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Local taxes › Des Moines County › Burlington

City

Burlington

Des Moines County · How cities work

$3,470 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($41.20 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,340 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.94 per $1,000)
$13.9Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$59.1Mcity 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.

  • Jon D. BillupsMayor · Burlington City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Antoinette WilsonMayor Pro Tem · Burlington City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Robert CritserBurlington City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kay WeissBurlington City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Timothy E. ScottBurlington City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023

How Burlington picks its mayor: voters don’t elect the mayor directly. They elect the city council, and the council chooses the mayor and mayor pro tem from its own members. The mayor runs council meetings and still votes as a council member. Iowa lets each city decide this in its charter; most Iowa cities elect their mayor on the ballot instead.

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.3

Regular meetings are where votes happen and the public can comment; work sessions are discussions before a vote. More · How to speak up

Council Work Session · Monday, November 9, 2026Agenda (PDF)

AI summary

The agenda’s first 6 pages are scanned images Iowa Funnel can’t read yet, so this covers only the documents attached to it. Open the agenda for the full list.

  • The City Council is considering an ordinance to update the Burlington Fire Prevention Code regarding batteries and battery-powered equipment.
  • The proposed changes would add a new chapter titled "Batteries" to the code, which includes rules for portable power packs.
  • The update would require operational permits for businesses that research, test, manufacture, or recycle lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries.
  • The ordinance also updates technical definitions for various battery types and adds several new safety standards for testing.

Proposed code change

  • Amending section 162.02 of chapter 162 fire prevention code of the city of Burlington municipal code · Code section 162.02 · Code chapter 162
    AI summary This ordinance replaces existing rules for storing lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries with a new chapter titled "Batteries" based on the 2027 International Fire Code. It updates definitions for various battery types, adds new safety standards, and establishes new operational permit requirements for businesses that research, test, manufacture, or recycle lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries.
City Council · Monday, November 2, 2026Agenda (PDF)

AI summary

  • The Council will hold a hearing regarding a proposal to expand the Burlington Consolidated Urban Renewal Area and amend its urban renewal plan.
  • Discussion and possible action regarding an agreement to allow entry for an environmental assessment and response at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant.
  • A resolution to approve a bid for removing an underground storage tank located at 2910 Madison Avenue.
  • A proclamation to recognize Katie Miller for Adoption Month.
6 resolutions · 3 ordinances · 0 hearings
  • ResolutionResolution to Declare Necessity and Establish an Urban Renewal Area, Pursuant to Section 403.4 of the Code of Iowa and Approve Urban Renewal Plan Amendment for the Expanded Burlington Consolidated Urban Renewal Area · Iowa Code § 403.4
  • Ordinance, first readingMotion for Preliminary Adoption of the First Reading of an Ordinance Providing for the Division of Taxes Levied on Taxable Property in the November, 2026 Addition to the Burlington Consolidated Urban Renewal Area, Pursuant to Section 403.19 of the Code of Iowa · Iowa Code § 403.19
  • ResolutionResolution Approving Bid for the Removal of Underground Storage Tank at 2910 Madison Avenue
  • ResolutionResolution Approving Nuisance Abatements for Various Properties
  • ResolutionResolution Approving Training Agreement
  • ResolutionResolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with HR Green of Cedar Rapids, Iowa for General Consulting Services for the Wastewater Treatment Facility for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
  • ResolutionResolution Approving the Revised 28E Agreement for the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force SET DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS: November 16, 2026
  • OrdinanceConsideration of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 162 Fire Prevention Code, of the Burlington Municipal Code of Ordinances · Code chapter 162
  • OrdinanceConsideration of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 95 Sanitary Sewer, of the Burlington Municipal Code of Ordinances · Code chapter 95

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Burlington

Homes and businesses in most of Burlington pay a combined $41.20 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Des Moines County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $15.94. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.43$16.34
FY21$39.40$16.34
FY22$38.74$15.44
FY23$37.61$15.44
FY24$38.36$15.44
FY25$36.63$15.44
FY26$40.96$15.94
FY27$41.20$15.94
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.43$16.34
FY21$39.40$16.34
FY22$38.74$15.44
FY23$37.61$15.44
FY24$38.36$15.44
FY25$36.63$15.44
FY26$40.96$15.94
FY27$41.20$15.94

Compared with places this size4

Burlington’s city property tax rate of $15.94 per $1,000 is the 6th highest of 15 Iowa cities with 16,000–34,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.47.

Ottumwa: $21.01Fort Dodge: $20.89Clinton: $16.80Marshalltown: $16.25Muscatine: $16.17Coralville: $14.70Mason City: $14.47Indianola: $13.33Waukee: $12.80North Liberty: $11.84Johnston: $11.39Altoona: $10.75Grimes: $10.70Clive: $9.92Burlington: $15.94$9.92 lowest$21.01 highestmiddle
See all 15
#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
8Mason City$14.4726,948
9Indianola$13.3316,297
10Waukee$12.8034,420
11North Liberty$11.8421,904
12Johnston$11.3925,022
13Altoona$10.7522,598
14Grimes$10.7017,266
15Clive$9.9219,508

The $8.10 limit

Burlington’s general levy is $8.27 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.17 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.5 100 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.52 · FY26 $8.52 · FY27 $8.27 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.67 more6

  • Debt Service Levy$3.80 · $3.5M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.26 · $2.8M
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$0.23 · $191,409
  • Aviation Authority$0.20 · $170,907
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.18 · $150,940

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$85.4M of taxable value in Burlington is in TIF districts’ increment (9% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.7 The city expects $3.8M in TIF revenue in FY27, in its proposed budget.

$3.1M
$3.0M

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY278

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $1.0M of the city’s own.

  • Burlington schools$1.1M
  • Des Moines County$444,625
YearTIF revenue
FY16$2.5M
FY17$2.6M
FY18$2.5M
FY19$2.7M
FY20$2.9M
FY21$2.9M
FY22$3.1M
FY23$3.0M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$2.5M
FY17$2.6M
FY18$2.5M
FY19$2.7M
FY20$2.9M
FY21$2.9M
FY22$3.1M
FY23$3.0M

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$7.0M51%
  • Debt Service Levy$3.5M26%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.8M20%
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$191,4091%
  • Aviation Authority (under sec.330A.15)$170,9071%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$150,9401%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Burlington’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 33¢ of every dollar33¢Capital Projects: 26¢ of every dollar26¢Public Safety: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything 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 14 Iowa cities closest in size (16,000–34,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (14)
Business Type / Enterprise33¢32¢
Capital Projects26¢24¢
Public Safety17¢13¢
Debt Service8¢11¢
Public Works8¢6¢
Everything else8¢15¢

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$21.2M36%
  • Public Safety$15.6M26%
  • Public Works$7.5M13%
  • Debt Service$6.7M11%
  • Culture and Recreation$4.4M7%
  • General Government$2.4M4%
  • Community and Economic Development$1.2M2%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($28.6M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$5.7M$5.1M
Public Safety$13.5M$13.4M
Health and Social Services$2,150$976
General Government$2.0M$1.9M
Debt Service$6.2M$5.7M
Culture and Recreation$4.0M$4.0M
Community and Economic Development$2.1M$1.2M
Capital Projects$28.8M$17.9M
Business Type / Enterprise$28.3M$19.3M

Proposed and adopted, FY27

Before adopting a budget, a city publishes its proposal and holds a public hearing.9 2 lines changed between Burlington’s proposal and the budget it adopted.

SpendingProposedAdoptedChange
Public Safety$15.6M$15.6Msame
Public Works$7.5M$7.5Msame
Health and Social Services$0$0same
Culture and Recreation$4.5M$4.4M−$125,000
Community and Economic Development$1.2M$1.2Msame
General Government$2.4M$2.4Msame
Debt Service$6.7M$6.7Msame
Capital Projects$21.2M$21.2Msame
Business Type / Enterprise$28.4Mnot yet–
Transfers Out$16.5M$13.9M−$2.6M
Changed during FY26: adopted and re-estimated

A city can amend its budget during the year. The same notice shows what it now expects for FY26.

SpendingAdoptedRe-estimatedChange
Culture and Recreation$3.8M$4.2M+$390,810

What it spent each year

FY24 left out10

$78.7M

FY26 through October 2025

From Burlington’s own books on OpenGov, through October 202511. The city last updated it in November 2025. Open the city’s portal

  • Spent$13.6M17% of the $80.7M budget, with 4 of 12 months gone (33%). All of last year: $57.1M.
  • Took in$17.7M23% of the $77.3M budget, with 4 of 12 months gone (33%). All of last year: $59.9M.
By department
DepartmentSo farBudgetUsed
Capital Projects$1.2M$23.7M5%
Business Type Activities$3.3M$23.1M14%
Public Safety$4.6M$14.5M31%
Community & Economic Development$15,000$9.1M0%
Public Works$1.7M$7.2M24%
Debt Service$21,573$6.7M0%
Culture & Recreation$1.2M$4.5M26%
General Government$612,205$3.2M19%
Employee Benefits$0$2.5M0%
Internal Service$626,204$2.1M29%
Trust & Agency$105,317$515,00020%
Planning and Zoning$96,543$324,81230%
Description pending$200,557––
Health & Social Services$12$2,1501%

Departments include transfers between the city’s funds.

Burlington’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 Burlington owes

$50.1M at June 30, 2026: $2,090 per resident. 375th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).12

$65.1M
$50.1M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$50.1M$2,090
2025$56.2M$2,344
2024$58.1M$2,422
2023$64.2M$2,676
2022$65.1M$2,715
2021$61.5M$2,566
2020$56.7M$2,365
2019$55.7M$2,324
2018$57.9M$2,415
2017$54.7M$2,283
2016$50.4M$2,101
2015$54.6M$2,278
2014$57.7M$2,405
2013$61.0M$2,546
2012$62.6M$2,612
2011$51.5M$2,149
2010$50.6M$2,110
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$50.1M$2,090
2025$56.2M$2,344
2024$58.1M$2,422
2023$64.2M$2,676
2022$65.1M$2,715
2021$61.5M$2,566
2020$56.7M$2,365
2019$55.7M$2,324
2018$57.9M$2,415
2017$54.7M$2,283
2016$50.4M$2,101
2015$54.6M$2,278
2014$57.7M$2,405
2013$61.0M$2,546
2012$62.6M$2,612
2011$51.5M$2,149
2010$50.6M$2,110

Down 1% since 2010.

The 5% limit13

General obligation debt is $39.2M, 48% of the limit of about $80.9M (5% of $1.62B, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

15 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationStreet resurfacing, MASL sewer seperation TIGER downtown & riverfront, Sickles parking lot2037$7.3M
General ObligationStreets - Harrison, MASL Sewer Separation2036$6.4M
Revenue BondsSewer separation MASL SRF loan, planning & design2039$5.7M
General ObligationPolice building renovation; street projects; flood wall protection2036$5.1M
General ObligationStreets, Mt. Pleasant St Bridge, Flood Protection2033$4.7M
General ObligationWashington St,Recplec LED lights, Ambulance, Forestry Truck, Street resurfacing, Parking lot2033$4.3M
General ObligationStreets Rehab, Summer St, Parks Equipment2039$3.6M
General ObligationCIP Projects, streets, Flood protection wall2034$3.6M
Revenue BondsRefunding 2019B WWTP upgrades; 2013E Cascade sewer seperation2031$3.6M
General ObligationStreets Rehab, Broadway Ext; Adaptive Signalization Hwy 61; Fire pumper truck, Airport Runway;2033$2.4M
General ObligationRefunding sewer separation, CIP projects, Streets2031$1.4M
Revenue BondsHawkeye sewer separation2029$741,000
Revenue BondsMississippi River interceptor sewer project2029$512,705
Revenue BondsCascade sewer separation2035$390,000
General ObligationStreet projects, ambulance replacement2029$370,000

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 balances14. Burlington’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits15

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, December 23, 2025, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Burlington

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? 16

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: $4.7M in FY25, up 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$3.2M$3.3M$3.4M$3.4M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$425,594$372,468$319,126$266,048
Ambulance reimbursement (GEMT)–$963,816$807,672$1.0M

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.

$3.8M
  • Iowa DOT projects$2.3M59%
  • State grants$1.4M37%
  • Iowa Economic Development Authority$178,1235%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.7M
FY20$1.9M
FY21$1.8M
FY22$3.5M
FY23$1.5M
FY24$1.8M
FY25$3.8M
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.7M
FY20$1.9M
FY21$1.8M
FY22$3.5M
FY23$1.5M
FY24$1.8M
FY25$3.8M

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−19%$3.3M → $3.4M, up 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−55%$469,330 → $266,048, down 43% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 55% 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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

$6.0M
$5.5M

Federal grants, for comparison: $3.7M in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

3 businesses have state awards in BURLINGTON: $2.2M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 290 jobs.17

  • Western's Smokehouse & Meat Market LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Under contract: Building · 150 jobs required
    $470K
  • First Capitol Baking Company
    Targeted Jobs · FY21 · Under contract: Building · 20 jobs required
    $0
  • Integra Pool Covers, Inc./PF Global Property Group (Burlington), Inc.
    Targeted Jobs · FY21 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 80 jobs required
    $664K
  • Frank Millard & Company, Inc.
    Targeted Jobs · FY18 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 49 jobs required
    $521K
  • Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation
    Targeted Jobs · FY15 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 120 jobs required, 120 reported
    $1.7M

Community college new jobs training: 9 contracts since 1997 worth $7.0M, for 876 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)18.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Most recent: November 3, 2026

Ballot measures · 1

Passed Yes 67.6% (5,617) · No 32.4% (2,697)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Burlington; 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.

  • Burlington City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Kay Weiss, Timothy E. Scott

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here19.

Past ballot measures

  • Passed Yes 67.6% (5,617) · No 32.4% (2,697)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

  • Public Measure GMNovember 7, 2023

    Passed Yes 71.2% (1,889) · No 28.8% (764)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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 ballot20.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress21

Jeff Reichman (Sen. 50)Matthew Rinker (Rep. 99)

U.S. House:District 1

Des Moines CountyBurlington schoolsWest Burlington schools