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Local taxes › Fayette County › Elgin

City

Elgin

Fayette County · How cities work

$2,800 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.25 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,180 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.05 per $1,000)
$255,635property taxes the city levies, FY27
$484,669city 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.

  • Christopher F. WachalElgin City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David ChristiansonElgin City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lisa EllisElgin City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael EllisElgin Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Barbara WengerElgin City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Larry WedoElgin City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Larry YoungElgin 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 Elgin

Homes and businesses in most of Elgin pay a combined $33.25 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Fayette County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.05. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.77$19.30
FY21$38.29$19.20
FY22$38.39$18.84
FY23$36.96$17.50
FY24$37.29$17.73
FY25$32.93$12.54
FY26$32.78$12.92
FY27$33.25$14.05
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.77$19.30
FY21$38.29$19.20
FY22$38.39$18.84
FY23$36.96$17.50
FY24$37.29$17.73
FY25$32.93$12.54
FY26$32.78$12.92
FY27$33.25$14.05

Compared with places this size3

Elgin’s city property tax rate of $14.05 per $1,000 is the 70th highest of 186 Iowa cities with 460–1,000 people. The middle of the group is $12.89.

Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $19.84Pomeroy: $19.60Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Latimer: $16.96Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Mechanicsville: $16.12Scranton: $16.01Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Russell: $15.18Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Zearing: $14.99Readlyn: $14.99Maynard: $14.85Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Sabula: $14.38Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Ossian: $13.88Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Runnells: $11.79Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Lovilia: $10.46Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Fredericksburg: $10.27Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Paullina: $9.21Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Elgin: $14.05$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 186
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Dayton$22.51766
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Pomeroy$19.60511
7Allison$19.06937
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Swea City$18.04545
14Greene$17.91971
15Alden$17.90738
16Elma$17.82493
17Dows$17.70509
18New Hartford$17.69555
19Lansing$17.67959
20Walnut$17.46728
21Murray$17.44609
22Thompson$17.25478
23Gowrie$17.17943
24Colo$17.14856
25Latimer$16.96477
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Whittemore$16.54478
32Bancroft$16.52677
33Titonka$16.45491
34Eldon$16.42788
35Early$16.35571
36Truro$16.34515
37Mechanicsville$16.12974
38Scranton$16.01496
39Armstrong$15.87847
40Ruthven$15.84710
41Minden$15.77581
42Walker$15.74671
43Newell$15.49850
44Riceville$15.31807
45Neola$15.30917
46Russell$15.18475
47Gilbertville$15.15792
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Stratford$15.03688
50Griswold$15.01975
51Zearing$14.99508
52Readlyn$14.99857
53Maynard$14.85466
54Wyoming$14.81526
55Humeston$14.80472
56Hopkinton$14.79622
57Essex$14.76721
58Gilmore City$14.60484
59Garnavillo$14.52751
60Maxwell$14.50862
61Sabula$14.38498
62Collins$14.32503
63Clermont$14.30571
64Moulton$14.25596
65Mcgregor$14.20725
66Olin$14.19652
67Primghar$14.18893
68Garwin$14.08469
69Farragut$14.07480
70Elgin$14.05676
71Lime Springs$13.95467
72Dow City$13.94477
73Ossian$13.88777
74Redfield$13.73719
75Victor$13.72852
76Edgewood$13.64908
77Sioux Rapids$13.63722
78Donnellson$13.63859
79Gladbrook$13.58775
80Rockford$13.52722
81Boyden$13.39694
82Baxter$13.32983
83Anita$13.28953
84Van Horne$13.27768
85Keota$13.21888
86Shellsburg$13.20987
87De Soto$13.18937
88Quasqueton$13.12587
89Farmington$13.10583
90Anthon$13.05534
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Coggon$12.99691
93Earlville$12.90713
94Brighton$12.88592
95Danville$12.87910
96Underwood$12.85973
97Montrose$12.78734
98Goldfield$12.73617
99Wellsburg$12.68709
100Delmar$12.68541
101Badger$12.67540
102Stanton$12.62664
103Hospers$12.58703
104Norway$12.53463
105Everly$12.51570
106Hazleton$12.48711
107West Point$12.39903
108Hinton$12.38959
109Preston$12.38940
110Alburnett$12.30672
111Hubbard$12.30837
112Moravia$12.27625
113Hedrick$12.22717
114Carson$12.22772
115Wheatland$12.18765
116Schaller$12.14702
117Winfield$12.041,006
118Afton$11.96864
119Lowden$11.93767
120Tabor$11.88983
121Albert City$11.88627
122Aurelia$11.84970
123Runnells$11.79467
124Merrill$11.64713
125Ellsworth$11.57495
126Morning Sun$11.50702
127Battle Creek$11.49683
128Wall Lake$11.43739
129West Bend$11.42770
130Dakota City$11.39764
131Dunkerton$11.30840
132Sutherland$11.25628
133Arcadia$11.23588
134Whiting$11.21725
135Shelby$11.17730
136Blairstown$11.04705
137Manilla$11.01756
138Hamburg$10.95863
139Clarence$10.94991
140Ireton$10.93571
141Fontanelle$10.88684
142Richland$10.82532
143Grand Mound$10.78608
144Cambridge$10.53844
145Lovilia$10.46456
146Swisher$10.39909
147Schleswig$10.39820
148Melbourne$10.38771
149Radcliffe$10.37540
150Fredericksburg$10.27983
151Ventura$10.22701
152Inwood$10.22962
153Milo$10.20762
154Hartford$10.16729
155What Cheer$10.01595
156Newhall$9.99887
157Cumming$9.85527
158Graettinger$9.81810
159Breda$9.80492
160Doon$9.78640
161Long Grove$9.59849
162Paullina$9.21979
163Winthrop$8.94814
164Crescent$8.72626
165Ainsworth$8.62511
166Keosauqua$8.58944
167Grand Junction$8.57715
168Princeton$8.24917
169Gilman$8.10530
170Kellogg$8.10597
171Lakeside$8.10695
172Agency$7.94623
173Hills$7.94911
174Fremont$7.86688
175Larchwood$7.52954
176Sully$7.41891
177Fruitland$7.21928
178Lawton$7.10949
179Wayland$7.07935
180Raymond$6.85754
181Keystone$6.80616
182Shueyville$6.79725
183New Virginia$5.97499
184University Park$5.27476
185Orleans$4.13503
186Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Elgin’s general levy is $7.97 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.13 below the limit.4 454 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.21 · FY27 $7.97 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.08 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.31 · $60,083
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.82 · $32,998
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.86 · $15,585
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.10 · $1,874

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$144,80857%
  • Debt Service Levy$60,08324%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$32,99813%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$15,5856%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$1,8741%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Elgin’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 60¢ of every dollar60¢Public Works: 16¢ of every dollar16¢General Government: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Public Safety: 7¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 185 Iowa cities closest in size (460–1,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (185)
Business Type / Enterprise60¢41¢
Public Works16¢17¢
General Government7¢11¢
Public Safety7¢9¢
Culture and Recreation6¢9¢
Everything else4¢7¢

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$183,40038%
  • Culture and Recreation$80,90017%
  • General Government$78,70016%
  • Public Safety$76,05616%
  • Debt Service$60,91313%
  • Community and Economic Development$4,7001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($576,686 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$239,409$175,664
Public Safety$46,945$48,617
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$89,612$124,643
Debt Service$101,765$101,765
Culture and Recreation$58,900$69,677
Community and Economic Development$6,000$6,000
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$182,500$379,429

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Elgin owes

$552,692 at June 30, 2026: $807 per resident. 586th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$2.3M
$552,692
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$552,692$807
2025$543,000$793
2024$854,750$1,248
2023$683,220$997
2022$837,000$1,222
2021$1.1M$1,564
2020$1.4M$2,027
2019$1.4M$2,044
2018$1.5M$2,254
2017$1.7M$2,528
2016$1.9M$2,813
2015$2.1M$3,064
2014$2.3M$3,349
2013$1.5M$2,255
2012$995,055$1,453
2011$294,987$431
2010$490,833$717
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$552,692$807
2025$543,000$793
2024$854,750$1,248
2023$683,220$997
2022$837,000$1,222
2021$1.1M$1,564
2020$1.4M$2,027
2019$1.4M$2,044
2018$1.5M$2,254
2017$1.7M$2,528
2016$1.9M$2,813
2015$2.1M$3,064
2014$2.3M$3,349
2013$1.5M$2,255
2012$995,055$1,453
2011$294,987$431
2010$490,833$717

Up 13% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $118,000, 6% of the limit of about $1.8M (5% of $37.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

6 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsScenic Heights Well2032$204,000
Revenue BondsWWTP upgrades2030$155,000
General ObligationNEW FIRE TRUCK2027$85,000
Revenue BondsSEWER CIPP LINING IMPROVEMENTS2044$40,692
Revenue BondsWWTP Lagoon Liner Replacement2044$35,000
General Obligation401 Mill Street demolition2027$33,000

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 balances9. Elgin’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, July 17, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

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

5 earlier reports for Elgin

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: $97,283 in FY25, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$101,122$99,358$96,758$97,283

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.

$18,252
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$3,879
    FY20$3,832
    FY21$14,259
    FY22$18,252
    FY23$4,861
    FY24$4,651
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$3,879
    FY20$3,832
    FY21$14,259
    FY22$18,252
    FY23$4,861
    FY24$4,651
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$88,234 → $97,283, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% 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 91% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 52% more.

    $101,886

    Federal grants, for comparison: $260,411 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)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

    Ballot measures · 1

    Passed Yes 79.2% (99) · No 20.8% (26)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

    City · 3

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Elgin; 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.

    • Elgin City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Barbara Wenger, Larry Young, Larry Wedo

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

    Past ballot measures

    • Public Measure HKNovember 4, 2025

      Passed Yes 79.2% (99) · No 20.8% (26)

      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 ballot14.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress15

    Dan Zumbach (Sen. 34)Chad Ingels (Rep. 68)

    U.S. House:District 2

    Fayette CountyValley schools