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Local taxes › Fayette County › Oelwein

City

Oelwein

Fayette County · How cities work

$3,450 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.92 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,700 a yearof that goes to the city ($20.16 per $1,000)
$3.4Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$9.5Mcity 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.

  • Anthony J. CannonOelwein City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brett DeVoreOelwein Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jason GearhartOelwein City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Renee A. CantrellOelwein City Council Ward 4 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Anthony RicchioOelwein City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lynda PayneOelwein City Council Ward 3 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Matt WeberOelwein City Council Ward 1 · 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 Oelwein

Homes and businesses in most of Oelwein pay a combined $40.92 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, $20.16. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.78$17.72
FY21$39.45$17.72
FY22$39.13$17.73
FY23$39.23$17.93
FY24$39.13$17.99
FY25$40.91$20.16
FY26$40.81$20.16
FY27$40.92$20.16
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.78$17.72
FY21$39.45$17.72
FY22$39.13$17.73
FY23$39.23$17.93
FY24$39.13$17.99
FY25$40.91$20.16
FY26$40.81$20.16
FY27$40.92$20.16

Compared with places this size3

Oelwein’s city property tax rate of $20.16 per $1,000 is the 2nd highest of 57 Iowa cities with 3,900–8,700 people. The middle of the group is $14.88.

Red Oak: $20.65Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86Denison: $18.69Chariton: $18.37Perry: $17.91Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Nevada: $14.58Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Mount Pleasant: $11.94Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Sioux Center: $11.05Polk City: $11.00Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Evansdale: $8.00Oelwein: $20.16$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 57
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Independence$19.016,266
4Iowa Falls$18.864,993
5Denison$18.698,302
6Chariton$18.374,278
7Perry$17.918,046
8Atlantic$17.486,717
9Knoxville$17.467,440
10Clarinda$17.255,334
11Centerville$16.855,345
12Algona$16.755,341
13Webster City$16.517,763
14Vinton$16.254,962
15Winterset$16.155,421
16Cresco$16.133,890
17Humboldt$16.004,774
18Anamosa$15.955,845
19Charles City$15.957,081
20Forest City$15.774,199
21Decorah$15.527,454
22Sheldon$15.335,584
23Estherville$15.275,796
24Washington$15.217,281
25Harlan$15.074,898
26Shenandoah$15.024,878
27Creston$14.997,421
28Manchester$14.965,283
29Jefferson$14.884,148
30Hampton$14.864,340
31Carlisle$14.824,381
32Cherokee$14.825,186
33Glenwood$14.775,250
34Nevada$14.587,082
35Monticello$14.494,095
36Osceola$14.375,585
37Windsor Heights$14.305,106
38Orange City$14.016,547
39Hiawatha$13.787,347
40Rock Valley$13.764,024
41Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
42Mount Vernon$13.504,518
43Adel$13.436,763
44Maquoketa$12.856,064
45Camanche$12.754,536
46Le Claire$12.644,776
47Mount Pleasant$11.948,509
48Tiffin$11.806,695
49Huxley$11.684,737
50Sioux Center$11.058,675
51Polk City$11.006,430
52Dyersville$10.274,559
53Spirit Lake$10.175,548
54Clear Lake$9.857,602
55Asbury$8.326,051
56Eldridge$8.136,967
57Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Oelwein’s general levy is $7.97 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.13 below the limit.4 462 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: $12.19 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$6.91 · $1.1M
  • Debt Service Levy$3.57 · $701,198
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.53 · $248,444
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.19 · $31,029

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$34.0M of taxable value in Oelwein is in TIF districts’ increment (17% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $1.0M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$1.0M
$823,599

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 $564,222 of the city’s own.

  • Oelwein schools$371,087
  • Fayette County$174,114
YearTIF revenue
FY16$69,105
FY17$67,010
FY18$68,956
FY19$320,501
FY20$789,469
FY21$977,915
FY22$1.0M
FY23$823,599
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$69,105
FY17$67,010
FY18$68,956
FY19$320,501
FY20$789,469
FY21$977,915
FY22$1.0M
FY23$823,599

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$1.3M38%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.1M33%
  • Debt Service Levy$701,19821%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$248,4447%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$31,0291%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Oelwein’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 38¢ of every dollar38¢Capital Projects: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Debt Service: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Community and Economic Development: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Everything else: 17¢ of every dollar17¢

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 56 Iowa cities closest in size (3,900–8,700 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (56)
Business Type / Enterprise38¢36¢
Capital Projects15¢20¢
Public Safety14¢13¢
Debt Service9¢7¢
Community and Economic Development7¢3¢
Everything else17¢20¢

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 Safety$2.3M24%
  • Capital Projects$1.7M18%
  • Debt Service$1.6M17%
  • Public Works$1.1M12%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.1M12%
  • Community and Economic Development$942,14510%
  • General Government$699,6447%
  • Health and Social Services$20,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($6.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$905,929$925,758
Public Safety$2.0M$2.1M
Health and Social Services$31,000$19,667
General Government$546,040$575,613
Debt Service$1.6M$1.5M
Culture and Recreation$1.1M$1.1M
Community and Economic Development$1.1M$835,607
Capital Projects$3.1M$2.4M
Business Type / Enterprise$4.8M$4.4M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$19.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Oelwein owes

$9.2M at June 30, 2026: $1,556 per resident. 452nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$19.1M
$9.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.2M$1,556
2025$12.3M$2,078
2024$13.9M$2,350
2023$14.0M$2,371
2022$16.2M$2,739
2021$16.0M$2,703
2020$17.8M$3,010
2019$17.2M$2,906
2018$17.2M$2,901
2017$19.1M$3,229
2016$17.5M$2,953
2015$14.1M$2,386
2014$14.8M$2,500
2013$12.2M$2,054
2012$12.4M$2,091
2011$12.6M$2,123
2010$12.3M$2,078
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$9.2M$1,556
2025$12.3M$2,078
2024$13.9M$2,350
2023$14.0M$2,371
2022$16.2M$2,739
2021$16.0M$2,703
2020$17.8M$3,010
2019$17.2M$2,906
2018$17.2M$2,901
2017$19.1M$3,229
2016$17.5M$2,953
2015$14.1M$2,386
2014$14.8M$2,500
2013$12.2M$2,054
2012$12.4M$2,091
2011$12.6M$2,123
2010$12.3M$2,078

Down 25% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $6.5M, 38% of the limit of about $17.2M (5% of $343.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

13 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligationpolice refunding, street improvements, fire ladder truck, pool sand filter, trail improvements, city hall improvements2035$2.8M
General ObligationPolice, new fire truck, extend trails, pool upgrades, Wings East street repair2032$1.2M
General Obligation10th St Bridge replacement2034$1.2M
General Obligation2016A Land Purchase in Ind Park, Taxable Annual Appropriation GO UR ED Grant Bond2028$1.1M
Revenue BondsWater Revenue 42 Well SRF2038$883,000
LoansIntermediary Revolving Fund USDA 3rd Loan2049$450,834
LoansIntermediary Revolving Loan Fund USDA 2nd Loan2045$382,958
Revenue BondsReed Bed Expansion EQ Liner2028$333,000
Revenue Bonds1st Ave lift station2032$309,000
LoansIntermediary Revolving Loan Fund USDA 1st Loan2038$238,780
General Obligation2016B build 14th St in Industrial Park City match for RISE Grant2029$210,000
Revenue Bonds2016D sand jacking, W Charles water main repair, Water main E Penn 14th St non rise eligible, Water Rev Bond2027$80,000
LoansRRLG-ST14(01) 9T-33 RR track repair on viaduct over W Charles2027$19,629

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. Oelwein’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 Tuesday, December 2, 2025, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Oelwein

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: $840,754 in FY25, up 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$830,685$814,659$836,215$840,754

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.

$236,641
$173,680
  • State grants$173,680100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$227,731
FY20$34,554
FY21$121,689
FY22$17,181
FY23$236,641
FY24$20,970
FY25$173,680
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$227,731
FY20$34,554
FY21$121,689
FY22$17,181
FY23$236,641
FY24$20,970
FY25$173,680

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−19%$828,726 → $840,754, up 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% 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 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% more.

$757,201
$752,017

Federal grants, for comparison: $546,612 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

2 businesses have state awards in OELWEIN: $400K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 42 jobs.14

  • Transco Railway Products, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 9 jobs required, 9 reported
    $23K
  • ICE Manufacturing, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY21 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 33 jobs required, 33 reported
    $377K

Community college new jobs training: 12 contracts since 2004 worth $6.5M, for 652 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)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

Ballot measures · 2

Failed Yes 26.6% (263) · No 73.4% (725)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

Failed Yes 9.0% (90) · No 91.0% (914)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 4

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Oelwein; 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.

  • Oelwein City Council At-Large
    Now held by Anthony Ricchio
  • Oelwein City Council Ward 1
    Now held by Matt Weber
  • Oelwein City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Lynda Payne
  • Oelwein Mayor
    Now held by Brett DeVore

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

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure HMNovember 4, 2025

    Failed Yes 26.6% (263) · No 73.4% (725)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

  • Public Measure HNNovember 4, 2025

    Failed Yes 9.0% (90) · No 91.0% (914)

    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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

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

U.S. House:District 2

Fayette CountyOelwein schools