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Local taxes › Greene County › Paton

City

Paton

Greene County · How cities work

$2,990 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.45 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,020 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.09 per $1,000)
$103,887property taxes the city levies, FY27
$248,186city 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.

  • Diane HanlonPaton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steve BurrellPaton Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Zach SchweersPaton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Chris SprecherPaton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Colby KeaseyPaton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jacob BohnetPaton 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 Paton

Homes and businesses in most of Paton pay a combined $35.45 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Greene County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.09. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Paton$12.0934%
  • Paton-Churdan schools$11.0931%
  • Greene County$6.8319%
  • Greene County Hospital$2.667%
  • Iowa Central Community College$1.574%
  • Greene County Assessor$0.572%
  • Paton-Paton Cemetery$0.35<1%
  • Greene County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.30<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.94$10.84
FY21$32.88$10.62
FY22$32.79$10.59
FY23$32.86$10.87
FY24$33.38$11.22
FY25$35.34$11.71
FY26$36.59$12.30
FY27$35.45$12.09
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.94$10.84
FY21$32.88$10.62
FY22$32.79$10.59
FY23$32.86$10.87
FY24$33.38$11.22
FY25$35.34$11.71
FY26$36.59$12.30
FY27$35.45$12.09

Compared with places this size3

Paton’s city property tax rate of $12.09 per $1,000 is the 80th highest of 196 Iowa cities with 150–320 people. The middle of the group is $11.47.

Harris: $23.13Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Hastings: $18.95Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Harcourt: $13.21Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Bridgewater: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Paton: $12.09$2.27 lowest$23.13 highestmiddle
See all 196
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Harris$23.13145
2Fenton$22.05250
3Soldier$21.92176
4Coulter$21.80220
5Chelsea$21.61207
6Smithland$21.12184
7Volga$20.23200
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Coin$19.59171
11Garden Grove$19.20173
12Fort Atkinson$19.19300
13Hastings$18.95157
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Hillsboro$17.68158
17Pisgah$17.09248
18Lakota$16.84261
19Marble Rock$16.78258
20Auburn$16.65253
21Prescott$16.53186
22Irwin$16.46320
23Montour$16.37199
24Corwith$16.22259
25Deep River$16.18243
26Waucoma$16.17235
27Granville$16.00302
28Minburn$15.75317
29Little Sioux$15.74170
30Moorhead$15.68186
31Onslow$15.63198
32Linden$15.62206
33Kamrar$15.47178
34Peterson$15.27321
35Greeley$15.23216
36Riverton$14.94243
37Marathon$14.89221
38Ladora$14.74223
39Magnolia$14.68194
40Bagley$14.63230
41Davis City$14.45178
42Lucas$14.40176
43Halbur$14.37268
44Crystal Lake$14.36243
45Kimballton$14.27281
46Steamboat Rock$14.19261
47Westgate$14.05190
48Mystic$14.01318
49Fertile$13.70300
50Stockport$13.68272
51Kellerton$13.60241
52Quimby$13.58245
53Meservey$13.43212
54Persia$13.41292
55Leland$13.31240
56Harcourt$13.21257
57Ridgeway$13.10261
58Farmersburg$13.09264
59Portsmouth$13.05187
60Clutier$13.03209
61Silver City$12.87244
62Patterson$12.84176
63Martelle$12.83250
64Malcom$12.82257
65Blencoe$12.57223
66Williams$12.57299
67Maurice$12.56271
68Clearfield$12.50277
69Kensett$12.47256
70Mccausland$12.45314
71Aurora$12.40165
72Modale$12.34284
73Mingo$12.31314
74Bridgewater$12.29145
75Blakesburg$12.21273
76Cushing$12.18225
77Hanlontown$12.17200
78Stout$12.14194
79Macedonia$12.12266
80Paton$12.09217
81Decatur$12.08174
82Kiron$12.03262
83Rembrandt$12.03199
84Shambaugh$11.98161
85Liscomb$11.96292
86New Providence$11.88233
87Parnell$11.78190
88Reasnor$11.76157
89Joice$11.72206
90Atalissa$11.71287
91Cantril$11.69224
92Kelley$11.69312
93Wadena$11.65201
94Exline$11.60157
95Cincinnati$11.57280
96Beaman$11.54155
97Delta$11.52257
98Terril$11.48310
99Westside$11.45283
100College Springs$11.44172
101Holland$11.37261
102Mallard$11.28255
103Renwick$11.16228
104Linn Grove$11.15155
105Dundee$11.14193
106Randolph$11.08183
107Leighton$11.07153
108Rake$11.05179
109Frederika$10.99206
110Alexander$10.90165
111Goose Lake$10.89250
112Yale$10.85265
113Lambs Grove$10.78174
114Wallingford$10.75154
115Hornick$10.74255
116Woden$10.68183
117Bode$10.64304
118Cleghorn$10.49235
119Barnes City$10.44152
120Danbury$10.43315
121Lytton$10.38274
122Stockton$10.37171
123Rhodes$10.36269
124Randall$10.35156
125Dedham$10.28221
126Deloit$10.28246
127Protivin$10.28264
128Meriden$10.28175
129Drakesville$10.24170
130Bronson$10.14294
131Hancock$10.13199
132La Motte$10.09235
133Melvin$10.05196
134Defiance$10.05248
135Floyd$10.02297
136Barnum$9.96186
137Panama$9.85234
138Grafton$9.83212
139Tingley$9.81146
140Ionia$9.65220
141Salix$9.63303
142Van Wert$9.62175
143Kirkville$9.59159
144Luxemburg$9.58240
145Rippey$9.42217
146Elberon$9.16178
147Dixon$9.03204
148Lester$8.94309
149Blairsburg$8.93175
150Prairieburg$8.91156
151Oakville$8.89198
152Luther$8.83147
153Harvey$8.71242
154Washta$8.65206
155Moorland$8.61169
156Pilot Mound$8.54155
157Ollie$8.44196
158Thor$8.38182
159Rowley$8.31264
160South English$8.27196
161Thurman$8.26162
162Boxholm$8.11177
163Bertram$8.10267
164Fostoria$8.10229
165Low Moor$8.10242
166Nichols$8.10317
167Laurel$8.10214
168Lineville$8.10194
169Luana$7.98303
170Lockridge$7.92245
171Mount Auburn$7.86162
172Haverhill$7.86164
173Grand River$7.86192
174Olds$7.86174
175Dickens$7.86146
176Rose Hill$7.86156
177West Chester$7.82147
178Mcclelland$7.79147
179Lidderdale$7.68162
180Pulaski$7.58259
181Sheldahl$7.56312
182Fredonia$7.55227
183Harpers Ferry$7.49273
184Alvord$7.41216
185Packwood$6.77186
186Libertyville$6.60278
187Keswick$6.49238
188Crawfordsville$6.44278
189Gravity$6.18149
190Oakland Acres$5.88178
191Springbrook$5.79145
192Maysville$5.77155
193Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
194West Okoboji$2.92311
195Sherrill$2.66176
196Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Paton’s general levy is $8.05 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.05 below the limit.4 402 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.21 · FY27 $8.05 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.04 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.34 · $19,972
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.70 · $14,480

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Paton’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $25,000 in TIF revenue for FY16.

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$68,57867%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$19,97219%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$14,48014%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Paton’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 62¢ of every dollar62¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 10¢ of every dollar10¢General Government: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Debt Service: 4¢ 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 194 Iowa cities closest in size (150–320 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (194)
Business Type / Enterprise62¢33¢
Culture and Recreation11¢8¢
Public Works10¢22¢
General Government9¢20¢
Debt Service4¢2¢
Everything else4¢12¢

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$95,65039%
  • General Government$56,11523%
  • Culture and Recreation$55,82522%
  • Debt Service$20,5468%
  • Public Safety$18,7008%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,3501%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($328,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$48,000$140,209
Public Safety$18,600$18,484
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$53,500$44,606
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$37,000$63,080
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$270,000$233,628

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$695,272
$621,234

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Paton owes

$213,120 at June 30, 2026: $964 per resident. 553rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$297,906
$213,120
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$213,120$964
2025$225,871$1,022
2024$238,187$1,078
2023$250,083$1,132
2022$271,847$1,230
2021$297,906$1,348
2020$273,454$1,237
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$3,600$16
2016$6,400$29
2015$10,000$45
2014$0$0
2013$20,000$90
2012$30,000$136
2011$61,500$278
2010$74,000$335
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$213,120$964
2025$225,871$1,022
2024$238,187$1,078
2023$250,083$1,132
2022$271,847$1,230
2021$297,906$1,348
2020$273,454$1,237
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$3,600$16
2016$6,400$29
2015$10,000$45
2014$0$0
2013$20,000$90
2012$30,000$136
2011$61,500$278
2010$74,000$335

Up 188% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $688,059 (5% of $13.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansMain Street Repaving2038$213,120

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. Paton’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Thursday, June 30, 2022 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Thursday, June 30, 2022 (PDF), released Thursday, February 16, 2023, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Paton

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: $24,710 in FY25, down 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 24% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$24,352$23,944$24,577$24,710

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.

$1,198
$1,168
  • State grants$1,168100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$900
FY22$868
FY23$1,198
FY24$1,157
FY25$1,168
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$900
FY22$868
FY23$1,198
FY24$1,157
FY25$1,168

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−24%$25,953 → $24,710, down 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 24% 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 47% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% more.

$31,127
$29,348

Federal grants, for comparison: $25 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 3, 2026

Ballot measures · 1

Passed Yes 70.5% (43) · No 29.5% (18)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Paton; 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.

  • Paton City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Jacob Bohnet, Colby Keasey, Chris Sprecher
  • Paton Mayor
    Now held by Steve Burrell

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

Past ballot measures

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

Jesse Green (Sen. 24)Carter F. Nordman (Rep. 47)

U.S. House:District 3

Greene CountyPaton-Churdan schools