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Local taxes › Howard County › Lime Springs

City

Lime Springs

Howard County · How cities work

$3,020 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.90 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,180 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.95 per $1,000)
$319,732property taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.5Mcity 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.

  • Billi JohnsonLime Springs City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jeff BurnikelLime Springs City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • John M. HeislerLime Springs City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rick KirkpatrickLime Springs Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jennifer KalstabakkenLime Springs City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michael LeversonLime Springs 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 Lime Springs

Homes and businesses in most of Lime Springs pay a combined $35.90 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Howard County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.95. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.83$12.35
FY21$33.76$12.21
FY22$30.79$9.45
FY23$32.92$11.94
FY24$33.86$11.69
FY25$34.33$12.32
FY26$35.70$14.00
FY27$35.90$13.95
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.83$12.35
FY21$33.76$12.21
FY22$30.79$9.45
FY23$32.92$11.94
FY24$33.86$11.69
FY25$34.33$12.32
FY26$35.70$14.00
FY27$35.90$13.95

Compared with places this size3

Lime Springs’s city property tax rate of $13.95 per $1,000 is the 72nd highest of 179 Iowa cities with 310–700 people. The middle of the group is $13.10.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Massena: $18.23Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Minden: $15.77Minburn: $15.75Walker: $15.74Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Olin: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Brighton: $12.88Goldfield: $12.73Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Mingo: $12.31Alburnett: $12.30Brandon: $12.29Moravia: $12.27Bonaparte: $12.17Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Battle Creek: $11.49Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Fontanelle: $10.88Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Rudd: $10.13What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Gilman: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Keystone: $6.80New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Wahpeton: $3.19Lime Springs: $13.95$3.19 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 179
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Salem$19.15380
9Dumont$19.04614
10Seymour$18.78646
11Dexter$18.69631
12Fonda$18.52636
13Massena$18.23352
14Kanawha$18.11638
15Swea City$18.04545
16Elma$17.82493
17Callender$17.78361
18Casey$17.72387
19Dows$17.70509
20New Hartford$17.69555
21Vail$17.66383
22Ringsted$17.65346
23Emerson$17.54401
24Murray$17.44609
25Thompson$17.25478
26Ashton$17.17434
27Pierson$17.12335
28Burt$17.10404
29Latimer$16.96477
30Lohrville$16.95366
31Elk Horn$16.78631
32Mccallsburg$16.58356
33Whittemore$16.54478
34Bancroft$16.52677
35Irwin$16.46320
36Titonka$16.45491
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Lewis$16.25358
40Duncombe$16.10374
41Bayard$16.05402
42Scranton$16.01496
43Minden$15.77581
44Minburn$15.75317
45Walker$15.74671
46Peterson$15.27321
47Russell$15.18475
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Stratford$15.03688
50Zearing$14.99508
51Arlington$14.98415
52Maynard$14.85466
53Plainfield$14.84392
54Ryan$14.84348
55Otho$14.82417
56Wyoming$14.81526
57Humeston$14.80472
58Hopkinton$14.79622
59Gilmore City$14.60484
60Sabula$14.38498
61Garrison$14.38345
62Lorimor$14.36377
63Collins$14.32503
64Clermont$14.30571
65Moulton$14.25596
66Ocheyedan$14.22424
67Olin$14.19652
68Garwin$14.08469
69Farragut$14.07480
70Elgin$14.05676
71Mystic$14.01318
72Lime Springs$13.95467
73Dow City$13.94477
74Wesley$13.91382
75Diagonal$13.91331
76Bussey$13.83378
77Mondamin$13.82335
78Livermore$13.78382
79Albion$13.58444
80Lamont$13.57429
81New Albin$13.55435
82Boyden$13.39694
83Lawler$13.39392
84Lacona$13.38336
85Ute$13.26326
86New Market$13.25381
87Plymouth$13.21368
88Bennett$13.16330
89Quasqueton$13.12587
90Farmington$13.10583
91Anthon$13.05534
92Little Rock$13.03447
93Coggon$12.99691
94Lehigh$12.97395
95Menlo$12.92347
96Templeton$12.91337
97Brighton$12.88592
98Goldfield$12.73617
99Delmar$12.68541
100Galva$12.68416
101Badger$12.67540
102Martensdale$12.63413
103Stanton$12.62664
104Norway$12.53463
105Everly$12.51570
106Mccausland$12.45314
107Spillville$12.40371
108Mingo$12.31314
109Alburnett$12.30672
110Brandon$12.29331
111Moravia$12.27625
112Bonaparte$12.17357
113Hawkeye$12.11429
114Colesburg$11.97379
115Albert City$11.88627
116Thornton$11.86394
117Runnells$11.79467
118Allerton$11.72432
119Kelley$11.69312
120Orient$11.66363
121Ellsworth$11.57495
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Churdan$11.31359
124Miles$11.28400
125Sutherland$11.25628
126Arcadia$11.23588
127Milton$10.98395
128Ireton$10.93571
129New Vienna$10.91384
130Letts$10.91358
131Fontanelle$10.88684
132Birmingham$10.87371
133Charlotte$10.86386
134Richland$10.82532
135Grand Mound$10.78608
136Batavia$10.77434
137Riverdale$10.67385
138Union$10.58378
139Calamus$10.47348
140Lovilia$10.46456
141Danbury$10.43315
142Radcliffe$10.37540
143Stacyville$10.36436
144Andrew$10.22374
145Royal$10.20379
146Rudd$10.13339
147What Cheer$10.01595
148Cumming$9.85527
149Breda$9.80492
150Doon$9.78640
151Lynnville$9.68382
152Farnhamville$9.18364
153Middletown$9.16365
154Alleman$9.12439
155Crescent$8.72626
156Ainsworth$8.62511
157Gilman$8.10530
158Lakeside$8.10695
159Lost Nation$8.10425
160Kellogg$8.10597
161Grandview$8.10431
162Nichols$8.10317
163Agency$7.94623
164Fremont$7.86688
165Delhi$7.81438
166Klemme$7.74429
167Beacon$7.56434
168Sheldahl$7.56312
169Worthington$7.50374
170Marquette$7.08434
171Columbus City$6.94385
172Donahue$6.83336
173Keystone$6.80616
174New Virginia$5.97499
175Holy Cross$5.91348
176Conesville$5.86350
177University Park$5.27476
178Orleans$4.13503
179Wahpeton$3.19337

The $8.10 limit

Lime Springs’s general levy is $7.70 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.40 below the limit.4 736 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.09 · FY26 $7.93 · FY27 $7.70 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.25 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.59 · $59,270
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.85 · $42,340
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.82 · $41,646

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Lime Springs’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

$35,547
$12,107
YearTIF revenue
FY16$19,968
FY17$35,547
FY18$12,107
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$19,968
FY17$35,547
FY18$12,107

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$176,47655%
  • Debt Service Levy$59,27019%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$42,34013%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$41,64613%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Lime Springs’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 83¢ de cada dólar83¢Business Type / Enterprise: 8¢ de cada dólar8¢Public Works: 3¢ de cada dólarGeneral Government: 2¢ de cada dólarCulture and Recreation: 2¢ de cada dólarEverything else: 2¢ de cada dólar

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 178 Iowa cities closest in size (310–700 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (178)
Capital Projects83¢3¢
Business Type / Enterprise8¢41¢
Public Works3¢18¢
General Government2¢14¢
Culture and Recreation2¢9¢
Everything else2¢15¢

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$1.6M65%
  • Public Works$235,00010%
  • General Government$182,5007%
  • Debt Service$174,6447%
  • Culture and Recreation$170,1737%
  • Public Safety$92,9404%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($708,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$153,000$240,645
Public Safety$155,142$74,530
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$202,000$169,833
Debt Service$22,000$20,500
Culture and Recreation$246,435$276,237
Community and Economic Development$1,300$57
Capital Projects$0$1.1M
Business Type / Enterprise$172,000$323,858

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$2.2M
$1.6M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Lime Springs owes

$1.2M at June 30, 2026: $2,591 per resident. 319th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.7M
$1.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.2M$2,591
2025$1.4M$3,015
2024$1.6M$3,471
2023$1.7M$3,499
2022$378,173$800
2021$451,351$954
2020$519,279$1,098
2019$520,250$1,100
2018$582,002$1,230
2017$615,000$1,300
2016$690,000$1,459
2015$420,000$888
2014$225,437$477
2013$200,701$424
2012$185,000$391
2011$195,000$412
2010$205,000$433
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.2M$2,591
2025$1.4M$3,015
2024$1.6M$3,471
2023$1.7M$3,499
2022$378,173$800
2021$451,351$954
2020$519,279$1,098
2019$520,250$1,100
2018$582,002$1,230
2017$615,000$1,300
2016$690,000$1,459
2015$420,000$888
2014$225,437$477
2013$200,701$424
2012$185,000$391
2011$195,000$412
2010$205,000$433

Up 498% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Lime Springs’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, March 31, 2024 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, March 31, 2024 (PDF), released Monday, October 7, 2024, by a CPA firm.

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: $44,816 in FY25, down 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 45% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$66,801$65,453$66,733$44,816

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.

$60,611
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$1,620
    FY22$0
    FY23$6,086
    FY24$60,611
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$1,620
    FY22$0
    FY23$6,086
    FY24$60,611
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−45%$65,130 → $44,816, down 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 45% 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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

    $97,695
    $93,621

    Federal grants, for comparison: $35,437 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    2 businesses have state awards in LIME SPRINGS: $1.9M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 267 jobs. Closed projects promised 95 jobs; 95 were there at the end.11

    • Upper Iowa Beef LLC
      High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Under contract: Building · 172 jobs required
      $1.5M
    • Upper Iowa Beef LLC
      High Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Closed: Met its contract · 95 jobs required, 95 at the end
      $396K

    Community college new jobs training: 3 contracts since 2013 worth $1.1M, for 149 pledged jobs.

    Awards statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 286 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 · 2

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    1 more →

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Lime Springs; 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.

    • Lime Springs City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Michael Leverson, Jennifer Kalstabakken
    • Lime Springs Mayor
      Now held by Rick Kirkpatrick

    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

    Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Michael R. Bergan (Rep. 63)

    U.S. House:District 2

    Howard CountyHoward-Winneshiek schools