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Local taxes › Jasper County › Colfax

City

Colfax

Jasper County · How cities work

$3,390 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.26 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,370 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.25 per $1,000)
$1.3Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.2Mcity 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.

  • Brad MaggColfax City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Karla JonesColfax City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bryan PoulterColfax City Council Ward 1 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Curtis SmallColfax City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • David MastColfax Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Wes SnyderColfax City Council Ward 3 · 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 Colfax

Homes and businesses in most of Colfax pay a combined $40.26 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, $16.25. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$44.29$16.55
FY21$41.81$15.84
FY22$42.30$15.85
FY23$41.48$16.31
FY24$41.69$16.54
FY25$41.36$16.15
FY26$40.13$15.63
FY27$40.26$16.25
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$44.29$16.55
FY21$41.81$15.84
FY22$42.30$15.85
FY23$41.48$16.31
FY24$41.69$16.54
FY25$41.36$16.15
FY26$40.13$15.63
FY27$40.26$16.25

Compared with places this size3

Colfax’s city property tax rate of $16.25 per $1,000 is the 24th highest of 94 Iowa cities with 1,500–3,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.57.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Guthrie Center: $14.04Lake Mills: $13.82Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Moville: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37Walcott: $10.29West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Colfax: $16.25$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 94
#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
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Traer$19.561,547
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
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
18Manson$16.871,646
19Ackley$16.631,538
20West Union$16.602,435
21Audubon$16.522,008
22Grundy Center$16.362,821
23Belle Plaine$16.342,335
24Colfax$16.252,305
25Durant$16.241,798
26Lamoni$16.152,072
27Marengo$16.102,415
28Pleasantville$15.801,696
29Postville$15.682,418
30Tipton$15.543,059
31Stuart$15.481,887
32Mount Ayr$15.321,616
33Granger$15.222,095
34Sigourney$15.201,974
35Guttenberg$15.191,804
36Sumner$14.832,032
37Woodbine$14.801,707
38Van Meter$14.601,840
39Rock Rapids$14.572,709
40Jesup$14.312,541
41Urbana$14.201,635
42Parkersburg$14.151,986
43Hartley$14.111,584
44Ida Grove$14.101,988
45Guthrie Center$14.041,579
46Lake Mills$13.822,077
47Wilton$13.622,914
48Avoca$13.511,685
49New Hampton$13.443,433
50Wapello$13.292,026
51Hudson$13.192,916
52Center Point$13.192,578
53Greenfield$13.131,988
54Hawarden$13.022,630
55Akron$12.931,545
56Leon$12.931,779
57Garner$12.863,049
58Slater$12.791,626
59Bellevue$12.672,321
60Milford$12.573,258
61New London$12.561,853
62Lisbon$12.502,238
63Dallas Center$12.421,993
64Onawa$12.322,795
65Remsen$12.321,681
66Monroe$12.282,021
67Denver$12.271,955
68Alta$12.132,039
69Reinbeck$12.101,673
70Atkins$11.992,168
71Blue Grass$11.791,707
72Hull$11.792,459
73Columbus Junction$11.711,794
74Cascade$11.642,396
75West Branch$11.632,876
76Mitchellville$11.542,686
77Solon$11.533,284
78Palo$11.491,554
79Prairie City$11.381,722
80Northwood$11.282,047
81Mediapolis$11.271,679
82Williamsburg$11.113,380
83Ely$11.082,371
84Ogden$10.991,970
85Farley$10.911,723
86Moville$10.671,707
87Story City$10.393,439
88Kalona$10.372,762
89Walcott$10.291,556
90West Burlington$10.153,249
91Peosta$9.822,195
92Robins$9.683,362
93Epworth$9.422,042
94Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Colfax’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 514 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.05 · FY26 $7.97 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.35 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.40 · $262,380
  • Debt Service Levy$3.09 · $239,018
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.81 · $139,960
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.04 · $3,334

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$71,289 of taxable value in Colfax is in TIF districts’ increment (0% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $2,100 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$11,636
$7,216

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 $938 of the city’s own.

  • Colfax-Mingo schools$906
YearTIF revenue
FY16$11,636
FY18$4,299
FY19$4,409
FY20$4,490
FY21$5,956
FY22$6,105
FY23$7,216
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$11,636
FY18$4,299
FY19$4,409
FY20$4,490
FY21$5,956
FY22$6,105
FY23$7,216

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$609,01049%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$262,38021%
  • Debt Service Levy$239,01819%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$139,96011%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$3,3340%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Colfax’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 41¢ of every dollar41¢Public Safety: 23¢ of every dollar23¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 9¢ of every dollar9¢

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 93 Iowa cities closest in size (1,500–3,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (93)
Business Type / Enterprise41¢40¢
Public Safety23¢12¢
General Government11¢6¢
Public Works9¢10¢
Culture and Recreation8¢7¢
Everything else9¢10¢

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$1.7M52%
  • General Government$439,68014%
  • Public Works$370,70112%
  • Culture and Recreation$343,96611%
  • Debt Service$240,7937%
  • Community and Economic Development$144,7845%
  • Health and Social Services$8,5000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.7M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$392,083$441,937
Public Safety$792,288$827,603
Health and Social Services$8,000$8,335
General Government$327,503$404,894
Debt Service$204,150$163,150
Culture and Recreation$427,665$812,849
Community and Economic Development$178,100$160,942
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$1.2M$1.4M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$5.8M
$5.6M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Colfax owes

$4.3M at June 30, 2026: $1,900 per resident. 399th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$5.0M
$4.3M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$4.3M$1,900
2025$4.9M$2,161
2024$4.7M$2,099
2023$5.0M$2,216
2022$4.6M$2,018
2021$4.7M$2,104
2020$3.8M$1,665
2019$1.1M$504
2018$1.7M$763
2017$2.0M$868
2016$1.9M$836
2015$2.3M$1,025
2014$2.5M$1,095
2013$1.8M$795
2012$2.9M$1,279
2011$1.6M$695
2010$1.8M$789
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$4.3M$1,900
2025$4.9M$2,161
2024$4.7M$2,099
2023$5.0M$2,216
2022$4.6M$2,018
2021$4.7M$2,104
2020$3.8M$1,665
2019$1.1M$504
2018$1.7M$763
2017$2.0M$868
2016$1.9M$836
2015$2.3M$1,025
2014$2.5M$1,095
2013$1.8M$795
2012$2.9M$1,279
2011$1.6M$695
2010$1.8M$789

Up 141% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $3.7M, 51% of the limit of about $7.2M (5% of $144.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationReplace water mains on League Road, Front, Cherry and Walnut Streets2037$1.8M
General ObligationRemodel Building to be used for City Hall2037$1.2M
General ObligationDemolition costs for Briggs Building2035$635,000
Revenue BondsWASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADES2033$423,000
Revenue BondsRV PARK - WATER/SEWER LINES2034$186,000

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. Colfax’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Monday, February 2, 2026, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Colfax

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: $368,800 in FY25, up 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$307,678$310,313$318,525$320,254
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$19,420$26,927$33,504$48,546

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.

$262,501
  • State grants$262,501100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,180
FY20$1,953
FY21$101,863
FY22$14,100
FY23$0
FY24$113,238
FY25$262,501
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,180
FY20$1,953
FY21$101,863
FY22$14,100
FY23$0
FY24$113,238
FY25$262,501

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−6%$270,386 → $320,254, up 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% 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 62% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% more.

$289,604

Federal grants, for comparison: $66,150 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2009 worth $83K, for 29 pledged jobs.

Awards 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

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Colfax; 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.

  • Colfax City Council At-Large
    Now held by Curtis Small
  • Colfax City Council Ward 1
    Now held by Bryan Poulter
  • Colfax City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Wes Snyder
  • Colfax Mayor
    Now held by David Mast

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

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

U.S. House:District 1

Jasper CountyColfax-Mingo schools