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Local taxes › Jefferson County › Maharishi Vedic City

City

Maharishi Vedic City

Jefferson County · How cities work

$2,230 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($26.45 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$330 a yearof that goes to the city ($3.87 per $1,000)
$60,295property taxes the city levies, FY27
$393,177city 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.

  • Kathy PetersenMaharishi Vedic City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Leslee GoldsteinMaharishi Vedic City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Maureen WynneMaharishi Vedic City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Robert Chris JohnsonMaharishi Vedic City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Rogers BadgettMaharishi Vedic City Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Timothy Fitz-RandolphMaharishi Vedic City 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 Maharishi Vedic City

Homes and businesses in most of Maharishi Vedic City pay a combined $26.45 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Jefferson County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $3.87. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$27.55$3.54
FY21$26.01$3.54
FY22$25.47$3.54
FY23$25.17$3.81
FY24$24.84$3.83
FY25$26.97$3.89
FY26$26.99$3.95
FY27$26.45$3.87
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$27.55$3.54
FY21$26.01$3.54
FY22$25.47$3.54
FY23$25.17$3.81
FY24$24.84$3.83
FY25$26.97$3.89
FY26$26.99$3.95
FY27$26.45$3.87

Compared with places this size3

Maharishi Vedic City’s city property tax rate of $3.87 per $1,000 is the 4th lowest of 209 Iowa cities with 190–440 people. The middle of the group is $12.17.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Clutier: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Joice: $11.72Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Frederika: $10.99Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Ollie: $8.44Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Rickardsville: $2.27Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 209
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Oxford Junction$20.84424
7Earling$20.47394
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Fort Atkinson$19.19300
12Salem$19.15380
13Cumberland$18.42248
14Jamaica$18.24196
15Massena$18.23352
16Callender$17.78361
17Casey$17.72387
18Vail$17.66383
19Ringsted$17.65346
20Emerson$17.54401
21Ashton$17.17434
22Pierson$17.12335
23Burt$17.10404
24Pisgah$17.09248
25Lohrville$16.95366
26Lakota$16.84261
27Marble Rock$16.78258
28Auburn$16.65253
29Mccallsburg$16.58356
30Irwin$16.46320
31Montour$16.37199
32Lewis$16.25358
33Corwith$16.22259
34Deep River$16.18243
35Waucoma$16.17235
36Duncombe$16.10374
37Bayard$16.05402
38Granville$16.00302
39Minburn$15.75317
40Onslow$15.63198
41Linden$15.62206
42Peterson$15.27321
43Greeley$15.23216
44Arlington$14.98415
45Riverton$14.94243
46Marathon$14.89221
47Plainfield$14.84392
48Ryan$14.84348
49Otho$14.82417
50Ladora$14.74223
51Magnolia$14.68194
52Bagley$14.63230
53Garrison$14.38345
54Halbur$14.37268
55Lorimor$14.36377
56Crystal Lake$14.36243
57Kimballton$14.27281
58Ocheyedan$14.22424
59Steamboat Rock$14.19261
60Mystic$14.01318
61Wesley$13.91382
62Diagonal$13.91331
63Bussey$13.83378
64Mondamin$13.82335
65Livermore$13.78382
66Fertile$13.70300
67Stockport$13.68272
68Kellerton$13.60241
69Quimby$13.58245
70Lamont$13.57429
71New Albin$13.55435
72Meservey$13.43212
73Persia$13.41292
74Lawler$13.39392
75Lacona$13.38336
76Leland$13.31240
77Ute$13.26326
78New Market$13.25381
79Plymouth$13.21368
80Harcourt$13.21257
81Bennett$13.16330
82Ridgeway$13.10261
83Farmersburg$13.09264
84Clutier$13.03209
85Lehigh$12.97395
86Menlo$12.92347
87Templeton$12.91337
88Silver City$12.87244
89Martelle$12.83250
90Malcom$12.82257
91Galva$12.68416
92Martensdale$12.63413
93Blencoe$12.57223
94Williams$12.57299
95Maurice$12.56271
96Clearfield$12.50277
97Kensett$12.47256
98Mccausland$12.45314
99Spillville$12.40371
100Modale$12.34284
101Mingo$12.31314
102Brandon$12.29331
103Blakesburg$12.21273
104Cushing$12.18225
105Bonaparte$12.17357
106Hanlontown$12.17200
107Stout$12.14194
108Macedonia$12.12266
109Hawkeye$12.11429
110Paton$12.09217
111Kiron$12.03262
112Rembrandt$12.03199
113Colesburg$11.97379
114Liscomb$11.96292
115New Providence$11.88233
116Thornton$11.86394
117Joice$11.72206
118Allerton$11.72432
119Atalissa$11.71287
120Cantril$11.69224
121Kelley$11.69312
122Orient$11.66363
123Wadena$11.65201
124Cincinnati$11.57280
125Delta$11.52257
126Terril$11.48310
127Westside$11.45283
128Holland$11.37261
129Churdan$11.31359
130Mallard$11.28255
131Miles$11.28400
132Renwick$11.16228
133Frederika$10.99206
134Milton$10.98395
135New Vienna$10.91384
136Letts$10.91358
137Goose Lake$10.89250
138Birmingham$10.87371
139Charlotte$10.86386
140Yale$10.85265
141Batavia$10.77434
142Hornick$10.74255
143Riverdale$10.67385
144Bode$10.64304
145Union$10.58378
146Cleghorn$10.49235
147Calamus$10.47348
148Danbury$10.43315
149Lytton$10.38274
150Rhodes$10.36269
151Dedham$10.28221
152Deloit$10.28246
153Protivin$10.28264
154Andrew$10.22374
155Royal$10.20379
156Bronson$10.14294
157Hancock$10.13199
158Rudd$10.13339
159La Motte$10.09235
160Melvin$10.05196
161Defiance$10.05248
162Floyd$10.02297
163Panama$9.85234
164Grafton$9.83212
165Lynnville$9.68382
166Ionia$9.65220
167Salix$9.63303
168Luxemburg$9.58240
169Rippey$9.42217
170Farnhamville$9.18364
171Middletown$9.16365
172Dixon$9.03204
173Lester$8.94309
174Oakville$8.89198
175Harvey$8.71242
176Washta$8.65206
177Ollie$8.44196
178Rowley$8.31264
179South English$8.27196
180Bertram$8.10267
181Fostoria$8.10229
182Grandview$8.10431
183Lost Nation$8.10425
184Low Moor$8.10242
185Nichols$8.10317
186Laurel$8.10214
187Lineville$8.10194
188Luana$7.98303
189Lockridge$7.92245
190Klemme$7.74429
191Pulaski$7.58259
192Beacon$7.56434
193Sheldahl$7.56312
194Fredonia$7.55227
195Worthington$7.50374
196Harpers Ferry$7.49273
197Alvord$7.41216
198Marquette$7.08434
199Columbus City$6.94385
200Donahue$6.83336
201Libertyville$6.60278
202Keswick$6.49238
203Crawfordsville$6.44278
204Holy Cross$5.91348
205Conesville$5.86350
206Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
207Wahpeton$3.19337
208West Okoboji$2.92311
209Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Maharishi Vedic City’s general levy is $3.87 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $4.23 below the limit.4 914 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $3.81 · FY24 $3.83 · FY25 $3.89 · FY26 $3.95 · FY27 $3.87 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$1.3M of taxable value in Maharishi Vedic City is in TIF districts’ increment (8% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.5 It budgeted $25,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

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 $5,126 of the city’s own.

  • Fairfield schools$13,531
  • Jefferson County$8,674
YearTIF revenue
FY23$13,540
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY23$13,540

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$55,375100%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Maharishi Vedic City’s budget goes, FY26

General Government: 27¢ of every dollar27¢Public Works: 26¢ of every dollar26¢Business Type / Enterprise: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Capital Projects: 6¢ of every dollarEverything 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 207 Iowa cities closest in size (190–440 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (207)
General Government27¢17¢
Public Works26¢20¢
Business Type / Enterprise22¢38¢
Culture and Recreation8¢8¢
Capital Projects6¢3¢
Everything else11¢14¢

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 Works$131,80034%
  • General Government$122,30031%
  • Culture and Recreation$61,70016%
  • Public Safety$36,1009%
  • Debt Service$22,5776%
  • Community and Economic Development$18,7005%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($161,850 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$67,500$63,295
Public Safety$33,800$31,068
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$61,200$58,617
Debt Service$22,577$22,577
Culture and Recreation$13,604$6,896
Community and Economic Development$37,500$33,283
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$333,057$149,663

What it spent each year

FY24 left out7

$785,830
$534,850

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Maharishi Vedic City owes

$216,202 at June 30, 2026: $781 per resident. 593rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).8

$4.4M
$216,202
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$216,202$781
2025$233,239$842
2024$249,882$902
2023$266,138$961
2022$282,017$1,018
2021$297,528$1,074
2020$401,359$1,449
2019$624,791$2,256
2018$651,398$2,352
2017$733,462$2,648
2016$390,560$1,410
2015$2.9M$10,414
2014$3.5M$12,714
2013$3.7M$13,291
2012$3.8M$13,742
2011$4.4M$15,806
2010$3.9M$13,910
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$216,202$781
2025$233,239$842
2024$249,882$902
2023$266,138$961
2022$282,017$1,018
2021$297,528$1,074
2020$401,359$1,449
2019$624,791$2,256
2018$651,398$2,352
2017$733,462$2,648
2016$390,560$1,410
2015$2.9M$10,414
2014$3.5M$12,714
2013$3.7M$13,291
2012$3.8M$13,742
2011$4.4M$15,806
2010$3.9M$13,910

Down 94% since 2010.

The 5% limit9

General obligation debt is $216,202, 14% of the limit of about $1.5M (5% of $30.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationCity Hall/Community Center2036$216,202

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. Maharishi Vedic City’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF), released Friday, February 1, 2019, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Maharishi Vedic City

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: $33,827 in FY25, down 80% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 84% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$63,723$33,187$33,644$33,827
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$784–––

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.

$805
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$800
    FY20$805
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$800
    FY20$805
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−84%$167,554 → $33,827, down 80% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 84% 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 down 68% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 74% less.

    $132,646
    $30,409

    Federal grants, for comparison: $53,940 in FY25.

    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)13.

    In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

    Most recent: November 7, 2023

    City · 2

    5 seats: the top 5 win.

    2 more →

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Maharishi Vedic City; 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.

    • Maharishi Vedic City City Council At-Large (5 seats)
      Now held by Kathy Petersen, Maureen Wynne, Timothy Fitz-Randolph, Robert Chris Johnson, Leslee Goldstein
    • Maharishi Vedic City Mayor
      Now held by Rogers Badgett

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

    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 ballot15.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress16

    Adrian Dickey (Sen. 44)Jeff Shipley (Rep. 87)

    U.S. House:District 1

    Jefferson CountyFairfield schools