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Local taxes › Crawford County › Ricketts

City

Ricketts

Crawford County · How cities work

$3,210 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.08 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,620 a yearof that goes to the city ($19.22 per $1,000)
$21,357property taxes the city levies, FY27
$147,045city 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.

  • Brad RiessenRicketts Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Carol SchlensigRicketts City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Drene BriggleRicketts City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Sherry ReilingRicketts City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Clayton MarthRicketts City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Drene K. BriggleRicketts 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 Ricketts

Homes and businesses in most of Ricketts pay a combined $38.08 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, $19.22. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Ricketts$19.2250%
  • Schleswig schools$10.7328%
  • 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 Ricketts pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.87$16.01
FY21$37.13$16.49
FY22$36.14$16.14
FY23$35.99$16.58
FY24$35.58$16.51
FY25$34.00$15.48
FY26$36.50$18.13
FY27$38.08$19.22
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.87$16.01
FY21$37.13$16.49
FY22$36.14$16.14
FY23$35.99$16.58
FY24$35.58$16.51
FY25$34.00$15.48
FY26$36.50$18.13
FY27$38.08$19.22

Compared with places this size3

Ricketts’s city property tax rate of $19.22 per $1,000 is the 10th highest of 138 Iowa cities with 70–160 people. The middle of the group is $9.59.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Hansell: $23.66Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Stanley: $20.69Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Hastings: $18.95Grant: $18.71Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Popejoy: $15.80Woodburn: $15.59Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Delaware: $12.86Clemons: $12.69Cylinder: $12.52Millersburg: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54Matlock: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Nodaway: $11.20Linn Grove: $11.15Promise City: $11.13Leighton: $11.07Masonville: $11.00Somers: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Wallingford: $10.75Pacific Junction: $10.56Oto: $10.45Barnes City: $10.44Bradgate: $10.37Randall: $10.35North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Rock Falls: $9.61Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Pilot Mound: $8.54Andover: $8.28Carpenter: $8.10Chillicothe: $8.10Rome: $8.10Scarville: $8.10Shannon City: $8.10Struble: $8.10Unionville: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Buckeye: $7.94Morrison: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Ralston: $7.86Chatsworth: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Westwood: $7.67Kinross: $7.57Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Garber: $7.35Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Craig: $7.01Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Pleasant Plain: $6.79Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Willey: $6.69Lincoln: $6.32Tennant: $6.29Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Graf: $2.56Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Balltown: $0.12Ricketts: $19.22$0.12 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 138
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Hansell$23.6685
4Harris$23.13145
5Whitten$22.6598
6Stanley$20.6986
7Rowan$19.53118
8Chester$19.30134
9Bouton$19.25125
10Ricketts$19.22105
11Hastings$18.95157
12Grant$18.7182
13Swaledale$18.62136
14Derby$18.1389
15Bristow$17.39139
16Woolstock$17.26141
17Monmouth$16.41129
18Blockton$16.37123
19Geneva$16.25137
20Waterville$16.25112
21Popejoy$15.8076
22Woodburn$15.59133
23Goodell$15.16139
24Marne$15.03109
25Baldwin$14.9199
26Palmer$13.89137
27Ayrshire$13.55128
28Searsboro$13.55129
29Ferguson$13.5398
30Lanesboro$13.53112
31Calumet$13.16144
32Delaware$12.86139
33Clemons$12.69135
34Cylinder$12.5284
35Millersburg$12.40135
36Bridgewater$12.29145
37Arion$12.1499
38Webb$12.10139
39Lone Rock$11.92143
40East Peru$11.89119
41Henderson$11.85140
42Reasnor$11.76157
43Morley$11.7494
44Ledyard$11.74118
45Toronto$11.68101
46Exline$11.60157
47Beaman$11.54155
48Matlock$11.4474
49Melrose$11.27110
50Nodaway$11.2074
51Linn Grove$11.15155
52Promise City$11.1391
53Leighton$11.07153
54Masonville$11.0098
55Somers$10.99121
56Havelock$10.95127
57Wallingford$10.75154
58Pacific Junction$10.5699
59Oto$10.4571
60Barnes City$10.44152
61Bradgate$10.3776
62Randall$10.35156
63North Washington$10.23107
64Dawson$10.19110
65Hartwick$9.9091
66Clare$9.81133
67Tingley$9.81146
68Rutland$9.65116
69Rock Falls$9.61143
70Superior$9.58127
71Webster$9.5594
72Martinsburg$9.49109
73Larrabee$9.41116
74Hamilton$9.35125
75Wiota$9.3291
76Floris$9.29119
77Mitchell$9.22118
78Westphalia$9.18133
79Prairieburg$8.91156
80Welton$8.86124
81Archer$8.84116
82Luther$8.83147
83Fraser$8.81107
84Macksburg$8.81103
85Pilot Mound$8.54155
86Andover$8.28106
87Carpenter$8.1092
88Chillicothe$8.1079
89Rome$8.10112
90Scarville$8.1075
91Shannon City$8.1073
92Struble$8.1072
93Unionville$8.1074
94Westfield$8.10121
95Vincent$8.09125
96Buckeye$7.9482
97Morrison$7.86101
98Oyens$7.8688
99Castalia$7.86141
100Dickens$7.86146
101Ralston$7.8676
102Chatsworth$7.8672
103Rose Hill$7.86156
104West Chester$7.82147
105Cromwell$7.81104
106Mcclelland$7.79147
107Arispe$7.7195
108Luzerne$7.69111
109Westwood$7.6796
110Kinross$7.5780
111Bernard$7.56117
112Braddyville$7.49142
113Garber$7.3576
114Franklin$7.31133
115Spragueville$7.2092
116Weldon$7.18134
117Craig$7.0178
118Brunsville$6.95128
119Zwingle$6.9386
120Pleasant Plain$6.7983
121Houghton$6.73129
122Williamson$6.72126
123Willey$6.6972
124Lincoln$6.32119
125Tennant$6.2983
126Gravity$6.18149
127Ackworth$5.90117
128Springbrook$5.79145
129Maysville$5.77155
130Harper$5.29117
131Panorama Park$4.62142
132Keomah Village$3.15107
133Mcintire$2.78115
134Graf$2.5676
135Centralia$2.41117
136New Liberty$2.27141
137North Buena Vista$1.78107
138Balltown$0.1278

The $8.10 limit

Ricketts’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.4 184 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $11.10 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$9.72 · $10,534
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.37 · $1,486

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.

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$10,53451%
  • Consolidate General Fund$8,80342%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1,4867%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ricketts’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 60¢ of every dollar60¢Public Works: 21¢ of every dollar21¢General Government: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Culture and Recreation: 5¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 2¢ 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 139 Iowa cities closest in size (70–160 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (139)
Business Type / Enterprise60¢22¢
Public Works21¢29¢
General Government12¢27¢
Culture and Recreation5¢7¢
Public Safety2¢9¢

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$92,30063%
  • General Government$38,04526%
  • Culture and Recreation$10,2007%
  • Public Safety$6,5004%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($250,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$77,000$19,778
Public Safety$4,740$0
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$26,220$16,667
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$7,250$99
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$237,000$71,643

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$163,489
$129,672

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ricketts owes

$59,174 at June 30, 2026: $543 per resident. 634th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$59,174
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$59,174$543
2025$24,784$227
2024$44,970$413
2023$30,515$280
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$9,400$86
2013$18,800$172
2012$28,200$259
2011$37,600$345
2010$47,000$431
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$59,174$543
2025$24,784$227
2024$44,970$413
2023$30,515$280
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$9,400$86
2013$18,800$172
2012$28,200$259
2011$37,600$345
2010$47,000$431

Up 26% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $135,447 (5% of $2.7M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansSewer Project Engineering Iowa Finance Authority loan was renewed and $20,185.59 was paid off on loan2028$59,174

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. Ricketts’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

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

1 earlier report for Ricketts

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: $10,009 in FY25, down 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$10,154$9,686$9,955$10,009
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––––

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.

$27,015
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$1,990
    FY22$0
    FY23$27,015
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$1,990
    FY22$0
    FY23$27,015
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−33%$11,913 → $10,009, down 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% 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 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less.

    $17,193
    $13,885

    Federal grants, for comparison: $10,093 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

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ricketts; 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.

    • Ricketts City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Drene K. Briggle, Carol Schlensig, Clayton Marth
    • Ricketts Mayor
      Now held by Brad Riessen

    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 CountySchleswig schools