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Local taxes › Dickinson County › Arnolds Park

City

Arnolds Park

Dickinson County · How cities work

$1,740 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($20.62 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$420 a yearof that goes to the city ($4.95 per $1,000)
$2.2Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$15.8Mcity 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.

  • Jamie SmithArnolds Park City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jim HussongArnolds Park Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Matt RichterArnolds Park City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Randy PasArnolds Park City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • James D. JensenArnolds Park City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jason ChristensenArnolds Park City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • John AdamsArnolds Park 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 Arnolds Park

Homes and businesses in most of Arnolds Park pay a combined $20.62 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Dickinson County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $4.95. Estimate your bill.

  • Okoboji schools$9.2345%
  • City of Arnolds Park$4.9524%
  • Great Lakes Sanitary Sewer$2.5012%
  • Dickinson County$1.909%
  • Iowa Lakes Community College$1.276%
  • Dickinson County Hospital$0.482%
  • Dickinson County Assessor$0.18<1%
  • Dickinson County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.07<1%
  • Centgrove-Wokobji-Arnpark-Okob Cem$0.04<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$21.25$4.95
FY21$21.63$4.95
FY22$21.28$4.95
FY23$20.91$4.95
FY24$22.00$4.95
FY25$22.34$4.80
FY26$21.10$4.95
FY27$20.62$4.95
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$21.25$4.95
FY21$21.63$4.95
FY22$21.28$4.95
FY23$20.91$4.95
FY24$22.00$4.95
FY25$22.34$4.80
FY26$21.10$4.95
FY27$20.62$4.95

Compared with places this size3

Arnolds Park’s city property tax rate of $4.95 per $1,000 is the lowest of 147 Iowa cities with 810–1,800 people. The middle of the group is $13.29.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Villisca: $19.74Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Buffalo Center: $16.58Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Durant: $16.24Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Mount Ayr: $15.32Neola: $15.30Guttenberg: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Hartley: $14.11Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Donnellson: $13.63Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Remsen: $12.32Hubbard: $12.30Reinbeck: $12.10Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Inwood: $10.22Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Arnolds Park: $4.95$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 147
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Villisca$19.741,106
4Traer$19.561,547
5Corning$19.361,509
6Lake City$19.321,656
7Allison$19.06937
8Corydon$18.221,563
9Dysart$17.951,266
10Greene$17.91971
11Lansing$17.67959
12Strawberry Point$17.581,141
13Rockwell$17.541,044
14Gowrie$17.17943
15Colo$17.14856
16Mapleton$16.901,114
17George$16.891,106
18Manson$16.871,646
19Fayette$16.851,193
20Eddyville$16.82965
21Nashua$16.811,515
22Ackley$16.631,538
23Buffalo Center$16.58839
24Roland$16.511,376
25Monona$16.411,462
26Aplington$16.341,088
27Durant$16.241,798
28Panora$16.141,096
29Mechanicsville$16.12974
30Dike$15.941,293
31Armstrong$15.87847
32Holstein$15.811,475
33State Center$15.801,403
34Pleasantville$15.801,696
35Earlham$15.551,411
36Shell Rock$15.521,265
37Brooklyn$15.491,474
38Newell$15.49850
39Mount Ayr$15.321,616
40Neola$15.30917
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Sidney$15.191,048
43Logan$15.051,351
44Griswold$15.01975
45Readlyn$14.99857
46Tripoli$14.991,208
47Woodbine$14.801,707
48Bedford$14.661,474
49Lenox$14.651,355
50Manning$14.621,390
51Dunlap$14.561,030
52Maxwell$14.50862
53Coon Rapids$14.491,258
54Nora Springs$14.251,330
55Kingsley$14.251,394
56Urbana$14.201,635
57Primghar$14.18893
58Sheffield$14.161,123
59Hartley$14.111,584
60Woodward$14.051,383
61Guthrie Center$14.041,579
62Alton$13.871,248
63Montezuma$13.791,421
64Victor$13.72852
65Gilbert$13.711,397
66Edgewood$13.64908
67Donnellson$13.63859
68Clarksville$13.531,238
69Avoca$13.511,685
70Janesville$13.431,052
71Glidden$13.431,140
72Calmar$13.391,100
73Baxter$13.32983
74Manly$13.291,233
75Anita$13.28953
76Conrad$13.231,098
77Springville$13.221,161
78Keota$13.21888
79Shellsburg$13.20987
80De Soto$13.18937
81Treynor$13.031,104
82Odebolt$13.00967
83Akron$12.931,545
84Leon$12.931,779
85Danville$12.87910
86Underwood$12.85973
87New Sharon$12.801,249
88Slater$12.791,626
89Malvern$12.791,056
90Buffalo$12.681,163
91Sanborn$12.621,463
92West Point$12.39903
93Hinton$12.38959
94Preston$12.38940
95Remsen$12.321,681
96Hubbard$12.30837
97Reinbeck$12.101,673
98Winfield$12.041,006
99Elkhart$12.001,079
100Afton$11.96864
101Tabor$11.88983
102Wellman$11.881,531
103Aurelia$11.84970
104Blue Grass$11.791,707
105Columbus Junction$11.711,794
106Palo$11.491,554
107Prairie City$11.381,722
108Marcus$11.311,069
109Dunkerton$11.30840
110Mediapolis$11.271,679
111Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
112University Heights$11.121,188
113Hamburg$10.95863
114Clarence$10.94991
115Farley$10.911,723
116Oakland$10.851,519
117Moville$10.671,707
118Cambridge$10.53844
119Swisher$10.39909
120Schleswig$10.39820
121Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
122Walcott$10.291,556
123Fredericksburg$10.27983
124Lake Park$10.251,155
125Inwood$10.22962
126Central City$10.011,254
127Newhall$9.99887
128Graettinger$9.81810
129Long Grove$9.59849
130Lake View$9.391,120
131Paullina$9.21979
132Fairbank$9.001,133
133Winthrop$8.94814
134Walford$8.721,357
135Keosauqua$8.58944
136Princeton$8.24917
137Lone Tree$8.131,341
138Riverside$8.021,063
139Hills$7.94911
140Larchwood$7.52954
141North English$7.491,030
142Sloan$7.491,078
143Sully$7.41891
144Fruitland$7.21928
145Lawton$7.10949
146Wayland$7.07935
147Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Arnolds Park’s general levy is $4.45 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $3.65 below the limit.4 907 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $4.45 · FY24 $4.45 · FY25 $4.30 · FY26 $4.45 · FY27 $4.45 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $0.50 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$0.50 · $282,973

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$131.2M of taxable value in Arnolds Park is in TIF districts’ increment (23% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $719,926 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$1.1M
$595,488

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 $583,799 of the city’s own.

  • Okoboji schools$776,350
  • Dickinson County$249,263
YearTIF revenue
FY16$758,399
FY17$696,996
FY18$848,929
FY19$871,096
FY20$836,779
FY21$1.1M
FY22$703,220
FY23$595,488
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$758,399
FY17$696,996
FY18$848,929
FY19$871,096
FY20$836,779
FY21$1.1M
FY22$703,220
FY23$595,488

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$1.9M87%
  • Debt Service Levy$282,97313%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Arnolds Park’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 52¢ of every dollar52¢Debt Service: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Business Type / Enterprise: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Public Safety: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Works: 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 146 Iowa cities closest in size (810–1,800 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (146)
Capital Projects52¢10¢
Debt Service13¢6¢
Business Type / Enterprise9¢41¢
Public Safety8¢10¢
Public Works7¢13¢
Everything else10¢19¢

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$9.2M59%
  • Debt Service$2.5M16%
  • Public Safety$1.2M8%
  • Public Works$1.2M8%
  • General Government$829,2765%
  • Culture and Recreation$455,2453%
  • Community and Economic Development$321,0322%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$692,255$781,906
Public Safety$955,033$947,651
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$553,618$536,912
Debt Service$1.1M$1.1M
Culture and Recreation$310,035$360,316
Community and Economic Development$277,183$269,510
Capital Projects$382,749$612,084
Business Type / Enterprise$971,385$988,363

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$10.8M
$7.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Arnolds Park owes

$20.1M at June 30, 2026: $18,077 per resident. 2nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$20.1M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$20.1M$18,077
2025$16.1M$14,514
2024$6.7M$6,018
2023$7.5M$6,757
2022$8.3M$7,509
2021$9.2M$8,261
2020$10.7M$9,635
2019$11.4M$10,257
2018$12.2M$10,995
2017$13.1M$11,761
2016$12.8M$11,554
2015$13.3M$11,937
2014$13.6M$12,235
2013$12.7M$11,485
2012$12.2M$11,019
2011$11.7M$10,573
2010$11.7M$10,504
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$20.1M$18,077
2025$16.1M$14,514
2024$6.7M$6,018
2023$7.5M$6,757
2022$8.3M$7,509
2021$9.2M$8,261
2020$10.7M$9,635
2019$11.4M$10,257
2018$12.2M$10,995
2017$13.1M$11,761
2016$12.8M$11,554
2015$13.3M$11,937
2014$13.6M$12,235
2013$12.7M$11,485
2012$12.2M$11,019
2011$11.7M$10,573
2010$11.7M$10,504

Up 72% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $20.1M, 40% of the limit of about $49.6M (5% of $991.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2025 New Municipal Services Building for City Hall, Police, Library, and Fire Department2045$10.0M
General ObligationNew Municipal Services Building for City Hall, Police, Library, and Fire Department2037$5.0M
General Obligation2019 Refinance of 2014 A,B,& C2035$3.1M
General Obligation2021 Refinance of 2012, 2016A, and 2016B2029$1.6M
General Obligation20172032$345,000

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 balances11. Arnolds Park’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 Friday, December 12, 2025, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Arnolds Park

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: $157,781 in FY25, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$153,838$152,748$156,790$157,781

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−14%$145,463 → $157,781, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% 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 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more.

$393,542

Federal grants, for comparison: $15,613 in FY25.

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)14.

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 · 3

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Arnolds Park; 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.

  • Arnolds Park City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by John Adams, Jason Christensen, James D. Jensen
  • Arnolds Park Mayor
    Now held by Jim Hussong

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

David D. Rowley (Sen. 5)John H. Wills (Rep. 10)

U.S. House:District 4

Dickinson CountyOkoboji schools