City

Coulter

$3,360 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.92 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$1,840 a yearof that goes to the city ($21.80 per $1,000)

$97,998property taxes the city levies, FY27

$335,709city 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.

Ann SchulzCoulter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Dennis SandinCoulter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
J. Nicole MartinsonCoulter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Myron LawlerCoulter Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Alan LarsenCoulter City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Cheryl EngelsCoulter City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Machele RaskaCoulter 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

Where a property tax dollar goes in Coulter

The combined rate in most of Coulter is $39.92 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). The city sets only its own piece. Estimate your bill.

City of Coulter$21.8055%
Cal schools$9.5124%
Franklin County$5.1113%
Franklin General Hospital$1.353%
North Iowa Area Community. College$1.243%
Franklin County Assessor$0.672%
Franklin County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.24<1%

Compared with places this size³

Coulter’s city property tax rate of $21.80 per $1,000 is the 3rd highest of 194 Iowa cities with 150–330 people. The middle of the group is $11.53.

See all 194

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Fenton	$22.05	250
2	Soldier	$21.92	176
3	Coulter	$21.80	220
4	Chelsea	$21.61	207
5	Elliott	$21.61	328
6	Smithland	$21.12	184
7	Volga	$20.23	200
8	Alta Vista	$19.88	219
9	Arthur	$19.86	218
10	Coin	$19.59	171
11	Garden Grove	$19.20	173
12	Fort Atkinson	$19.19	300
13	Hastings	$18.95	157
14	Cumberland	$18.42	248
15	Jamaica	$18.24	196
16	Hillsboro	$17.68	158
17	Pisgah	$17.09	248
18	Lakota	$16.84	261
19	Marble Rock	$16.78	258
20	Auburn	$16.65	253
21	Prescott	$16.53	186
22	Irwin	$16.46	320
23	Montour	$16.37	199
24	Corwith	$16.22	259
25	Deep River	$16.18	243
26	Waucoma	$16.17	235
27	Granville	$16.00	302
28	Minburn	$15.75	317
29	Little Sioux	$15.74	170
30	Moorhead	$15.68	186
31	Onslow	$15.63	198
32	Linden	$15.62	206
33	Kamrar	$15.47	178
34	Peterson	$15.27	321
35	Greeley	$15.23	216
36	Riverton	$14.94	243
37	Marathon	$14.89	221
38	Ladora	$14.74	223
39	Magnolia	$14.68	194
40	Bagley	$14.63	230
41	Davis City	$14.45	178
42	Lucas	$14.40	176
43	Halbur	$14.37	268
44	Crystal Lake	$14.36	243
45	Kimballton	$14.27	281
46	Steamboat Rock	$14.19	261
47	Westgate	$14.05	190
48	Mystic	$14.01	318
49	Fertile	$13.70	300
50	Stockport	$13.68	272
51	Kellerton	$13.60	241
52	Quimby	$13.58	245
53	Meservey	$13.43	212
54	Persia	$13.41	292
55	Leland	$13.31	240
56	Ute	$13.26	326
57	Harcourt	$13.21	257
58	Bennett	$13.16	330
59	Ridgeway	$13.10	261
60	Farmersburg	$13.09	264
61	Portsmouth	$13.05	187
62	Clutier	$13.03	209
63	Silver City	$12.87	244
64	Patterson	$12.84	176
65	Martelle	$12.83	250
66	Malcom	$12.82	257
67	Blencoe	$12.57	223
68	Williams	$12.57	299
69	Maurice	$12.56	271
70	Clearfield	$12.50	277
71	Kensett	$12.47	256
72	Mccausland	$12.45	314
73	Aurora	$12.40	165
74	Modale	$12.34	284
75	Mingo	$12.31	314
76	Blakesburg	$12.21	273
77	Cushing	$12.18	225
78	Hanlontown	$12.17	200
79	Stout	$12.14	194
80	Macedonia	$12.12	266
81	Paton	$12.09	217
82	Decatur	$12.08	174
83	Kiron	$12.03	262
84	Rembrandt	$12.03	199
85	Shambaugh	$11.98	161
86	Liscomb	$11.96	292
87	New Providence	$11.88	233
88	Parnell	$11.78	190
89	Reasnor	$11.76	157
90	Joice	$11.72	206
91	Atalissa	$11.71	287
92	Cantril	$11.69	224
93	Kelley	$11.69	312
94	Wadena	$11.65	201
95	Exline	$11.60	157
96	Cincinnati	$11.57	280
97	Beaman	$11.54	155
98	Delta	$11.52	257
99	Terril	$11.48	310
100	Westside	$11.45	283
101	College Springs	$11.44	172
102	Holland	$11.37	261
103	Mallard	$11.28	255
104	Renwick	$11.16	228
105	Linn Grove	$11.15	155
106	Dundee	$11.14	193
107	Randolph	$11.08	183
108	Leighton	$11.07	153
109	Rake	$11.05	179
110	Frederika	$10.99	206
111	Alexander	$10.90	165
112	Goose Lake	$10.89	250
113	Yale	$10.85	265
114	Lambs Grove	$10.78	174
115	Wallingford	$10.75	154
116	Hornick	$10.74	255
117	Woden	$10.68	183
118	Bode	$10.64	304
119	Cleghorn	$10.49	235
120	Barnes City	$10.44	152
121	Danbury	$10.43	315
122	Lytton	$10.38	274
123	Stockton	$10.37	171
124	Rhodes	$10.36	269
125	Randall	$10.35	156
126	Dedham	$10.28	221
127	Deloit	$10.28	246
128	Protivin	$10.28	264
129	Meriden	$10.28	175
130	Drakesville	$10.24	170
131	Bronson	$10.14	294
132	Hancock	$10.13	199
133	La Motte	$10.09	235
134	Melvin	$10.05	196
135	Defiance	$10.05	248
136	Floyd	$10.02	297
137	Barnum	$9.96	186
138	Panama	$9.85	234
139	Grafton	$9.83	212
140	Ionia	$9.65	220
141	Salix	$9.63	303
142	Van Wert	$9.62	175
143	Kirkville	$9.59	159
144	Luxemburg	$9.58	240
145	Rippey	$9.42	217
146	Elberon	$9.16	178
147	Dixon	$9.03	204
148	Lester	$8.94	309
149	Blairsburg	$8.93	175
150	Prairieburg	$8.91	156
151	Oakville	$8.89	198
152	Luther	$8.83	147
153	Harvey	$8.71	242
154	Washta	$8.65	206
155	Moorland	$8.61	169
156	Pilot Mound	$8.54	155
157	Ollie	$8.44	196
158	Thor	$8.38	182
159	Rowley	$8.31	264
160	South English	$8.27	196
161	Thurman	$8.26	162
162	Boxholm	$8.11	177
163	Fostoria	$8.10	229
164	Low Moor	$8.10	242
165	Bertram	$8.10	267
166	Nichols	$8.10	317
167	Laurel	$8.10	214
168	Lineville	$8.10	194
169	Luana	$7.98	303
170	Lockridge	$7.92	245
171	Mount Auburn	$7.86	162
172	Haverhill	$7.86	164
173	Grand River	$7.86	192
174	Olds	$7.86	174
175	Rose Hill	$7.86	156
176	West Chester	$7.82	147
177	Mcclelland	$7.79	147
178	Lidderdale	$7.68	162
179	Pulaski	$7.58	259
180	Sheldahl	$7.56	312
181	Fredonia	$7.55	227
182	Harpers Ferry	$7.49	273
183	Alvord	$7.41	216
184	Packwood	$6.77	186
185	Libertyville	$6.60	278
186	Keswick	$6.49	238
187	Crawfordsville	$6.44	278
188	Gravity	$6.18	149
189	Oakland Acres	$5.88	178
190	Maysville	$5.77	155
191	Maharishi Vedic City	$3.87	290
192	West Okoboji	$2.92	311
193	Sherrill	$2.66	176
194	Rickardsville	$2.27	204

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$34,48638%
Liability, property & self insurance costs$25,93028%
Debt Service Levy$12,00513%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$11,52413%
Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$7,6838%

Budget and spending

Where each dollar of Coulter’s budget goes, FY26

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (192)
Business Type / Enterprise	29¢	34¢
Culture and Recreation	23¢	8¢
General Government	14¢	20¢
Capital Projects	12¢	2¢
Public Works	8¢	22¢
Everything else	13¢	14¢

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 192 Iowa cities closest in size (150–330 people).

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.

Culture and Recreation$89,25527%
General Government$82,15124%
Capital Projects$59,20018%
Public Works$48,14214%
Public Safety$27,8268%
Community and Economic Development$13,9504%
Debt Service$13,7504%
Health and Social Services$1,4350%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($137,711 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$36,450	$27,518
Public Safety	$29,817	$23,483
Health and Social Services	$1,435	$1,435
General Government	$42,707	$39,784
Debt Service	$22,725	$22,725
Culture and Recreation	$58,007	$47,996
Community and Economic Development	$29,100	$14,426
Capital Projects	$5,000	$2,659
Business Type / Enterprise	$84,525	$90,101

What it spent each year

$403,928

$270,127

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23

State money

What the state sends the city

Sales tax and property tax credits the state paid the city: down 7% since FY23; down 15% after inflation.

In today's dollarsActual dollars

Show the numbers

Program	FY27	FY26	FY25	FY24	FY23
Local option sales tax	$2,126	$26,221	$25,551	$26,030	$28,153

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 3

Coulter City Council At-Large

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Ann Schulz Winner2850.9%
Dennis Sandin Winner2749.1%

Coulter City Council At-Large To Fill a Vacancy

J. Nicole Martinson Unopposed27100.0%

Coulter Mayor

Myron Lawler Unopposed19100.0%

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Coulter; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁴

Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Shannon Latham (Rep. 55)

U.S. House:District 4

Franklin County Cal schools

Notes

For a $200,000 home with the homestead credit, at the combined rate in most of the city. Some parts of the city pay a different rate (special districts, tax increment financing districts). ↩
Cities adopt their budgets each spring for the year starting July 1. ↩
FY27 rates from the Department of Management. A higher rate isn’t always a bigger bill: it depends on how much property there is to tax. Sizes: Census Bureau 2024 estimates. ↩
Legislative and congressional districts that cover Coulter; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget Coulter works within. ↩

Sources: City budgets and levies from the Department of Management; tax rates from the Iowa Data Hub; state payments from the Department of Revenue; prices from the consumer price index; legislative districts from Census Bureau maps.