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Local taxes › Grundy County › Grundy Center

City

Grundy Center

Grundy County · How cities work

$3,200 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.03 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,380 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.36 per $1,000)
$1.9Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.3Mcity 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.

  • Erik StenslandGrundy Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Erika Eckhart LampGrundy Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Paul D. EberlineGrundy Center Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jason KuesterGrundy Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Merideth McDonaldGrundy Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Rick SmithGrundy Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Evan John BingmanGrundy Center Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lexie Hach-NevermanGrundy Center Park Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Darrel ShueyGrundy Center Park Board · elected November 7, 2023
  • Dean ShueyGrundy Center Park Board · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lauren LampGrundy Center Park Board · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ryan BingmanGrundy Center Park Board · 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 Grundy Center

Homes and businesses in most of Grundy Center pay a combined $38.03 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Grundy County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.36. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.97$15.26
FY21$34.76$15.27
FY22$35.77$15.88
FY23$38.19$15.70
FY24$39.12$16.01
FY25$39.85$16.13
FY26$38.42$16.24
FY27$38.03$16.36
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.97$15.26
FY21$34.76$15.27
FY22$35.77$15.88
FY23$38.19$15.70
FY24$39.12$16.01
FY25$39.85$16.13
FY26$38.42$16.24
FY27$38.03$16.36

Compared with places this size3

Grundy Center’s city property tax rate of $16.36 per $1,000 is the 19th highest of 76 Iowa cities with 1,900–4,200 people. The middle of the group is $14.12.

Eldora: $26.87Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Eagle Grove: $19.32West Liberty: $18.68Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Lamoni: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Forest City: $15.77Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Jefferson: $14.88Sumner: $14.83Waukon: $14.76Rock Rapids: $14.57Monticello: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Rock Valley: $13.76Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Northwood: $11.28Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Grundy Center: $16.36$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 76
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Rockwell City$20.742,185
3Bloomfield$20.412,773
4Belmond$19.862,405
5Sibley$19.772,787
6Albia$19.703,579
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Eagle Grove$19.323,615
9West Liberty$18.683,724
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
17West Union$16.602,435
18Audubon$16.522,008
19Grundy Center$16.362,821
20Belle Plaine$16.342,335
21Colfax$16.252,305
22Lamoni$16.152,072
23Cresco$16.133,890
24Marengo$16.102,415
25Forest City$15.774,199
26Postville$15.682,418
27Tipton$15.543,059
28Stuart$15.481,887
29Granger$15.222,095
30Sigourney$15.201,974
31Jefferson$14.884,148
32Sumner$14.832,032
33Waukon$14.763,799
34Rock Rapids$14.572,709
35Monticello$14.494,095
36Jesup$14.312,541
37Osage$14.293,559
38Parkersburg$14.151,986
39Ida Grove$14.101,988
40Lake Mills$13.822,077
41Rock Valley$13.764,024
42Emmetsburg$13.703,632
43Wilton$13.622,914
44New Hampton$13.443,433
45Wapello$13.292,026
46Hudson$13.192,916
47Center Point$13.192,578
48Greenfield$13.131,988
49Hawarden$13.022,630
50Garner$12.863,049
51Bellevue$12.672,321
52Milford$12.573,258
53Lisbon$12.502,238
54Dallas Center$12.421,993
55Onawa$12.322,795
56Monroe$12.282,021
57Denver$12.271,955
58Alta$12.132,039
59Atkins$11.992,168
60Hull$11.792,459
61Cascade$11.642,396
62West Branch$11.632,876
63Mitchellville$11.542,686
64Solon$11.533,284
65Northwood$11.282,047
66Williamsburg$11.113,380
67Ely$11.082,371
68Ogden$10.991,970
69Carter Lake$10.673,752
70Story City$10.393,439
71Kalona$10.372,762
72West Burlington$10.153,249
73Peosta$9.822,195
74Robins$9.683,362
75Epworth$9.422,042
76Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Grundy Center’s general levy is $8.43 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.33 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 41 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.60 · FY26 $8.60 · FY27 $8.43 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.93 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.08 · $467,338
  • Debt Service Levy$2.01 · $242,577
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.83 · $209,638

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$6.1M of taxable value in Grundy Center is in TIF districts’ increment (5% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $212,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$306,525
$258,386

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 $87,816 of the city’s own.

  • Grundy County$27,704
YearTIF revenue
FY16$284,405
FY17$258,243
FY18$224,889
FY19$238,754
FY20$213,722
FY21$226,930
FY22$306,525
FY23$258,386
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$284,405
FY17$258,243
FY18$224,889
FY19$238,754
FY20$213,722
FY21$226,930
FY22$306,525
FY23$258,386

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$965,43751%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$467,33825%
  • Debt Service Levy$242,57713%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$209,63811%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Grundy Center’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 40¢ of every dollar40¢Public Safety: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Community and Economic Development: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 14¢ of every dollar14¢

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 75 Iowa cities closest in size (1,900–4,200 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (75)
Business Type / Enterprise40¢39¢
Public Safety15¢12¢
Public Works11¢10¢
Culture and Recreation11¢7¢
Community and Economic Development8¢3¢
Everything else14¢28¢

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$898,31521%
  • Culture and Recreation$778,80618%
  • Public Works$711,24217%
  • Capital Projects$610,00014%
  • Community and Economic Development$531,48412%
  • General Government$511,85012%
  • Debt Service$243,1756%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$623,804$696,779
Public Safety$673,630$648,500
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$330,490$389,271
Debt Service$361,525$360,193
Culture and Recreation$555,380$543,398
Community and Economic Development$418,733$382,019
Capital Projects$770,500$1.0M
Business Type / Enterprise$2.2M$2.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$7.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Grundy Center owes

$3.5M at June 30, 2026: $1,261 per resident. 498th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$5.5M
$3.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.5M$1,261
2025$4.0M$1,424
2024$4.5M$1,599
2023$5.3M$1,884
2022$4.9M$1,770
2021$5.5M$1,960
2020$2.1M$740
2019$2.4M$867
2018$2.9M$1,049
2017$3.3M$1,180
2016$3.0M$1,084
2015$3.4M$1,229
2014$3.8M$1,368
2013$3.7M$1,318
2012$3.9M$1,379
2011$4.1M$1,478
2010$3.6M$1,301
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.5M$1,261
2025$4.0M$1,424
2024$4.5M$1,599
2023$5.3M$1,884
2022$4.9M$1,770
2021$5.5M$1,960
2020$2.1M$740
2019$2.4M$867
2018$2.9M$1,049
2017$3.3M$1,180
2016$3.0M$1,084
2015$3.4M$1,229
2014$3.8M$1,368
2013$3.7M$1,318
2012$3.9M$1,379
2011$4.1M$1,478
2010$3.6M$1,301

Down 3% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Grundy Center’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, March 23, 2026, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Grundy Center

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: $397,086 in FY25, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$384,257$384,761$394,942$397,086
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$919–$859–

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.

$241,165
$99,632
  • State grants$99,632100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$16,306
FY20$35,787
FY21$40,050
FY22$241,165
FY23$240,610
FY24$100,074
FY25$99,632
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$16,306
FY20$35,787
FY21$40,050
FY22$241,165
FY23$240,610
FY24$100,074
FY25$99,632

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−9%$349,577 → $397,086, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% 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 42% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% more.

$356,030
$346,548

Federal grants, for comparison: $1,002 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 6 contracts since 2004 worth $705K, for 119 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)13.

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 · 3

2 seats: the top 2 win.

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Grundy Center; 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.

  • Grundy Center City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Rick Smith, Jason Kuester, Merideth McDonald
  • Grundy Center Mayor
    Now held by Paul D. Eberline
  • Grundy Center Park Board (4 seats)
    Now held by Darrel Shuey, Dean Shuey, Lauren Lamp, Ryan Bingman

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

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 ballot15.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

Annette Sweeney (Sen. 27)Joshua Meggers (Rep. 54)

U.S. House:District 2

Grundy CountyGrundy Center schools