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Local taxes › Jasper County › Sully

City

Sully

Jasper County · How cities work

$2,200 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($26.07 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$620 a yearof that goes to the city ($7.41 per $1,000)
$316,998property taxes the city levies, FY27
$705,544city 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.

  • Arnold AltSully City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brent VanderMolenSully Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jon Michael Van WykSully City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Justin Van SoelenSully City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mary Carol CrossSully City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Tim LeCompteSully 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 Sully

Homes and businesses in most of Sully pay a combined $26.07 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, $7.41. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.69$9.83
FY21$31.04$9.73
FY22$30.66$9.70
FY23$30.14$9.65
FY24$29.42$9.48
FY25$28.84$9.03
FY26$26.90$7.87
FY27$26.07$7.41
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.69$9.83
FY21$31.04$9.73
FY22$30.66$9.70
FY23$30.14$9.65
FY24$29.42$9.48
FY25$28.84$9.03
FY26$26.90$7.87
FY27$26.07$7.41

Compared with places this size3

Sully’s city property tax rate of $7.41 per $1,000 is the 9th lowest of 180 Iowa cities with 600–1,300 people. The middle of the group is $12.89.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Walker: $15.74Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Moulton: $14.25Nora Springs: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $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: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $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: $10.88Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $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: $10.01What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Sully: $7.41$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 180
#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
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Greene$17.91971
15Alden$17.90738
16Lansing$17.67959
17Strawberry Point$17.581,141
18Rockwell$17.541,044
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Gowrie$17.17943
22Colo$17.14856
23Mapleton$16.901,114
24George$16.891,106
25Fayette$16.851,193
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Bancroft$16.52677
32Eldon$16.42788
33Aplington$16.341,088
34Panora$16.141,096
35Mechanicsville$16.12974
36Dike$15.941,293
37Armstrong$15.87847
38Ruthven$15.84710
39Walker$15.74671
40Shell Rock$15.521,265
41Newell$15.49850
42Riceville$15.31807
43Neola$15.30917
44Sidney$15.191,048
45Gilbertville$15.15792
46Stanwood$15.12612
47Stratford$15.03688
48Griswold$15.01975
49Readlyn$14.99857
50Tripoli$14.991,208
51Hopkinton$14.79622
52Essex$14.76721
53Dunlap$14.561,030
54Garnavillo$14.52751
55Maxwell$14.50862
56Coon Rapids$14.491,258
57Moulton$14.25596
58Nora Springs$14.251,330
59Mcgregor$14.20725
60Olin$14.19652
61Primghar$14.18893
62Sheffield$14.161,123
63Elgin$14.05676
64Ossian$13.88777
65Alton$13.871,248
66Redfield$13.73719
67Victor$13.72852
68Edgewood$13.64908
69Sioux Rapids$13.63722
70Donnellson$13.63859
71Gladbrook$13.58775
72Clarksville$13.531,238
73Rockford$13.52722
74Janesville$13.431,052
75Glidden$13.431,140
76Calmar$13.391,100
77Boyden$13.39694
78Baxter$13.32983
79Manly$13.291,233
80Anita$13.28953
81Van Horne$13.27768
82Conrad$13.231,098
83Springville$13.221,161
84Keota$13.21888
85Shellsburg$13.20987
86De Soto$13.18937
87Treynor$13.031,104
88Odebolt$13.00967
89Coggon$12.99691
90Earlville$12.90713
91Danville$12.87910
92Underwood$12.85973
93New Sharon$12.801,249
94Malvern$12.791,056
95Montrose$12.78734
96Goldfield$12.73617
97Wellsburg$12.68709
98Buffalo$12.681,163
99Stanton$12.62664
100Hospers$12.58703
101Hazleton$12.48711
102West Point$12.39903
103Hinton$12.38959
104Preston$12.38940
105Alburnett$12.30672
106Hubbard$12.30837
107Moravia$12.27625
108Hedrick$12.22717
109Carson$12.22772
110Wheatland$12.18765
111Schaller$12.14702
112Winfield$12.041,006
113Elkhart$12.001,079
114Afton$11.96864
115Lowden$11.93767
116Tabor$11.88983
117Albert City$11.88627
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
127Sutherland$11.25628
128Whiting$11.21725
129Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
130Shelby$11.17730
131University Heights$11.121,188
132Blairstown$11.04705
133Manilla$11.01756
134Hamburg$10.95863
135Clarence$10.94991
136Fontanelle$10.88684
137Grand Mound$10.78608
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
150What Cheer$10.01595
151Newhall$9.99887
152Graettinger$9.81810
153Doon$9.78640
154Long Grove$9.59849
155Lake View$9.391,120
156Paullina$9.21979
157Fairbank$9.001,133
158Winthrop$8.94814
159Crescent$8.72626
160Keosauqua$8.58944
161Grand Junction$8.57715
162Princeton$8.24917
163Kellogg$8.10597
164Lakeside$8.10695
165Riverside$8.021,063
166Agency$7.94623
167Hills$7.94911
168Fremont$7.86688
169Larchwood$7.52954
170North English$7.491,030
171Sloan$7.491,078
172Sully$7.41891
173Fruitland$7.21928
174Lawton$7.10949
175Wayland$7.07935
176Raymond$6.85754
177Keystone$6.80616
178Shueyville$6.79725
179Arnolds Park$4.951,214
180Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Sully’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.4 821 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.41 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$1.4M of taxable value in Sully is in TIF districts’ increment (3% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.5 It budgeted $145,258 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$181,063

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY276

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $10,437 of the city’s own.

  • Jasper County$6,733
YearTIF revenue
FY16$38,047
FY17$35,878
FY18$35,259
FY19$35,705
FY20$37,131
FY21$103,295
FY22$114,022
FY23$181,063
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$38,047
FY17$35,878
FY18$35,259
FY19$35,705
FY20$37,131
FY21$103,295
FY22$114,022
FY23$181,063

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$316,352100%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Sully’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 53¢ of every dollar53¢General Government: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Community and Economic Development: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ of every dollar

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 179 Iowa cities closest in size (600–1,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (179)
Business Type / Enterprise53¢40¢
General Government16¢9¢
Culture and Recreation12¢9¢
Public Works11¢15¢
Community and Economic Development4¢2¢
Everything else4¢16¢

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.

  • General Government$333,03047%
  • Culture and Recreation$163,73923%
  • Public Works$148,55621%
  • Public Safety$48,4077%
  • Community and Economic Development$11,8122%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($821,600 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$175,734$143,031
Public Safety$38,775$38,767
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$256,175$159,518
Debt Service$90,504$90,473
Culture and Recreation$170,602$101,383
Community and Economic Development$94,950$47,831
Capital Projects$124,047$86,843
Business Type / Enterprise$469,740$634,319

What it spent each year

FY24 left out7

$1.8M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Sully owes

$1.9M at June 30, 2026: $2,111 per resident. 374th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).8

$1.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$2,111
2025$773,088$878
2024$903,218$1,025
2023$1.0M$1,176
2022$1.2M$1,323
2021$1.3M$1,466
2020$1.4M$1,610
2019$556,738$632
2018$674,442$766
2017$789,146$896
2016$655,262$744
2015$867,466$985
2014$781,000$886
2013$954,000$1,083
2012$1.1M$1,304
2011$1.2M$1,348
2010$1.4M$1,589
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$2,111
2025$773,088$878
2024$903,218$1,025
2023$1.0M$1,176
2022$1.2M$1,323
2021$1.3M$1,466
2020$1.4M$1,610
2019$556,738$632
2018$674,442$766
2017$789,146$896
2016$655,262$744
2015$867,466$985
2014$781,000$886
2013$954,000$1,083
2012$1.1M$1,304
2011$1.2M$1,348
2010$1.4M$1,589

Up 33% since 2010.

The 5% limit9

General obligation debt is $23,088, under 1% of the limit of about $4.0M (5% of $80.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWater System Improvements2045$1.2M
Revenue BondsSRF Sewer Revenue Bonds2039$678,000
General ObligationFirst Street Paving2026$23,088

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 balances10. Sully’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, October 28, 2025, by the Auditor of State.

8 earlier reports for Sully

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? 12

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: $130,426 in FY25, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$120,288$121,236$124,444$125,119
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$8,491–$6,369$5,307

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.

$24,007
  • BPTC Backfill$20,92087%
  • Enrich Iowa$3,08713%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,410
FY20$2,101
FY21$3,744
FY22$1,808
FY23$9,228
FY24$22,877
FY25$24,007
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,410
FY20$2,101
FY21$3,744
FY22$1,808
FY23$9,228
FY24$22,877
FY25$24,007

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−6%$106,061 → $125,119, up 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−55%$9,376 → $5,307, down 43% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 55% 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 53% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 22% more.

$110,368
$109,992

Federal grants, for comparison: $62,127 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2011 worth $172K, for 32 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)13.

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 Sully; 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.

  • Sully City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Mary Carol Cross, Tim LeCompte
  • Sully Mayor
    Now held by Brent VanderMolen

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure LONovember 7, 2023

    Passed Yes 76.3% (164) · No 23.7% (51)

    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 ballot15.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

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

U.S. House:District 1

Jasper CountyLynnville-Sully schools