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Local taxes › Jackson County › Preston

City

Preston

Jackson County · How cities work

$2,800 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.25 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,040 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.38 per $1,000)
$561,259property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.2Mcity 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.

  • Adam E. ReuterPreston City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Leesa BuddePreston City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Matt PetersenPreston City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Matthew GerardyPreston City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dylan MeyerPreston City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jason ThomsonPreston City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Tyler L SieverdingPreston Mayor · 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 Preston

Homes and businesses in most of Preston pay a combined $33.25 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Jackson County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.38. Estimate your bill.

  • Easton Valley schools$12.6638%
  • City of Preston$12.3837%
  • Jackson County$5.2816%
  • Eastern Iowa Community College$1.043%
  • Jackson County Hospital$0.873%
  • Jackson County Assessor$0.642%
  • Jackson County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.21<1%
  • Van Buren-Preston Cemetery$0.17<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.47$9.30
FY21$32.56$10.08
FY22$32.75$10.42
FY23$32.94$10.50
FY24$33.47$10.99
FY25$34.63$12.22
FY26$34.36$12.39
FY27$33.25$12.38
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.47$9.30
FY21$32.56$10.08
FY22$32.75$10.42
FY23$32.94$10.50
FY24$33.47$10.99
FY25$34.63$12.22
FY26$34.36$12.39
FY27$33.25$12.38

Compared with places this size3

Preston’s city property tax rate of $12.38 per $1,000 is the 72nd lowest of 177 Iowa cities with 630–1,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.18.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84State Center: $15.80Walker: $15.74Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Fontanelle: $10.88Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Preston: $12.38$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 177
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Allison$19.06937
8Seymour$18.78646
9Dexter$18.69631
10Fonda$18.52636
11Kanawha$18.11638
12Dysart$17.951,266
13Greene$17.91971
14Alden$17.90738
15Lansing$17.67959
16Strawberry Point$17.581,141
17Rockwell$17.541,044
18Walnut$17.46728
19Gowrie$17.17943
20Colo$17.14856
21Mapleton$16.901,114
22George$16.891,106
23Fayette$16.851,193
24Adair$16.84792
25Eddyville$16.82965
26Elk Horn$16.78631
27Oxford$16.70715
28Buffalo Center$16.58839
29Bancroft$16.52677
30Roland$16.511,376
31Eldon$16.42788
32Aplington$16.341,088
33Panora$16.141,096
34Mechanicsville$16.12974
35Dike$15.941,293
36Armstrong$15.87847
37Ruthven$15.84710
38State Center$15.801,403
39Walker$15.74671
40Shell Rock$15.521,265
41Newell$15.49850
42Riceville$15.31807
43Neola$15.30917
44Sidney$15.191,048
45Gilbertville$15.15792
46Logan$15.051,351
47Stratford$15.03688
48Griswold$15.01975
49Readlyn$14.99857
50Tripoli$14.991,208
51Essex$14.76721
52Lenox$14.651,355
53Manning$14.621,390
54Dunlap$14.561,030
55Garnavillo$14.52751
56Maxwell$14.50862
57Coon Rapids$14.491,258
58Nora Springs$14.251,330
59Kingsley$14.251,394
60Mcgregor$14.20725
61Olin$14.19652
62Primghar$14.18893
63Sheffield$14.161,123
64Elgin$14.05676
65Woodward$14.051,383
66Ossian$13.88777
67Alton$13.871,248
68Redfield$13.73719
69Victor$13.72852
70Gilbert$13.711,397
71Edgewood$13.64908
72Sioux Rapids$13.63722
73Donnellson$13.63859
74Gladbrook$13.58775
75Clarksville$13.531,238
76Rockford$13.52722
77Janesville$13.431,052
78Glidden$13.431,140
79Calmar$13.391,100
80Boyden$13.39694
81Baxter$13.32983
82Manly$13.291,233
83Anita$13.28953
84Van Horne$13.27768
85Conrad$13.231,098
86Springville$13.221,161
87Keota$13.21888
88Shellsburg$13.20987
89De Soto$13.18937
90Treynor$13.031,104
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Coggon$12.99691
93Earlville$12.90713
94Danville$12.87910
95Underwood$12.85973
96New Sharon$12.801,249
97Malvern$12.791,056
98Montrose$12.78734
99Wellsburg$12.68709
100Buffalo$12.681,163
101Stanton$12.62664
102Hospers$12.58703
103Hazleton$12.48711
104West Point$12.39903
105Hinton$12.38959
106Preston$12.38940
107Alburnett$12.30672
108Hubbard$12.30837
109Hedrick$12.22717
110Carson$12.22772
111Wheatland$12.18765
112Schaller$12.14702
113Winfield$12.041,006
114Elkhart$12.001,079
115Afton$11.96864
116Lowden$11.93767
117Tabor$11.88983
118Albert City$11.88627
119Aurelia$11.84970
120Merrill$11.64713
121Morning Sun$11.50702
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Wall Lake$11.43739
124West Bend$11.42770
125Dakota City$11.39764
126Marcus$11.311,069
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Sutherland$11.25628
129Whiting$11.21725
130Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
131Shelby$11.17730
132University Heights$11.121,188
133Blairstown$11.04705
134Manilla$11.01756
135Hamburg$10.95863
136Clarence$10.94991
137Fontanelle$10.88684
138Cambridge$10.53844
139Swisher$10.39909
140Schleswig$10.39820
141Melbourne$10.38771
142Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
143Fredericksburg$10.27983
144Lake Park$10.251,155
145Ventura$10.22701
146Inwood$10.22962
147Milo$10.20762
148Hartford$10.16729
149Central City$10.011,254
150Newhall$9.99887
151Graettinger$9.81810
152Doon$9.78640
153Long Grove$9.59849
154Lake View$9.391,120
155Paullina$9.21979
156Fairbank$9.001,133
157Winthrop$8.94814
158Walford$8.721,357
159Keosauqua$8.58944
160Grand Junction$8.57715
161Princeton$8.24917
162Lone Tree$8.131,341
163Lakeside$8.10695
164Riverside$8.021,063
165Hills$7.94911
166Fremont$7.86688
167Larchwood$7.52954
168North English$7.491,030
169Sloan$7.491,078
170Sully$7.41891
171Fruitland$7.21928
172Lawton$7.10949
173Wayland$7.07935
174Raymond$6.85754
175Shueyville$6.79725
176Arnolds Park$4.951,214
177Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Preston’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 549 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.49 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.61 · $120,309
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.21 · $54,738
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.53 · $23,795
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.13 · $5,939

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$939,414 of taxable value in Preston is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $112,223 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$60,317

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 $9,172 of the city’s own.

  • Jackson County$4,707
YearTIF revenue
FY17$24,810
FY18$25,189
FY19$25,017
FY20$44,502
FY21$60,317
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY17$24,810
FY18$25,189
FY19$25,017
FY20$44,502
FY21$60,317

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$355,64063%
  • Debt Service Levy$120,30921%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$54,73810%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$23,7954%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$5,9391%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Preston’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 69¢ of every dollar69¢Public Safety: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 5¢ of every dollarCommunity and Economic Development: 5¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 7¢ of every dollar7¢

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 176 Iowa cities closest in size (630–1,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (176)
Business Type / Enterprise69¢39¢
Public Safety11¢10¢
Public Works5¢15¢
Community and Economic Development5¢2¢
Culture and Recreation4¢9¢
Everything else7¢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.

  • Public Safety$428,57035%
  • Culture and Recreation$179,24015%
  • Public Works$174,72014%
  • General Government$156,98513%
  • Community and Economic Development$148,33612%
  • Debt Service$120,33110%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.7M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$204,800$129,273
Public Safety$280,809$255,800
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$112,883$244,172
Debt Service$47,321$90,212
Culture and Recreation$303,525$302,673
Community and Economic Development$36,000$390,284
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$2.1M$2.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$4.2M
$3.8M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Preston owes

$1.9M at June 30, 2026: $2,024 per resident. 382nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.5M
$1.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$2,024
2025$2.1M$2,198
2024$2.4M$2,498
2023$2.5M$2,634
2022$2.5M$2,620
2021$2.5M$2,593
2020$346,734$365
2019$457,027$482
2018$560,884$591
2017$676,645$713
2016$749,825$790
2015$837,823$883
2014$820,366$864
2013$956,729$1,008
2012$1.1M$1,148
2011$158,669$167
2010$231,543$244
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$2,024
2025$2.1M$2,198
2024$2.4M$2,498
2023$2.5M$2,634
2022$2.5M$2,620
2021$2.5M$2,593
2020$346,734$365
2019$457,027$482
2018$560,884$591
2017$676,645$713
2016$749,825$790
2015$837,823$883
2014$820,366$864
2013$956,729$1,008
2012$1.1M$1,148
2011$158,669$167
2010$231,543$244

Up 729% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $1.1M, 27% of the limit of about $4.2M (5% of $83.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationMARVIN SUBDIVISION PROJECT2039$960,000
Revenue BondsLOAN FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY2041$723,548
General ObligationARCHIE MCNEIL PROPERTY2032$165,000
Revenue BondsELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION PROJECT.2027$60,000
General ObligationGENERAL OBLIGATION FIRE TRUCK ACQUISITION AND REFUNDING LOAN AGREEMENT2029$12,026

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 balances11. Preston’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 27, 2026, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Preston

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? 13

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: $134,776 in FY25, down 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$132,755$130,593$134,049$134,776

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.

$487,508
$19,629
  • State grants$19,629100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$41,519
FY20$7,906
FY21$131,276
FY22$487,508
FY23$109,845
FY24$55,858
FY25$19,629
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$41,519
FY20$7,906
FY21$131,276
FY22$487,508
FY23$109,845
FY24$55,858
FY25$19,629

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−29%$150,736 → $134,776, down 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% 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.

$125,428
$119,328

Federal grants, for comparison: $71,696 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2005 worth $560K, for 141 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)14.

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 Preston; 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.

  • Preston City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Dylan Meyer, Jason Thomson
  • Preston Mayor
    Now held by Tyler L Sieverding

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Carrie Koelker (Sen. 33)Dr. Steven P. Bradley (Rep. 66)

U.S. House:District 1

Jackson CountyEaston Valley schoolsPreston schools