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Local taxes › Ida County › Arthur

City

Arthur

Ida County · How cities work

$3,380 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.18 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,670 a yearof that goes to the city ($19.86 per $1,000)
$83,296property taxes the city levies, FY27
$314,260city 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.

  • Amanda F. MummArthur City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Gary R. ChaseArthur Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nikki GriffithArthur City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Paula FriedArthur City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Heidi AndersonArthur City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kevin LampmanArthur 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 Arthur

Homes and businesses in most of Arthur pay a combined $40.18 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Ida County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $19.86. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.16$16.14
FY21$35.67$16.70
FY22$36.01$16.64
FY23$33.88$14.35
FY24$36.98$17.16
FY25$39.83$19.01
FY26$42.00$21.27
FY27$40.18$19.86
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.16$16.14
FY21$35.67$16.70
FY22$36.01$16.64
FY23$33.88$14.35
FY24$36.98$17.16
FY25$39.83$19.01
FY26$42.00$21.27
FY27$40.18$19.86

Compared with places this size3

Arthur’s city property tax rate of $19.86 per $1,000 is the 8th highest of 194 Iowa cities with 150–330 people. The middle of the group is $11.47.

Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Hastings: $18.95Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26Harcourt: $13.21Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Maysville: $5.77Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Arthur: $19.86$2.27 lowest$22.05 highestmiddle
See all 194
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Fenton$22.05250
2Soldier$21.92176
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Smithland$21.12184
6Volga$20.23200
7Alta Vista$19.88219
8Arthur$19.86218
9Coin$19.59171
10Garden Grove$19.20173
11Fort Atkinson$19.19300
12Hastings$18.95157
13Cumberland$18.42248
14Jamaica$18.24196
15Hillsboro$17.68158
16Pisgah$17.09248
17Lakota$16.84261
18Marble Rock$16.78258
19Auburn$16.65253
20Prescott$16.53186
21Irwin$16.46320
22Montour$16.37199
23Corwith$16.22259
24Deep River$16.18243
25Waucoma$16.17235
26Granville$16.00302
27Minburn$15.75317
28Little Sioux$15.74170
29Moorhead$15.68186
30Onslow$15.63198
31Linden$15.62206
32Kamrar$15.47178
33Peterson$15.27321
34Greeley$15.23216
35Riverton$14.94243
36Marathon$14.89221
37Ladora$14.74223
38Magnolia$14.68194
39Bagley$14.63230
40Davis City$14.45178
41Lucas$14.40176
42Halbur$14.37268
43Crystal Lake$14.36243
44Kimballton$14.27281
45Steamboat Rock$14.19261
46Westgate$14.05190
47Mystic$14.01318
48Fertile$13.70300
49Stockport$13.68272
50Kellerton$13.60241
51Quimby$13.58245
52Meservey$13.43212
53Persia$13.41292
54Leland$13.31240
55Ute$13.26326
56Harcourt$13.21257
57Ridgeway$13.10261
58Farmersburg$13.09264
59Portsmouth$13.05187
60Clutier$13.03209
61Silver City$12.87244
62Patterson$12.84176
63Martelle$12.83250
64Malcom$12.82257
65Blencoe$12.57223
66Williams$12.57299
67Maurice$12.56271
68Clearfield$12.50277
69Kensett$12.47256
70Mccausland$12.45314
71Aurora$12.40165
72Modale$12.34284
73Mingo$12.31314
74Blakesburg$12.21273
75Cushing$12.18225
76Hanlontown$12.17200
77Stout$12.14194
78Macedonia$12.12266
79Paton$12.09217
80Decatur$12.08174
81Kiron$12.03262
82Rembrandt$12.03199
83Shambaugh$11.98161
84Liscomb$11.96292
85New Providence$11.88233
86Parnell$11.78190
87Reasnor$11.76157
88Joice$11.72206
89Atalissa$11.71287
90Cantril$11.69224
91Kelley$11.69312
92Wadena$11.65201
93Exline$11.60157
94Cincinnati$11.57280
95Beaman$11.54155
96Delta$11.52257
97Terril$11.48310
98Westside$11.45283
99College Springs$11.44172
100Holland$11.37261
101Mallard$11.28255
102Renwick$11.16228
103Linn Grove$11.15155
104Dundee$11.14193
105Randolph$11.08183
106Leighton$11.07153
107Rake$11.05179
108Frederika$10.99206
109Alexander$10.90165
110Goose Lake$10.89250
111Yale$10.85265
112Lambs Grove$10.78174
113Wallingford$10.75154
114Hornick$10.74255
115Woden$10.68183
116Bode$10.64304
117Cleghorn$10.49235
118Barnes City$10.44152
119Danbury$10.43315
120Lytton$10.38274
121Stockton$10.37171
122Rhodes$10.36269
123Randall$10.35156
124Dedham$10.28221
125Deloit$10.28246
126Protivin$10.28264
127Meriden$10.28175
128Drakesville$10.24170
129Bronson$10.14294
130Hancock$10.13199
131La Motte$10.09235
132Melvin$10.05196
133Defiance$10.05248
134Floyd$10.02297
135Barnum$9.96186
136Panama$9.85234
137Grafton$9.83212
138Tingley$9.81146
139Ionia$9.65220
140Salix$9.63303
141Van Wert$9.62175
142Kirkville$9.59159
143Luxemburg$9.58240
144Rippey$9.42217
145Elberon$9.16178
146Dixon$9.03204
147Lester$8.94309
148Blairsburg$8.93175
149Prairieburg$8.91156
150Oakville$8.89198
151Luther$8.83147
152Harvey$8.71242
153Washta$8.65206
154Moorland$8.61169
155Pilot Mound$8.54155
156Ollie$8.44196
157Thor$8.38182
158Rowley$8.31264
159South English$8.27196
160Thurman$8.26162
161Boxholm$8.11177
162Bertram$8.10267
163Fostoria$8.10229
164Low Moor$8.10242
165Nichols$8.10317
166Laurel$8.10214
167Lineville$8.10194
168Luana$7.98303
169Lockridge$7.92245
170Mount Auburn$7.86162
171Haverhill$7.86164
172Grand River$7.86192
173Olds$7.86174
174Dickens$7.86146
175Rose Hill$7.86156
176West Chester$7.82147
177Mcclelland$7.79147
178Lidderdale$7.68162
179Pulaski$7.58259
180Sheldahl$7.56312
181Fredonia$7.55227
182Harpers Ferry$7.49273
183Alvord$7.41216
184Packwood$6.77186
185Libertyville$6.60278
186Keswick$6.49238
187Crawfordsville$6.44278
188Gravity$6.18149
189Oakland Acres$5.88178
190Maysville$5.77155
191Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
192West Okoboji$2.92311
193Sherrill$2.66176
194Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Arthur’s general levy is $8.39 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 44 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.64 · FY26 $8.64 · FY27 $8.39 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $11.47 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$5.18 · $21,662
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.42 · $18,482
  • Unified Law Enforcement$1.50 · $6,278
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.38 · $1,586

Tax increment financing (TIF)

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

YearTIF revenue
FY16$8,593
FY17$1,463
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$8,593
FY17$1,463

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$35,11042%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$21,66226%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$18,48222%
  • Unified Law Enforcement$6,2788%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$1,5862%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Arthur’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 31¢ of every dollar31¢General Government: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Debt Service: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Public Works: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Everything else: 11¢ of every dollar11¢

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 192 Iowa cities closest in size (150–330 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (192)
Business Type / Enterprise31¢34¢
General Government16¢20¢
Debt Service15¢2¢
Public Safety14¢10¢
Public Works13¢22¢
Everything else11¢8¢

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$103,56233%
  • General Government$65,03421%
  • Debt Service$65,00021%
  • Public Works$51,23216%
  • Culture and Recreation$28,9329%
  • Health and Social Services$5000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($130,017 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$51,729$41,037
Public Safety$62,204$56,435
Health and Social Services$250$250
General Government$57,021$47,789
Debt Service$15,000$15,000
Culture and Recreation$28,277$37,238
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$122,346$109,178

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$890,484
$455,397

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Arthur owes

$718,956 at June 30, 2026: $3,239 per resident. 257th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.1M
$718,956
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$718,956$3,239
2025$748,129$3,370
2024$843,637$3,800
2023$886,479$3,993
2022$927,407$4,178
2021$969,950$4,369
2020$1.0M$4,543
2019$1.1M$4,802
2018$989,603$4,458
2017$863,718$3,891
2016$86,244$388
2015$88,441$398
2014$91,576$413
2013$93,370$421
2012$95,081$428
2011$96,580$435
2010$98,143$442
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$718,956$3,239
2025$748,129$3,370
2024$843,637$3,800
2023$886,479$3,993
2022$927,407$4,178
2021$969,950$4,369
2020$1.0M$4,543
2019$1.1M$4,802
2018$989,603$4,458
2017$863,718$3,891
2016$86,244$388
2015$88,441$398
2014$91,576$413
2013$93,370$421
2012$95,081$428
2011$96,580$435
2010$98,143$442

Up 633% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $370,042 (5% of $7.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSEWER REVENUE BOND2046$672,000
Revenue BondsRural Water Service2034$46,956
LoansPump Truck Fire Dept.2028$0

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. Arthur’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF), released Monday, December 16, 2019, 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? 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: $27,814 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)$27,712$26,588$27,194$27,342
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$1,511$1,323$1,134$472

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.

$5,037
$588
  • State grants$588100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$596
FY20$675
FY21$544
FY22$5,037
FY23$560
FY24$591
FY25$588
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$596
FY20$675
FY21$544
FY22$5,037
FY23$560
FY24$591
FY25$588

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−10%$24,150 → $27,342, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−78%$1,696 → $472, down 72% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 78% 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 38% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% more.

$33,745
$32,614

Federal grants, for comparison: $16,604 in FY23.

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 · 2

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Arthur; 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.

  • Arthur City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Kevin Lampman, Heidi Anderson

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

Jason Schultz (Sen. 6)Steven C. Holt (Rep. 12)

U.S. House:District 4

Ida CountyOdebolt-Arthur schools