Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Harrison County › Missouri Valley

City

Missouri Valley

Harrison County · How cities work

$3,320 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.38 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,490 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.68 per $1,000)
$2.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.1Mcity 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.

  • Christopher GilpinMissouri Valley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Roger MarshallMissouri Valley Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Russ MeadowsMissouri Valley City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Aaron TuttleMissouri Valley City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Marilyn KeizerMissouri Valley City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Sherman StrubleMissouri Valley 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 Missouri Valley

Homes and businesses in most of Missouri Valley pay a combined $39.38 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Harrison County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.68. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.82$19.42
FY21$40.59$19.42
FY22$41.00$19.30
FY23$41.05$19.27
FY24$41.62$19.69
FY25$40.70$18.76
FY26$40.68$18.39
FY27$39.38$17.68
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.82$19.42
FY21$40.59$19.42
FY22$41.00$19.30
FY23$41.05$19.27
FY24$41.62$19.69
FY25$40.70$18.76
FY26$40.68$18.39
FY27$39.38$17.68

Compared with places this size3

Missouri Valley’s city property tax rate of $17.68 per $1,000 is the 16th highest of 79 Iowa cities with 1,800–3,900 people. The middle of the group is $14.10.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell 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: $17.72Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Waukon: $14.76Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $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: $8.10Missouri Valley: $17.68$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 79
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Albia$19.703,579
8Sac City$19.691,992
9Eagle Grove$19.323,615
10West Liberty$18.683,724
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Tama$17.742,997
14Clarion$17.742,751
15Britt$17.722,001
16Missouri Valley$17.682,638
17Madrid$16.932,824
18West Union$16.602,435
19Audubon$16.522,008
20Grundy Center$16.362,821
21Belle Plaine$16.342,335
22Colfax$16.252,305
23Durant$16.241,798
24Lamoni$16.152,072
25Cresco$16.133,890
26Marengo$16.102,415
27Postville$15.682,418
28Tipton$15.543,059
29Stuart$15.481,887
30Granger$15.222,095
31Sigourney$15.201,974
32Guttenberg$15.191,804
33Sumner$14.832,032
34Waukon$14.763,799
35Van Meter$14.601,840
36Rock Rapids$14.572,709
37Jesup$14.312,541
38Osage$14.293,559
39Parkersburg$14.151,986
40Ida Grove$14.101,988
41Lake Mills$13.822,077
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
50Leon$12.931,779
51Garner$12.863,049
52Bellevue$12.672,321
53Milford$12.573,258
54New London$12.561,853
55Lisbon$12.502,238
56Dallas Center$12.421,993
57Onawa$12.322,795
58Monroe$12.282,021
59Denver$12.271,955
60Alta$12.132,039
61Atkins$11.992,168
62Hull$11.792,459
63Columbus Junction$11.711,794
64Cascade$11.642,396
65West Branch$11.632,876
66Mitchellville$11.542,686
67Solon$11.533,284
68Northwood$11.282,047
69Williamsburg$11.113,380
70Ely$11.082,371
71Ogden$10.991,970
72Carter Lake$10.673,752
73Story City$10.393,439
74Kalona$10.372,762
75West Burlington$10.153,249
76Peosta$9.822,195
77Robins$9.683,362
78Epworth$9.422,042
79Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Missouri Valley’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: $9.79 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.76 · $557,197
  • Debt Service Levy$3.41 · $398,880
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.60 · $186,728
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.02 · $2,478

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Missouri Valley’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

$53,381
$29,827
YearTIF revenue
FY16$12,428
FY17$25,635
FY18$30,002
FY19$36,864
FY20$36,505
FY21$53,381
FY22$35,365
FY23$29,827
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$12,428
FY17$25,635
FY18$30,002
FY19$36,864
FY20$36,505
FY21$53,381
FY22$35,365
FY23$29,827

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$923,31945%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$557,19727%
  • Debt Service Levy$398,88019%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$186,7289%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$2,4780%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Missouri Valley’s budget goes, FY26

Public Safety: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Business Type / Enterprise: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Culture and Recreation: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Works: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 78 Iowa cities closest in size (1,800–3,900 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (78)
Public Safety28¢12¢
Business Type / Enterprise24¢39¢
Culture and Recreation15¢7¢
Public Works14¢10¢
Debt Service11¢7¢
Everything else8¢6¢

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$1.6M40%
  • Culture and Recreation$783,74719%
  • Public Works$746,44818%
  • Debt Service$577,26814%
  • General Government$336,7908%
  • Health and Social Services$8,6550%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.2M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$643,005$636,234
Public Safety$1.3M$1.1M
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$318,994$351,532
Debt Service$517,170$517,170
Culture and Recreation$614,092$870,033
Community and Economic Development$30,354$392,688
Capital Projects$0$1.2M
Business Type / Enterprise$926,409$1.0M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$7.6M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Missouri Valley owes

$8.2M at June 30, 2026: $3,063 per resident. 277th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$8.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$8.2M$3,063
2025$2.8M$1,040
2024$3.5M$1,299
2023$2.1M$788
2022$2.6M$976
2021$3.3M$1,221
2020$3.8M$1,424
2019$4.4M$1,630
2018$4.9M$1,833
2017$4.6M$1,701
2016$5.1M$1,906
2015$5.3M$1,992
2014$5.8M$2,177
2013$6.3M$2,358
2012$5.4M$2,011
2011$5.8M$2,163
2010$6.4M$2,397
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$8.2M$3,063
2025$2.8M$1,040
2024$3.5M$1,299
2023$2.1M$788
2022$2.6M$976
2021$3.3M$1,221
2020$3.8M$1,424
2019$4.4M$1,630
2018$4.9M$1,833
2017$4.6M$1,701
2016$5.1M$1,906
2015$5.3M$1,992
2014$5.8M$2,177
2013$6.3M$2,358
2012$5.4M$2,011
2011$5.8M$2,163
2010$6.4M$2,397

Up 28% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Missouri Valley’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by a CPA firm.

7 earlier reports for Missouri Valley

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? 10

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: $412,805 in FY25, down 3% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 23% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$374,179$368,523$378,274$380,328
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$52,112$45,476$38,973$32,477

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.

$29,014
$6,494
  • Liquor profits$3,33451%
  • State grants$3,16049%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,667
FY20$5,220
FY21$28,745
FY22$29,014
FY23$5,916
FY24$8,050
FY25$6,494
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,667
FY20$5,220
FY21$28,745
FY22$29,014
FY23$5,916
FY24$8,050
FY25$6,494

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−17%$366,629 → $380,328, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−56%$58,271 → $32,477, down 44% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 56% 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 43% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% more.

$301,668
$290,479

Federal grants, for comparison: $216,791 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2000 worth $360K, for 56 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)11.

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.

2 more →

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Missouri Valley; 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.

  • Missouri Valley City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Aaron Tuttle, Marilyn Keizer, Sherman Struble
  • Missouri Valley Mayor
    Now held by Roger Marshall

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

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 ballot13.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress14

Mark Costello (Sen. 8)Matt W. Windschitl (Rep. 15)

U.S. House:District 4

Harrison CountyMissouri Valley schools