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Local taxes › Crawford County › Denison

City

Denison

Crawford County · How cities work

$3,220 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.27 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,570 a yearof that goes to the city ($18.69 per $1,000)
$5.4Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$14.9Mcity 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.

  • David PetersonDenison City Council Ward 1 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dustin LoganDenison Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jennifer Zupp-SmithDenison City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Terry CrawfordDenison City Council Ward 3 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Gregory J MillerDenison City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • John C Granzen SrDenison City Council Ward 2 · 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 Denison

Homes and businesses in most of Denison pay a combined $38.27 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Crawford County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $18.69. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Denison$18.6949%
  • Denison schools$11.4530%
  • Crawford County$4.9013%
  • Crawford County Memorial Hospital$1.404%
  • Western Iowa Tech Community College$1.023%
  • Crawford County Assessor$0.612%
  • Crawford County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.19<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.37$19.05
FY21$41.13$19.05
FY22$40.58$19.05
FY23$39.53$19.05
FY24$39.47$19.05
FY25$38.93$18.86
FY26$38.84$18.87
FY27$38.27$18.69
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.37$19.05
FY21$41.13$19.05
FY22$40.58$19.05
FY23$39.53$19.05
FY24$39.47$19.05
FY25$38.93$18.86
FY26$38.84$18.87
FY27$38.27$18.69

Compared with places this size3

Denison’s city property tax rate of $18.69 per $1,000 is the 5th highest of 41 Iowa cities with 5,500–12,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.58.

Oelwein: $20.16Keokuk: $19.68Independence: $19.01Fort Madison: $18.84Perry: $17.91Waverly: $17.53Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Fairfield: $16.69Webster City: $16.51Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Grinnell: $15.60Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Storm Lake: $15.17Creston: $14.99Nevada: $14.58Oskaloosa: $14.47Osceola: $14.37Orange City: $14.01Spencer: $13.84Hiawatha: $13.78Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Pleasant Hill: $12.10Mount Pleasant: $11.94Tiffin: $11.80Carroll: $11.25Le Mars: $11.18Sioux Center: $11.05Polk City: $11.00Bondurant: $10.82Pella: $10.75Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Denison: $18.69$8.13 lowest$20.16 highestmiddle
See all 41
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Oelwein$20.165,788
2Keokuk$19.689,462
3Independence$19.016,266
4Fort Madison$18.849,983
5Denison$18.698,302
6Perry$17.918,046
7Waverly$17.5310,576
8Atlantic$17.486,717
9Knoxville$17.467,440
10Fairfield$16.699,511
11Webster City$16.517,763
12Anamosa$15.955,845
13Charles City$15.957,081
14Grinnell$15.609,495
15Decorah$15.527,454
16Sheldon$15.335,584
17Estherville$15.275,796
18Washington$15.217,281
19Storm Lake$15.1711,627
20Creston$14.997,421
21Nevada$14.587,082
22Oskaloosa$14.4711,575
23Osceola$14.375,585
24Orange City$14.016,547
25Spencer$13.8411,418
26Hiawatha$13.787,347
27Adel$13.436,763
28Maquoketa$12.856,064
29Pleasant Hill$12.1011,942
30Mount Pleasant$11.948,509
31Tiffin$11.806,695
32Carroll$11.2510,125
33Le Mars$11.1810,674
34Sioux Center$11.058,675
35Polk City$11.006,430
36Bondurant$10.829,511
37Pella$10.7510,965
38Spirit Lake$10.175,548
39Clear Lake$9.857,602
40Asbury$8.326,051
41Eldridge$8.136,967

The $8.10 limit

Denison’s general levy is $8.05 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.05 below the limit.4 398 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $8.05 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $10.65 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.59 · $1.3M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.44 · $1.3M
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.62 · $467,819

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Denison’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $109,738 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$845,250
$200,134
YearTIF revenue
FY16$845,250
FY17$718,893
FY18$473,883
FY19$411,761
FY20$161,644
FY21$305,885
FY22$214,864
FY23$200,134
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$845,250
FY17$718,893
FY18$473,883
FY19$411,761
FY20$161,644
FY21$305,885
FY22$214,864
FY23$200,134

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$2.3M43%
  • Debt Service Levy$1.3M25%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.3M24%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$467,8199%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Denison’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 49¢ of every dollar49¢Public Safety: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢General Government: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Everything else: 10¢ of every dollar10¢

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 40 Iowa cities closest in size (5,500–12,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (40)
Capital Projects49¢21¢
Public Safety17¢12¢
Public Works8¢8¢
Debt Service8¢7¢
General Government7¢5¢
Everything else10¢48¢

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$5.3M35%
  • Public Safety$3.5M23%
  • Debt Service$1.7M11%
  • Public Works$1.6M11%
  • General Government$1.6M11%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.0M7%
  • Community and Economic Development$284,7002%
  • Health and Social Services$16,7810%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($534,500 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$1.8M$1.9M
Public Safety$2.8M$2.4M
Health and Social Services$13,217$13,213
General Government$1.7M$1.4M
Debt Service$1.7M$1.6M
Culture and Recreation$1.4M$1.3M
Community and Economic Development$268,020$319,008
Capital Projects$7.8M$3.1M
Business Type / Enterprise$518,500$518,442

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$20.0M

Denison’s own budget documents

The adopted budgets, resolutions and hearing notices the city posts, often weeks before the state publishes the figures. The city’s finance page

4 older

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Denison owes

$9.3M at June 30, 2026: $1,109 per resident. 524th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$13.7M
$9.3M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.3M$1,109
2025$8.8M$1,046
2024$7.5M$901
2023$6.0M$714
2022$6.3M$750
2021$6.4M$767
2020$7.0M$834
2019$7.3M$872
2018$7.8M$935
2017$8.7M$1,042
2016$8.9M$1,058
2015$10.4M$1,239
2014$9.8M$1,164
2013$11.0M$1,314
2012$12.8M$1,527
2011$8.4M$1,004
2010$13.7M$1,641
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.3M$1,109
2025$8.8M$1,046
2024$7.5M$901
2023$6.0M$714
2022$6.3M$750
2021$6.4M$767
2020$7.0M$834
2019$7.3M$872
2018$7.8M$935
2017$8.7M$1,042
2016$8.9M$1,058
2015$10.4M$1,239
2014$9.8M$1,164
2013$11.0M$1,314
2012$12.8M$1,527
2011$8.4M$1,004
2010$13.7M$1,641

Down 32% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $9.3M, 36% of the limit of about $25.6M (5% of $511.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

10 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2024 Washington Park Improvements, 2024 Street Improvements, Aquatic Center Repairs, Wellness Center Obligation2034$2.4M
General Obligation2025 Street Projects including 2nd Ave S, Donna Reed Bridge Engineering, M Avenue2035$2.2M
General Obligation2026 Projects - Street Projects, Wellness Center, Bridge Repairs, Senior Center Building Improvements, Snow Plow2036$1.8M
General Obligation2023 GO 2022 Street Repairs; Safe Route to Schools Trail; Property Purchase2033$875,000
General Obligation2022 GO River Embankment, FEMA Engineer, Fire Truck, Generator, Flood Control2032$760,000
General Obligation2020 GO 2020 Streets; TIF housing develop; refund 2011 GO (FD aerial, outdoor warning sirens, backhoe, snow blower & 2011 streets)2030$400,000
General Obligation2019 GO street repairs, public works grader2030$370,000
General Obligation2018 GO street improvements; police dept. radios; fire station floor repairs; library tuck pointing;2028$245,000
General Obligation2016 GO Street repairs & replacement, purchase fire engine & rescue trk2027$170,000
General Obligation2017 Street projects, purchase Payloader2027$70,000

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. Denison’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, July 8, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

16 earlier reports for Denison

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: $1.3M in FY25, up 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$1.2M$1.2M$1.2M$1.2M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$234,610$127,282$109,099$90,916

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.

$1.1M
  • State grants$877,10879%
  • CEBA grants$237,46021%
  • Iowa DOT projects$1,4950%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,814
FY20$12,709
FY21$225,480
FY22$643,148
FY23$625,740
FY24$227,170
FY25$1.1M
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,814
FY20$12,709
FY21$225,480
FY22$643,148
FY23$625,740
FY24$227,170
FY25$1.1M

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$1.1M → $1.2M, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−51%$146,594 → $90,916, down 38% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 51% 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 38% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% more.

$1.1M
$1.1M

Federal grants, for comparison: $775,191 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

  • Monogram Food Solutions, LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 111 jobs required
    $157K
  • Continental Carbonic Products, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 40 jobs required
    $1.2M

Community college new jobs training: 4 contracts since 2003 worth $2.3M, for 396 pledged jobs.

Awards 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 · 4

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Denison; 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.

  • Denison City Council At-Large
    Now held by Gregory J Miller
  • Denison City Council Ward 2
    Now held by John C Granzen Sr
  • Denison Mayor
    Now held by Dustin Logan

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

Jason Schultz (Sen. 6)Steven C. Holt (Rep. 12)

U.S. House:District 4

Crawford CountyDenison schools