Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Dubuque County › Cascade

City

Cascade

Dubuque County · How cities work

$2,560 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($30.44 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$980 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.64 per $1,000)
$1.6Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.7Mcity 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 ReckerCascade City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark WeberCascade City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael DelaneyCascade City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steven J. KnepperCascade Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bill HoschCascade City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Chad GehlCascade 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.

City Council · Monday, November 9, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Iowa Funnel couldn’t read this agenda’s text (no text (a scanned PDF?)).

City Council · Monday, October 26, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Iowa Funnel couldn’t read this agenda’s text (no text (a scanned PDF?)).

City Council · Monday, October 12, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Iowa Funnel couldn’t read this agenda’s text (no text (a scanned PDF?)).

Show 5 more meetings
City Council · Monday, September 28, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Iowa Funnel couldn’t read this agenda’s text (no text (a scanned PDF?)).

City Council · Monday, September 14, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Monday, August 24, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Monday, August 10, 2026Agenda (PDF)
City Council · Monday, July 27, 2026Agenda (PDF)

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Cascade

Homes and businesses in most of Cascade pay a combined $30.44 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Dubuque County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.64. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.16$9.00
FY21$27.73$8.95
FY22$27.44$8.85
FY23$27.06$8.93
FY24$28.96$11.13
FY25$30.45$12.50
FY26$29.89$11.63
FY27$30.44$11.64
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$28.16$9.00
FY21$27.73$8.95
FY22$27.44$8.85
FY23$27.06$8.93
FY24$28.96$11.13
FY25$30.45$12.50
FY26$29.89$11.63
FY27$30.44$11.64

Compared with places this size3

Cascade’s city property tax rate of $11.64 per $1,000 is the 19th lowest of 88 Iowa cities with 1,600–3,600 people. The middle of the group is $13.57.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Lake City: $19.32Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Moville: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Cascade: $11.64$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 88
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Albia$19.703,579
8Sac City$19.691,992
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Toledo$18.212,372
11La Porte City$18.082,267
12Tama$17.742,997
13Clarion$17.742,751
14Britt$17.722,001
15Missouri Valley$17.682,638
16Madrid$16.932,824
17Manson$16.871,646
18West Union$16.602,435
19Audubon$16.522,008
20Grundy Center$16.362,821
21Belle Plaine$16.342,335
22Colfax$16.252,305
23Durant$16.241,798
24Lamoni$16.152,072
25Marengo$16.102,415
26Pleasantville$15.801,696
27Postville$15.682,418
28Tipton$15.543,059
29Stuart$15.481,887
30Mount Ayr$15.321,616
31Granger$15.222,095
32Sigourney$15.201,974
33Guttenberg$15.191,804
34Sumner$14.832,032
35Woodbine$14.801,707
36Van Meter$14.601,840
37Rock Rapids$14.572,709
38Jesup$14.312,541
39Osage$14.293,559
40Urbana$14.201,635
41Parkersburg$14.151,986
42Ida Grove$14.101,988
43Lake Mills$13.822,077
44Wilton$13.622,914
45Avoca$13.511,685
46New Hampton$13.443,433
47Wapello$13.292,026
48Hudson$13.192,916
49Center Point$13.192,578
50Greenfield$13.131,988
51Hawarden$13.022,630
52Leon$12.931,779
53Garner$12.863,049
54Slater$12.791,626
55Bellevue$12.672,321
56Milford$12.573,258
57New London$12.561,853
58Lisbon$12.502,238
59Dallas Center$12.421,993
60Onawa$12.322,795
61Remsen$12.321,681
62Monroe$12.282,021
63Denver$12.271,955
64Alta$12.132,039
65Reinbeck$12.101,673
66Atkins$11.992,168
67Blue Grass$11.791,707
68Hull$11.792,459
69Columbus Junction$11.711,794
70Cascade$11.642,396
71West Branch$11.632,876
72Mitchellville$11.542,686
73Solon$11.533,284
74Prairie City$11.381,722
75Northwood$11.282,047
76Mediapolis$11.271,679
77Williamsburg$11.113,380
78Ely$11.082,371
79Ogden$10.991,970
80Farley$10.911,723
81Moville$10.671,707
82Story City$10.393,439
83Kalona$10.372,762
84West Burlington$10.153,249
85Peosta$9.822,195
86Robins$9.683,362
87Epworth$9.422,042
88Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Cascade’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.4 824 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.41 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.23 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.71 · $227,353
  • Debt Service Levy$1.63 · $233,982
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.89 · $117,500

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$10.8M of taxable value in Cascade is in TIF districts’ increment (7% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $369,351 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$660,322
$99,460

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 $107,696 of the city’s own.

  • Dubuque County$59,117
YearTIF revenue
FY16$660,322
FY17$615,893
FY18$316,387
FY19$330,976
FY20$273,548
FY21$318,083
FY22$314,462
FY23$99,460
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$660,322
FY17$615,893
FY18$316,387
FY19$330,976
FY20$273,548
FY21$318,083
FY22$314,462
FY23$99,460

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$983,13663%
  • Debt Service Levy$233,98215%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$227,35315%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$117,5008%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Cascade’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 61¢ of every dollar61¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 7¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 7¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 7¢ 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 87 Iowa cities closest in size (1,600–3,600 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (87)
Business Type / Enterprise61¢39¢
Public Works11¢10¢
Public Safety7¢12¢
Culture and Recreation7¢7¢
Debt Service7¢7¢
Everything else8¢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.

  • Capital Projects$1.4M29%
  • Public Works$982,86221%
  • Public Safety$711,18915%
  • Culture and Recreation$554,75112%
  • Debt Service$554,29912%
  • General Government$368,8918%
  • Community and Economic Development$197,5004%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($4.6M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$773,089$576,180
Public Safety$375,737$576,081
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$350,413$359,303
Debt Service$304,275$303,825
Culture and Recreation$361,774$613,740
Community and Economic Development$340,798$140,671
Capital Projects$20,000$324,194
Business Type / Enterprise$4.1M$4.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$13.2M
$13.1M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Cascade owes

$9.6M at June 30, 2026: $4,015 per resident. 177th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$14.5M
$9.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.6M$4,015
2025$9.0M$3,784
2024$9.8M$4,112
2023$8.7M$3,664
2022$9.4M$3,948
2021$10.5M$4,411
2020$11.7M$4,890
2019$12.7M$5,342
2018$11.7M$4,915
2017$14.5M$6,079
2016$4.8M$2,026
2015$5.4M$2,273
2014$6.2M$2,585
2013$6.9M$2,876
2012$3.9M$1,625
2011$3.1M$1,312
2010$1.5M$633
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.6M$4,015
2025$9.0M$3,784
2024$9.8M$4,112
2023$8.7M$3,664
2022$9.4M$3,948
2021$10.5M$4,411
2020$11.7M$4,890
2019$12.7M$5,342
2018$11.7M$4,915
2017$14.5M$6,079
2016$4.8M$2,026
2015$5.4M$2,273
2014$6.2M$2,585
2013$6.9M$2,876
2012$3.9M$1,625
2011$3.1M$1,312
2010$1.5M$633

Up 534% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Cascade’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Monday, February 9, 2026, by a CPA firm.

7 earlier reports for Cascade

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? 12

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: $404,865 in FY25, up 29% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$324,166$328,340$337,029$338,858
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$31,401$25,120$71,725$66,007

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.

$1.6M
  • State grants$1.6M99%
  • CEBA grants$11,0621%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$130,912
FY20$323,749
FY21$172,512
FY22$15,052
FY23$9,096
FY24$558,276
FY25$1.6M
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$130,912
FY20$323,749
FY21$172,512
FY22$15,052
FY23$9,096
FY24$558,276
FY25$1.6M

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−3%$278,912 → $338,858, up 21% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+47%$35,719 → $66,007, up 85% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 47% 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 50% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more.

$401,692
$398,566

Federal grants, for comparison: $174,120 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in CASCADE: $138K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 24 jobs.13

  • Centro, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY21 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 24 jobs required, 24 reported
    $138K

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 1997 worth $80K, for 12 pledged jobs.

Awards statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 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 · 2

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Cascade; 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.

  • Cascade City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Chad Gehl, Bill Hosch
  • Cascade Mayor
    Now held by Steven J. Knepper

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

Dan Zumbach (Sen. 34)Craig P. Johnson (Rep. 67)

U.S. House:District 2

Dubuque CountyWestern Dubuque schoolsWestern Dubuque Co schools