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Local taxes › Jasper County › Baxter

City

Baxter

Jasper County · How cities work

$3,240 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.49 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,120 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.32 per $1,000)
$479,147property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.4Mcity 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 KunkelBaxter Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Joel SchabilionBaxter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lindsay BethardsBaxter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael ChurchillBaxter City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jamie MilliganBaxter City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Stephen C. SmithBaxter 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 Baxter

Homes and businesses in most of Baxter pay a combined $38.49 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Jasper County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.32. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.22$13.22
FY21$39.42$12.97
FY22$41.96$15.83
FY23$41.12$15.46
FY24$41.29$14.87
FY25$40.53$14.14
FY26$39.64$14.14
FY27$38.49$13.32
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.22$13.22
FY21$39.42$12.97
FY22$41.96$15.83
FY23$41.12$15.46
FY24$41.29$14.87
FY25$40.53$14.14
FY26$39.64$14.14
FY27$38.49$13.32

Compared with places this size3

Baxter’s city property tax rate of $13.32 per $1,000 is the 80th highest of 174 Iowa cities with 660–1,500 people. The middle of the group is $13.19.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dysart: $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: $16.82Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84State Center: $15.80Walker: $15.74Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Redfield: $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: $13.39Manly: $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: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Whiting: $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: $9.81Long 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: $3.83Baxter: $13.32$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 174
#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
8Dysart$17.951,266
9Greene$17.91971
10Alden$17.90738
11Lansing$17.67959
12Strawberry Point$17.581,141
13Rockwell$17.541,044
14Walnut$17.46728
15Gowrie$17.17943
16Colo$17.14856
17Mapleton$16.901,114
18George$16.891,106
19Fayette$16.851,193
20Adair$16.84792
21Eddyville$16.82965
22Oxford$16.70715
23Buffalo Center$16.58839
24Bancroft$16.52677
25Roland$16.511,376
26Eldon$16.42788
27Monona$16.411,462
28Aplington$16.341,088
29Panora$16.141,096
30Mechanicsville$16.12974
31Dike$15.941,293
32Armstrong$15.87847
33Ruthven$15.84710
34State Center$15.801,403
35Walker$15.74671
36Earlham$15.551,411
37Shell Rock$15.521,265
38Brooklyn$15.491,474
39Newell$15.49850
40Riceville$15.31807
41Neola$15.30917
42Sidney$15.191,048
43Gilbertville$15.15792
44Logan$15.051,351
45Stratford$15.03688
46Griswold$15.01975
47Readlyn$14.99857
48Tripoli$14.991,208
49Essex$14.76721
50Bedford$14.661,474
51Lenox$14.651,355
52Manning$14.621,390
53Dunlap$14.561,030
54Garnavillo$14.52751
55Maxwell$14.50862
56Coon Rapids$14.491,258
57Nora Springs$14.251,330
58Kingsley$14.251,394
59Mcgregor$14.20725
60Primghar$14.18893
61Sheffield$14.161,123
62Elgin$14.05676
63Woodward$14.051,383
64Ossian$13.88777
65Alton$13.871,248
66Montezuma$13.791,421
67Redfield$13.73719
68Victor$13.72852
69Gilbert$13.711,397
70Edgewood$13.64908
71Sioux Rapids$13.63722
72Donnellson$13.63859
73Gladbrook$13.58775
74Clarksville$13.531,238
75Rockford$13.52722
76Janesville$13.431,052
77Glidden$13.431,140
78Calmar$13.391,100
79Boyden$13.39694
80Baxter$13.32983
81Manly$13.291,233
82Anita$13.28953
83Van Horne$13.27768
84Conrad$13.231,098
85Springville$13.221,161
86Keota$13.21888
87Shellsburg$13.20987
88De Soto$13.18937
89Treynor$13.031,104
90Odebolt$13.00967
91Coggon$12.99691
92Earlville$12.90713
93Danville$12.87910
94Underwood$12.85973
95New Sharon$12.801,249
96Malvern$12.791,056
97Montrose$12.78734
98Wellsburg$12.68709
99Buffalo$12.681,163
100Sanborn$12.621,463
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
118Aurelia$11.84970
119Merrill$11.64713
120Morning Sun$11.50702
121Battle Creek$11.49683
122Wall Lake$11.43739
123West Bend$11.42770
124Dakota City$11.39764
125Marcus$11.311,069
126Dunkerton$11.30840
127Whiting$11.21725
128Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
129Shelby$11.17730
130University Heights$11.121,188
131Blairstown$11.04705
132Manilla$11.01756
133Hamburg$10.95863
134Clarence$10.94991
135Fontanelle$10.88684
136Cambridge$10.53844
137Swisher$10.39909
138Schleswig$10.39820
139Melbourne$10.38771
140Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
141Fredericksburg$10.27983
142Lake Park$10.251,155
143Ventura$10.22701
144Inwood$10.22962
145Milo$10.20762
146Hartford$10.16729
147Central City$10.011,254
148Newhall$9.99887
149Graettinger$9.81810
150Long Grove$9.59849
151Lake View$9.391,120
152Paullina$9.21979
153Fairbank$9.001,133
154Winthrop$8.94814
155Walford$8.721,357
156Keosauqua$8.58944
157Grand Junction$8.57715
158Princeton$8.24917
159Lone Tree$8.131,341
160Lakeside$8.10695
161Riverside$8.021,063
162Hills$7.94911
163Fremont$7.86688
164Larchwood$7.52954
165North English$7.491,030
166Sloan$7.491,078
167Sully$7.41891
168Fruitland$7.21928
169Lawton$7.10949
170Wayland$7.07935
171Raymond$6.85754
172Shueyville$6.79725
173Arnolds Park$4.951,214
174Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Baxter’s general levy is $8.04 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.06 below the limit.4 405 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.12 · FY27 $8.04 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.28 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.57 · $103,375
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.22 · $77,282
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.26 · $9,209
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.23 · $8,186

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$5.4M of taxable value in Baxter is in TIF districts’ increment (14% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $137,162 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$251,873
$103,385

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 $58,308 of the city’s own.

  • Baxter schools$74,025
  • Jasper County$25,921
YearTIF revenue
FY16$251,873
FY17$181,552
FY18$102,338
FY19$46,398
FY20$144,020
FY21$113,416
FY22$90,093
FY23$103,385
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$251,873
FY17$181,552
FY18$102,338
FY19$46,398
FY20$144,020
FY21$113,416
FY22$90,093
FY23$103,385

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$280,44559%
  • Debt Service Levy$103,37522%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$77,28216%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$9,2092%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$8,1862%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Baxter’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 36¢ of every dollar36¢Capital Projects: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Public Works: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Safety: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 13¢ of every dollar13¢

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 173 Iowa cities closest in size (660–1,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (173)
Business Type / Enterprise36¢40¢
Capital Projects21¢9¢
Public Works12¢15¢
Public Safety9¢10¢
Debt Service8¢6¢
Everything else13¢20¢

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$350,00026%
  • Debt Service$253,33519%
  • Public Safety$252,47219%
  • General Government$196,05414%
  • Public Works$194,68114%
  • Culture and Recreation$111,1838%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.1M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$191,607$165,769
Public Safety$328,994$312,598
Health and Social Services$1,700$2,865
General Government$108,239$114,492
Debt Service$193,637$183,362
Culture and Recreation$81,777$81,399
Community and Economic Development$1,969$12,923
Capital Projects$0$123,478
Business Type / Enterprise$994,450$952,948

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$3.2M
$2.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Baxter owes

$3.0M at June 30, 2026: $3,153 per resident. 268th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$6.1M
$3.0M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.0M$3,153
2025$2.7M$2,800
2024$3.0M$3,133
2023$3.3M$3,455
2022$3.9M$4,041
2021$4.4M$4,619
2020$3.1M$3,225
2019$3.1M$3,236
2018$3.4M$3,503
2017$3.7M$3,875
2016$3.7M$3,804
2015$5.4M$5,629
2014$5.7M$5,881
2013$6.1M$6,299
2012$5.7M$5,886
2011$4.5M$4,635
2010$2.8M$2,945
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.0M$3,153
2025$2.7M$2,800
2024$3.0M$3,133
2023$3.3M$3,455
2022$3.9M$4,041
2021$4.4M$4,619
2020$3.1M$3,225
2019$3.1M$3,236
2018$3.4M$3,503
2017$3.7M$3,875
2016$3.7M$3,804
2015$5.4M$5,629
2014$5.7M$5,881
2013$6.1M$6,299
2012$5.7M$5,886
2011$4.5M$4,635
2010$2.8M$2,945

Up 7% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $2.2M, 55% of the limit of about $4.1M (5% of $81.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

8 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationS.West Ave.Phase I 2020 Redesign Street Reconstruction Project2041$1.3M
General ObligationSouth West Avenue Phase II Street Reconstruction Project (Series 2025)2040$715,000
Revenue BondsWastewater Lagoon Construction Project2031$532,000
General ObligationStorm Water Improvement Project - labeled TIF2029$207,000
Revenue BondsWastewater Lagoon Construction Project. Supplemental Loan #2.2031$137,000
Revenue BondsWater Improvement Project.2030$69,000
Revenue BondsWastewater Sewer Rehab Project.2027$55,000
General ObligationPurchase of Mobile Home Parks2027$23,000

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 balances11. Baxter’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Special Investigation/Fraud for the period ending Thursday, February 29, 2024 (PDF), released Thursday, November 6, 2025, by the Auditor of State. It’s a special investigation, done when there are signs money was misused.

15 earlier reports for Baxter

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: $109,421 in FY25, down 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 40% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$136,447$132,382$135,885$109,421
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$4,744$4,151––

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.

$17,265
$3,397
  • Other$2,13763%
  • State grants$1,26037%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,016
FY20$2,186
FY21$2,372
FY22$17,265
FY23$2,684
FY24$2,617
FY25$3,397
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,016
FY20$2,186
FY21$2,372
FY22$17,265
FY23$2,684
FY24$2,617
FY25$3,397

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−39%$142,233 → $109,421, down 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 39% 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 41% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% more.

$132,350

Federal grants, for comparison: $233,912 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)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 Baxter; 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.

  • Baxter City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Jamie Milligan, Stephen C. Smith
  • Baxter EMS Board of Trustees
  • Baxter Mayor
    Now held by Daniel Kunkel

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

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure LLNovember 7, 2023

    Failed Yes 33.0% (105) · No 67.0% (213)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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

Ken Rozenboom (Sen. 19)House District 38 (vacant)

U.S. House:District 1

Jasper CountyBaxter schools