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Local taxes › Hardin County › Ackley

City

Ackley

Hardin County · How cities work

$3,290 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.02 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,400 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.63 per $1,000)
$750,032property taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.4Mcity 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.

  • Daniel Jason ScallonAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Daniel Jason ScallonAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael NussAckley Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael NussAckley Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael WesselsAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael WesselsAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steven L AckermanAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steven L AckermanAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Maliah RoelfsAckley City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mike AbbasAckley 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 Ackley

Homes and businesses in most of Ackley pay a combined $39.02 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Hardin County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.63. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.85$18.61
FY21$39.37$18.84
FY22$39.66$18.65
FY23$38.49$18.22
FY24$39.78$18.81
FY25$39.12$17.79
FY26$34.30$12.09
FY27$39.02$16.63
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.85$18.61
FY21$39.37$18.84
FY22$39.66$18.65
FY23$38.49$18.22
FY24$39.78$18.81
FY25$39.12$17.79
FY26$34.30$12.09
FY27$39.02$16.63

Compared with places this size3

Ackley’s city property tax rate of $16.63 per $1,000 is the 21st highest of 121 Iowa cities with 1,000–2,300 people. The middle of the group is $14.04.

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: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Aplington: $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: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Dunlap: $14.56Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $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: $12.68Sanborn: $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: $8.02North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Arnolds Park: $4.95Ackley: $16.63$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 121
#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
15Rockwell$17.541,044
16Mapleton$16.901,114
17George$16.891,106
18Manson$16.871,646
19Fayette$16.851,193
20Nashua$16.811,515
21Ackley$16.631,538
22Audubon$16.522,008
23Roland$16.511,376
24Monona$16.411,462
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
42Sidney$15.191,048
43Logan$15.051,351
44Tripoli$14.991,208
45Sumner$14.832,032
46Woodbine$14.801,707
47Bedford$14.661,474
48Lenox$14.651,355
49Manning$14.621,390
50Van Meter$14.601,840
51Dunlap$14.561,030
52Coon Rapids$14.491,258
53Nora Springs$14.251,330
54Kingsley$14.251,394
55Urbana$14.201,635
56Sheffield$14.161,123
57Parkersburg$14.151,986
58Hartley$14.111,584
59Ida Grove$14.101,988
60Woodward$14.051,383
61Guthrie Center$14.041,579
62Alton$13.871,248
63Lake Mills$13.822,077
64Montezuma$13.791,421
65Gilbert$13.711,397
66Clarksville$13.531,238
67Avoca$13.511,685
68Janesville$13.431,052
69Glidden$13.431,140
70Calmar$13.391,100
71Wapello$13.292,026
72Manly$13.291,233
73Conrad$13.231,098
74Springville$13.221,161
75Greenfield$13.131,988
76Treynor$13.031,104
77Akron$12.931,545
78Leon$12.931,779
79New Sharon$12.801,249
80Slater$12.791,626
81Malvern$12.791,056
82Buffalo$12.681,163
83Sanborn$12.621,463
84New London$12.561,853
85Lisbon$12.502,238
86Dallas Center$12.421,993
87Remsen$12.321,681
88Monroe$12.282,021
89Denver$12.271,955
90Alta$12.132,039
91Reinbeck$12.101,673
92Elkhart$12.001,079
93Atkins$11.992,168
94Wellman$11.881,531
95Blue Grass$11.791,707
96Columbus Junction$11.711,794
97Palo$11.491,554
98Prairie City$11.381,722
99Marcus$11.311,069
100Northwood$11.282,047
101Mediapolis$11.271,679
102Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
103University Heights$11.121,188
104Ogden$10.991,970
105Farley$10.911,723
106Oakland$10.851,519
107Moville$10.671,707
108Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
109Walcott$10.291,556
110Lake Park$10.251,155
111Central City$10.011,254
112Peosta$9.822,195
113Epworth$9.422,042
114Lake View$9.391,120
115Fairbank$9.001,133
116Walford$8.721,357
117Lone Tree$8.131,341
118Riverside$8.021,063
119North English$7.491,030
120Sloan$7.491,078
121Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Ackley’s general levy is $7.94 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 below the limit.4 503 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.34 · FY26 $8.17 · FY27 $7.94 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.70 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.83 · $217,007
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.07 · $93,000
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.79 · $80,443

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Ackley’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $68,813 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$162,660
$64,543
YearTIF revenue
FY16$66,067
FY17$74,126
FY18$94,358
FY19$162,660
FY20$160,459
FY21$154,637
FY22$86,458
FY23$64,543
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$66,067
FY17$74,126
FY18$94,358
FY19$162,660
FY20$160,459
FY21$154,637
FY22$86,458
FY23$64,543

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$356,33048%
  • Debt Service Levy$217,00729%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$93,00012%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$80,44311%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ackley’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 46¢ of every dollar46¢Capital Projects: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Culture and Recreation: 7¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 6¢ 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 120 Iowa cities closest in size (1,000–2,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (120)
Business Type / Enterprise46¢40¢
Capital Projects28¢13¢
Public Works8¢12¢
Culture and Recreation7¢8¢
Public Safety6¢11¢
Everything else6¢17¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$2.1M63%
  • Culture and Recreation$367,65111%
  • Public Works$300,1059%
  • Debt Service$259,3788%
  • General Government$158,9525%
  • Public Safety$145,8594%
  • Community and Economic Development$15,6500%
  • Health and Social Services$9500%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.8M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$267,823$266,279
Public Safety$681,442$485,386
Health and Social Services$555$489
General Government$128,905$126,779
Debt Service$345,549$345,548
Culture and Recreation$229,956$252,613
Community and Economic Development$135,305$44,640
Capital Projects$1.3M$366,357
Business Type / Enterprise$4.1M$1.0M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$4.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ackley owes

$5.7M at June 30, 2026: $3,573 per resident. 223rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$5.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.7M$3,573
2025$5.5M$3,418
2024$5.5M$3,446
2023$3.6M$2,271
2022$3.6M$2,278
2021$4.1M$2,560
2020$4.9M$3,086
2019$2.3M$1,437
2018$1.2M$723
2017$1.3M$796
2016$710,768$445
2015$991,897$620
2014$421,279$263
2013$685,000$428
2012$840,000$525
2011$1.1M$710
2010$1.3M$816
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.7M$3,573
2025$5.5M$3,418
2024$5.5M$3,446
2023$3.6M$2,271
2022$3.6M$2,278
2021$4.1M$2,560
2020$4.9M$3,086
2019$2.3M$1,437
2018$1.2M$723
2017$1.3M$796
2016$710,768$445
2015$991,897$620
2014$421,279$263
2013$685,000$428
2012$840,000$525
2011$1.1M$710
2010$1.3M$816

Up 338% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $1.3M, 30% of the limit of about $4.2M (5% of $84.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bondssewer improvements - phase II2043$2.3M
Revenue Bondssewer improvements-phase 12039$2.1M
General ObligationStreet Preservation/Street Dump Truck/Nuisance2033$870,000
General ObligationAsh Tree Removal/Nuisance2029$380,000
General Obligationstreets, bridge, sidewalk, pool splash pad, city hall remodel2027$25,000

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. Ackley’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 13, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

15 earlier reports for Ackley

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: $288,648 in FY25, up 27% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$220,786$220,041$225,863$227,089
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$19,546$47,990$65,178$61,559

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.

$268,903
$2,318
  • State grants$2,318100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$17,135
FY20$268,903
FY21$84,060
FY22$5,142
FY23$97,077
FY24$7,223
FY25$2,318
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$17,135
FY20$268,903
FY21$84,060
FY22$5,142
FY23$97,077
FY24$7,223
FY25$2,318

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$205,276 → $227,089, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+119%$22,392 → $61,559, up 175% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 119% more

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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

$245,846

Federal grants, for comparison: $6,661 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 4, 2025

City · 4

3 seats: the top 3 win.

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ackley; 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.

  • Ackley City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Maliah Roelfs, Mike Abbas
  • Ackley Mayor
    Now held by Michael Nuss

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

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

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

U.S. House:District 2

Hardin CountyAgwsr schools