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Local taxes › Guthrie County › Guthrie Center

City

Guthrie Center

Guthrie County · How cities work

$3,030 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.94 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,180 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.04 per $1,000)
$786,366property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.5Mcity 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.

  • Carolyn MastersGuthrie Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Erica FinsterGuthrie Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael A HerbertGuthrie Center Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Fidel HernandezGuthrie Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Garold ThomasGuthrie Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ian SteensenGuthrie Center 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 Guthrie Center

Homes and businesses in most of Guthrie Center pay a combined $35.94 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Guthrie County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.04. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.97$15.88
FY21$37.31$15.90
FY22$39.37$17.33
FY23$36.94$15.58
FY24$37.30$15.83
FY25$38.56$15.54
FY26$37.80$15.09
FY27$35.94$14.04
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.97$15.88
FY21$37.31$15.90
FY22$39.37$17.33
FY23$36.94$15.58
FY24$37.30$15.83
FY25$38.56$15.54
FY26$37.80$15.09
FY27$35.94$14.04

Compared with places this size3

Guthrie Center’s city property tax rate of $14.04 per $1,000 is the 59th highest of 118 Iowa cities with 1,100–2,300 people. The middle of the group is $13.96.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Aplington: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Panora: $16.14Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Elkhart: $12.00Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Sloan: $7.49Arnolds Park: $4.95Guthrie Center: $14.04$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 118
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Villisca$19.741,106
6Sac City$19.691,992
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
11La Porte City$18.082,267
12Dysart$17.951,266
13Britt$17.722,001
14Strawberry Point$17.581,141
15Mapleton$16.901,114
16George$16.891,106
17Manson$16.871,646
18Fayette$16.851,193
19Nashua$16.811,515
20Ackley$16.631,538
21Audubon$16.522,008
22Roland$16.511,376
23Monona$16.411,462
24Belle Plaine$16.342,335
25Aplington$16.341,088
26Colfax$16.252,305
27Durant$16.241,798
28Lamoni$16.152,072
29Panora$16.141,096
30Dike$15.941,293
31Holstein$15.811,475
32State Center$15.801,403
33Pleasantville$15.801,696
34Earlham$15.551,411
35Shell Rock$15.521,265
36Brooklyn$15.491,474
37Stuart$15.481,887
38Mount Ayr$15.321,616
39Granger$15.222,095
40Sigourney$15.201,974
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Logan$15.051,351
43Tripoli$14.991,208
44Sumner$14.832,032
45Woodbine$14.801,707
46Bedford$14.661,474
47Lenox$14.651,355
48Manning$14.621,390
49Van Meter$14.601,840
50Coon Rapids$14.491,258
51Nora Springs$14.251,330
52Kingsley$14.251,394
53Urbana$14.201,635
54Sheffield$14.161,123
55Parkersburg$14.151,986
56Hartley$14.111,584
57Ida Grove$14.101,988
58Woodward$14.051,383
59Guthrie Center$14.041,579
60Alton$13.871,248
61Lake Mills$13.822,077
62Montezuma$13.791,421
63Gilbert$13.711,397
64Clarksville$13.531,238
65Avoca$13.511,685
66Glidden$13.431,140
67Calmar$13.391,100
68Wapello$13.292,026
69Manly$13.291,233
70Conrad$13.231,098
71Springville$13.221,161
72Greenfield$13.131,988
73Treynor$13.031,104
74Akron$12.931,545
75Leon$12.931,779
76New Sharon$12.801,249
77Slater$12.791,626
78Malvern$12.791,056
79Buffalo$12.681,163
80Bellevue$12.672,321
81Sanborn$12.621,463
82New London$12.561,853
83Lisbon$12.502,238
84Dallas Center$12.421,993
85Remsen$12.321,681
86Monroe$12.282,021
87Denver$12.271,955
88Alta$12.132,039
89Reinbeck$12.101,673
90Elkhart$12.001,079
91Atkins$11.992,168
92Wellman$11.881,531
93Blue Grass$11.791,707
94Columbus Junction$11.711,794
95Palo$11.491,554
96Prairie City$11.381,722
97Marcus$11.311,069
98Northwood$11.282,047
99Mediapolis$11.271,679
100Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
101University Heights$11.121,188
102Ogden$10.991,970
103Farley$10.911,723
104Oakland$10.851,519
105Moville$10.671,707
106Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
107Walcott$10.291,556
108Lake Park$10.251,155
109Central City$10.011,254
110Peosta$9.822,195
111Epworth$9.422,042
112Lake View$9.391,120
113Fairbank$9.001,133
114Walford$8.721,357
115Lone Tree$8.131,341
116Riverside$8.021,063
117Sloan$7.491,078
118Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Guthrie Center’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 553 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.15 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.24 · $125,203
  • Debt Service Levy$1.97 · $110,459
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.80 · $100,549
  • Aviation Authority$0.13 · $7,504

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$155,161 of taxable value in Guthrie Center is in TIF districts’ increment (0% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $20,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$69,740
$36,276

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 $1,873 of the city’s own.

  • Guthrie Center schools$1,444
  • Guthrie County$875
YearTIF revenue
FY16$11,131
FY17$11,986
FY18$19,548
FY19$5,882
FY21$637
FY22$69,740
FY23$36,276
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$11,131
FY17$11,986
FY18$19,548
FY19$5,882
FY21$637
FY22$69,740
FY23$36,276

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$440,35956%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$125,20316%
  • Debt Service Levy$110,45914%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$100,54913%
  • Aviation Authority (under sec.330A.15)$7,5041%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

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

Business Type / Enterprise: 64¢ of every dollar64¢Public Safety: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Culture and Recreation: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢General Government: 5¢ 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 117 Iowa cities closest in size (1,100–2,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (117)
Business Type / Enterprise64¢40¢
Public Safety9¢11¢
Culture and Recreation9¢8¢
Public Works8¢12¢
General Government5¢7¢
Everything else4¢9¢

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$494,08633%
  • Public Safety$343,99523%
  • Culture and Recreation$337,75023%
  • General Government$172,90012%
  • Debt Service$112,6008%
  • Community and Economic Development$33,4002%

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$448,990$573,062
Public Safety$295,900$306,531
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$220,410$170,143
Debt Service$120,100$116,450
Culture and Recreation$248,400$276,320
Community and Economic Development$47,840$482,545
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$2.8M$3.7M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$6.2M
$5.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Guthrie Center owes

$2.0M at June 30, 2026: $1,264 per resident. 497th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.9M
$2.0M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.0M$1,264
2025$2.2M$1,380
2024$2.4M$1,494
2023$2.5M$1,571
2022$2.9M$1,824
2021$2.1M$1,335
2020$1.1M$712
2019$499,000$313
2018$658,000$413
2017$822,000$516
2016$976,000$613
2015$975,000$612
2014$1.1M$694
2013$1.2M$775
2012$1.4M$851
2011$670,000$421
2010$265,000$166
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.0M$1,264
2025$2.2M$1,380
2024$2.4M$1,494
2023$2.5M$1,571
2022$2.9M$1,824
2021$2.1M$1,335
2020$1.1M$712
2019$499,000$313
2018$658,000$413
2017$822,000$516
2016$976,000$613
2015$975,000$612
2014$1.1M$694
2013$1.2M$775
2012$1.4M$851
2011$670,000$421
2010$265,000$166

Up 660% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Guthrie Center’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, November 18, 2025, by a CPA firm.

8 earlier reports for Guthrie 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: $241,029 in FY25, up 9% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$219,608$219,215$225,015$226,237
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$9,486–$15,857$14,792

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.

$10,550
$2,122
  • State grants$2,122100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$993
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$1,269
FY23$1,716
FY24$10,550
FY25$2,122
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$993
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$1,269
FY23$1,716
FY24$10,550
FY25$2,122

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−11%$202,692 → $226,237, up 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−33%$17,673 → $14,792, down 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% 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 50% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% more.

$235,013
$226,100

Federal grants, for comparison: $22,835 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award 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 · 2

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Guthrie 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.

  • Guthrie Center City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Fidel Hernandez, Ian Steensen, Garold Thomas
  • Guthrie Center Mayor
    Now held by Michael A Herbert

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

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

U.S. House:District 3

Guthrie CountyGuthrie Center schools