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Local taxes › Dallas County › Waukee

City

Waukee

Dallas County · How cities work

$1,910 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($22.65 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,080 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.80 per $1,000)
$29.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$105.0Mcity 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.

  • Anna Bergman PierceWaukee City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kala AndersonWaukee City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lori LyonWaukee City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Christine CroneWaukee City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Courtney ClarkeWaukee Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Rob GroveWaukee 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 Waukee

Homes and businesses in most of Waukee pay a combined $22.65 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Dallas County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.80. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.82$13.40
FY21$36.19$13.30
FY22$36.06$13.30
FY23$35.43$13.10
FY24$33.84$13.05
FY25$23.15$12.95
FY26$23.03$12.80
FY27$22.65$12.80
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.82$13.40
FY21$36.19$13.30
FY22$36.06$13.30
FY23$35.43$13.10
FY24$33.84$13.05
FY25$23.15$12.95
FY26$23.03$12.80
FY27$22.65$12.80

Compared with places this size3

Waukee’s city property tax rate of $12.80 per $1,000 is the 4th lowest of 14 Iowa cities with 23,000–48,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.62.

Ottumwa: $21.01Fort Dodge: $20.89Clinton: $16.80Marshalltown: $16.25Muscatine: $16.17Burlington: $15.94Coralville: $14.70Marion: $14.55Mason City: $14.47Bettendorf: $13.33Cedar Falls: $12.29Johnston: $11.39Urbandale: $9.98Waukee: $12.80$9.98 lowest$21.01 highestmiddle
See all 14
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Ottumwa$21.0125,648
2Fort Dodge$20.8924,886
3Clinton$16.8024,118
4Marshalltown$16.2527,886
5Muscatine$16.1723,298
6Burlington$15.9423,637
7Coralville$14.7023,959
8Marion$14.5542,542
9Mason City$14.4726,948
10Bettendorf$13.3340,281
11Waukee$12.8034,420
12Cedar Falls$12.2941,417
13Johnston$11.3925,022
14Urbandale$9.9847,759

The $8.10 limit

Waukee’s general levy is $7.66 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.44 below the limit.4 754 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $7.70 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $7.89 · FY27 $7.66 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.14 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.17 · $8.8M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.97 · $4.3M

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$595.3M of taxable value in Waukee is in TIF districts’ increment (21% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $11.5M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$8.3M
$6.6M

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $5.7M of the city’s own.

  • Waukee schools$6.3M
  • Dallas County$1.9M
  • Van Meter schools$78,477
YearTIF revenue
FY16$3.2M
FY17$3.4M
FY18$3.5M
FY19$4.1M
FY20$5.2M
FY21$6.7M
FY22$8.3M
FY23$6.6M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$3.2M
FY17$3.4M
FY18$3.5M
FY19$4.1M
FY20$5.2M
FY21$6.7M
FY22$8.3M
FY23$6.6M

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$16.6M56%
  • Debt Service Levy$8.8M30%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.3M14%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Waukee’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 35¢ of every dollar35¢Business Type / Enterprise: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Public Safety: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 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 13 Iowa cities closest in size (23,000–48,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (13)
Capital Projects35¢19¢
Business Type / Enterprise31¢32¢
Public Safety12¢15¢
Debt Service11¢11¢
Public Works4¢7¢
Everything else8¢16¢

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$49.7M47%
  • Public Safety$18.7M18%
  • Debt Service$16.7M16%
  • Public Works$5.8M6%
  • Culture and Recreation$5.6M5%
  • Community and Economic Development$5.3M5%
  • General Government$3.0M3%
  • Health and Social Services$135,1000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($44.6M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$4.8M$25.8M
Public Safety$10.9M$10.6M
Health and Social Services$54,000$52,000
General Government$4.6M$4.2M
Debt Service$8.3M$8.8M
Culture and Recreation$3.9M$9.0M
Community and Economic Development$2.2M$1.9M
Capital Projects$16.7M$108,497
Business Type / Enterprise$43.3M$24.9M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$153.8M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Waukee owes

$200.8M at June 30, 2026: $8,387 per resident. 32nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$200.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$200.8M$8,387
2025$194.9M$8,141
2024$169.0M$7,057
2023$129.1M$5,394
2022$123.9M$5,174
2021$119.0M$4,969
2020$104.0M$4,342
2019$95.7M$3,997
2018$100.7M$4,207
2017$67.7M$2,829
2016$58.0M$2,423
2015$55.9M$2,337
2014$46.0M$1,923
2013$43.5M$1,817
2012$35.3M$1,475
2011$34.3M$1,434
2010$38.1M$1,593
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$200.8M$8,387
2025$194.9M$8,141
2024$169.0M$7,057
2023$129.1M$5,394
2022$123.9M$5,174
2021$119.0M$4,969
2020$104.0M$4,342
2019$95.7M$3,997
2018$100.7M$4,207
2017$67.7M$2,829
2016$58.0M$2,423
2015$55.9M$2,337
2014$46.0M$1,923
2013$43.5M$1,817
2012$35.3M$1,475
2011$34.3M$1,434
2010$38.1M$1,593

Up 426% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $163.1M, 66% of the limit of about $245.2M (5% of $4.90B, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

26 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2023B GO-CIP Public Safety Bldg T Avenue Traffic Signals Douglas Pkwy Extension2043$35.0M
General Obligation2021B - 2nd High School roads, Ashworth/Ute intersection, traffic signals, NW Douglas bridge, SE Laurel Road2041$17.8M
Revenue Bonds2023SRF sewer projects2044$12.9M
General Obligation2018A-CIP & LOST Alices Rd-Ph V Fox Creek Park -PhII Entrance Signs Golf Irrigation Dog Park Parks2038$12.9M
General Obligation2017A-CIP PROJECTS/DOG PARK/ALICES ROAD WIDENING PH 4/RRVT ART/KETTLESTONE LIGHTS/TRAIL/ AND ENTRANCE SIGNS2036$11.4M
General Obligation2024A-CIP Hickman traffic signals, NW10th overlay, Culverts, University Extension-Ph12044$11.2M
General Obligation2024B-LOST Public Safety Building Fire Engine2044$10.7M
General Obligation2022A - NW Douglas/Warrior & 10th, GPP/Tallgrass, Hickman/Berkshire Traffic Signals, LWC Culvert, Warrior Ph2A, Meredith overlay2042$10.5M
General Obligation2026A - University Ave Imp, 10th St Extension, Downtown Streets, SE LA Grant Pkwy/SE Esker Ridge Signal, S Warrior Ln Extension2045$10.5M
General Obligation2020A - CIP High School Roads2035$9.8M
General Obligation2014A - I80 Interchange/Ramps/Alices Road2034$8.7M
General Obligation2021A - Road construction of mulitple school projects, GPP/Ashworth, Library Storm Water2040$7.4M
General Obligation2020B - Triumph Park Construction2036$7.2M
Revenue Bonds2017SRF South Outfall Project NW Area Trunk Sewer - Phase I - II - III Little Walnut Creek Sewer2038$6.9M
Revenue Bonds2025 SRF - Water CIWW2045$6.7M
General ObligationIowa DOT - I80 Interchange2033$5.9M
Revenue Bonds2023C Storm Water Revenue LWC Regional Wetlands Towne Center Pond2043$3.0M
Revenue Bonds2018B-Water Rev Bond NW Water Main-Ph I I80/Waco Xenia2038$2.6M
Revenue Bonds2018C-Sewer Rev NW Trunk-Ph IV2038$2.5M
General Obligation2019A - CIP Roads2031$2.1M
General Obligation2015C-Capital projects-Westown Pkwy/Grant & Fox Crrek park/Douglas/Library Hvac&Roof/GPP Enhancements/Esker Ridge2030$1.9M
Revenue Bonds2018SRF Sewer Revenue Bond Sewer Infrastructure2038$1.6M
Revenue Bonds2019B - Water Revenue2035$1.2M
Revenue Bonds2015B-Water Utility Bond-Grand Prairie Pkwy Water Project2027$140,000
General ObligationAxon Lease - Police Equipment2028$93,973
General ObligationAxon Lease - Police Equipment2027$76,075

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 balances11. Waukee’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Thursday, January 29, 2026, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Waukee

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? 13

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: $4.6M in FY25, up 75% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 39% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$3.1M$3.3M$3.4M$4.1M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$604,554$554,078$580,132$452,842

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.

$1.8M
$366,596
  • State grants$365,262100%
  • Iowa Department of Natural Resources$1,3340%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$293,088
FY20$55,667
FY21$1.0M
FY22$1.8M
FY23$264,240
FY24$194,220
FY25$366,596
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$293,088
FY20$55,667
FY21$1.0M
FY22$1.8M
FY23$264,240
FY24$194,220
FY25$366,596

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)+41%$2.3M → $4.1M, up 76% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 41% more
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+28%$281,961 → $452,842, up 61% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 28% more

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 155% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 103% more.

$6.3M

Federal grants, for comparison: $328,398 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in WAUKEE: $19.6M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 50 jobs.14

  • Apple Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Under contract: Building · 50 jobs required
    $19.6M

Community college new jobs training: 14 contracts since 2004 worth $2.3M, for 323 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)15.

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 Waukee; 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.

  • Waukee City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Christine Crone, Rob Grove
  • Waukee Mayor
    Now held by Courtney Clarke

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Sarah Trone Garriott (Sen. 14)Kenan Judge (Rep. 27)

U.S. House:District 3

Dallas CountyAdel-Desoto-Minburn schoolsVan Meter schoolsWaukee schools