteCharlotte 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 Charlotte

Homes and businesses in most of Charlotte pay a combined $33.84 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Clinton County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $10.86. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.10$9.14
FY21$32.71$9.19
FY22$33.52$9.19
FY23$33.59$9.19
FY24$32.81$9.22
FY25$34.74$10.82
FY26$34.47$10.87
FY27$33.84$10.86
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.10$9.14
FY21$32.71$9.19
FY22$33.52$9.19
FY23$33.59$9.19
FY24$32.81$9.22
FY25$34.74$10.82
FY26$34.47$10.87
FY27$33.84$10.86

Compared with places this size3

Charlotte’s city property tax rate of $10.86 per $1,000 is the 56th lowest of 184 Iowa cities with 260–570 people. The middle of the group is $12.65.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Massena: $18.23Swea City: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Kimballton: $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: $13.68Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Clearfield: $12.50Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Cincinnati: $11.57Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Birmingham: $10.87Yale: $10.85Richland: $10.82Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13Floyd: $10.02Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Ainsworth: $8.62Rowley: $8.31Gilman: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Crawfordsville: $6.44New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Charlotte: $10.86$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 184
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Fort Atkinson$19.19300
9Salem$19.15380
10Massena$18.23352
11Swea City$18.04545
12Elma$17.82493
13Callender$17.78361
14Casey$17.72387
15Dows$17.70509
16New Hartford$17.69555
17Vail$17.66383
18Ringsted$17.65346
19Emerson$17.54401
20Thompson$17.25478
21Ashton$17.17434
22Pierson$17.12335
23Burt$17.10404
24Latimer$16.96477
25Lohrville$16.95366
26Lakota$16.84261
27Marble Rock$16.78258
28Mccallsburg$16.58356
29Whittemore$16.54478
30Irwin$16.46320
31Titonka$16.45491
32Early$16.35571
33Truro$16.34515
34Lewis$16.25358
35Corwith$16.22259
36Duncombe$16.10374
37Bayard$16.05402
38Scranton$16.01496
39Granville$16.00302
40Minburn$15.75317
41Peterson$15.27321
42Russell$15.18475
43Zearing$14.99508
44Arlington$14.98415
45Maynard$14.85466
46Plainfield$14.84392
47Ryan$14.84348
48Otho$14.82417
49Wyoming$14.81526
50Humeston$14.80472
51Gilmore City$14.60484
52Sabula$14.38498
53Garrison$14.38345
54Halbur$14.37268
55Lorimor$14.36377
56Collins$14.32503
57Clermont$14.30571
58Kimballton$14.27281
59Ocheyedan$14.22424
60Steamboat Rock$14.19261
61Garwin$14.08469
62Farragut$14.07480
63Mystic$14.01318
64Lime Springs$13.95467
65Dow City$13.94477
66Wesley$13.91382
67Diagonal$13.91331
68Bussey$13.83378
69Mondamin$13.82335
70Livermore$13.78382
71Fertile$13.70300
72Stockport$13.68272
73Albion$13.58444
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Ute$13.26326
80New Market$13.25381
81Plymouth$13.21368
82Bennett$13.16330
83Ridgeway$13.10261
84Farmersburg$13.09264
85Anthon$13.05534
86Little Rock$13.03447
87Lehigh$12.97395
88Menlo$12.92347
89Templeton$12.91337
90Delmar$12.68541
91Galva$12.68416
92Badger$12.67540
93Martensdale$12.63413
94Williams$12.57299
95Maurice$12.56271
96Norway$12.53463
97Everly$12.51570
98Clearfield$12.50277
99Mccausland$12.45314
100Spillville$12.40371
101Modale$12.34284
102Mingo$12.31314
103Brandon$12.29331
104Blakesburg$12.21273
105Bonaparte$12.17357
106Macedonia$12.12266
107Hawkeye$12.11429
108Kiron$12.03262
109Colesburg$11.97379
110Liscomb$11.96292
111Thornton$11.86394
112Runnells$11.79467
113Allerton$11.72432
114Atalissa$11.71287
115Kelley$11.69312
116Orient$11.66363
117Ellsworth$11.57495
118Cincinnati$11.57280
119Terril$11.48310
120Westside$11.45283
121Holland$11.37261
122Churdan$11.31359
123Miles$11.28400
124Milton$10.98395
125Ireton$10.93571
126New Vienna$10.91384
127Letts$10.91358
128Birmingham$10.87371
129Charlotte$10.86386
130Yale$10.85265
131Richland$10.82532
132Batavia$10.77434
133Riverdale$10.67385
134Bode$10.64304
135Union$10.58378
136Calamus$10.47348
137Lovilia$10.46456
138Danbury$10.43315
139Lytton$10.38274
140Radcliffe$10.37540
141Stacyville$10.36436
142Rhodes$10.36269
143Protivin$10.28264
144Andrew$10.22374
145Royal$10.20379
146Bronson$10.14294
147Rudd$10.13339
148Floyd$10.02297
149Cumming$9.85527
150Breda$9.80492
151Lynnville$9.68382
152Salix$9.63303
153Farnhamville$9.18364
154Middletown$9.16365
155Alleman$9.12439
156Lester$8.94309
157Ainsworth$8.62511
158Rowley$8.31264
159Gilman$8.10530
160Bertram$8.10267
161Grandview$8.10431
162Lost Nation$8.10425
163Nichols$8.10317
164Luana$7.98303
165Delhi$7.81438
166Klemme$7.74429
167Pulaski$7.58259
168Beacon$7.56434
169Sheldahl$7.56312
170Worthington$7.50374
171Harpers Ferry$7.49273
172Marquette$7.08434
173Columbus City$6.94385
174Donahue$6.83336
175Libertyville$6.60278
176Crawfordsville$6.44278
177New Virginia$5.97499
178Holy Cross$5.91348
179Conesville$5.86350
180University Park$5.27476
181Orleans$4.13503
182Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
183Wahpeton$3.19337
184West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Charlotte’s general levy is $8.37 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.27 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 52 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $2.49 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.73 · $15,764
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.76 · $6,887

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$76,13377%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$15,76416%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$6,8877%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Charlotte’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 34¢ of every dollar34¢Public Works: 24¢ of every dollar24¢General Government: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Culture and Recreation: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 183 Iowa cities closest in size (260–570 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (183)
Business Type / Enterprise34¢39¢
Public Works24¢19¢
General Government18¢15¢
Culture and Recreation16¢8¢
Public Safety8¢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.

  • General Government$120,66634%
  • Public Works$116,34033%
  • Culture and Recreation$77,41022%
  • Public Safety$36,80010%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($158,200 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$120,580$162,980
Public Safety$26,551$103,572
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$93,700$98,154
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$50,000$154,199
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$59,540$10,000
Business Type / Enterprise$99,824$153,153

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$682,058
$402,929

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Charlotte owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.7

$270,664
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$49,000$126
2021$60,000$154
2020$71,000$183
2019$80,000$206
2018$86,000$221
2017$96,000$247
2016$118,000$303
2015$198,000$509
2014$270,664$696
2013$194,164$499
2012$184,700$475
2011$205,000$527
2010$225,000$578
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$49,000$126
2021$60,000$154
2020$71,000$183
2019$80,000$206
2018$86,000$221
2017$96,000$247
2016$118,000$303
2015$198,000$509
2014$270,664$696
2013$194,164$499
2012$184,700$475
2011$205,000$527
2010$225,000$578

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $962,098 (5% of $19.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Charlotte’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF), released Thursday, March 28, 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: $42,978 in FY25, down 20% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 36% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$37,993$36,125$36,943$37,144
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––$5,032$5,834

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.

$77,282
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$5,307
    FY21$0
    FY22$77,282
    FY23$44,727
    FY24$16,597
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$5,307
    FY21$0
    FY22$77,282
    FY23$44,727
    FY24$16,597
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−45%$53,762 → $37,144, down 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 45% 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.

    $57,682

    Federal grants, for comparison: $23,131 in FY24.

    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

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Charlotte; 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.

    • Charlotte City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Brandon Eberhart, Kellene Hosette
    • Charlotte Mayor
      Now held by Brandon Eberhart

    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 Zimmer (Sen. 35)Norlin G. Mommsen (Rep. 70)

    U.S. House:District 1

    Clinton CountyNortheast schools