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Local taxes › Keokuk County › Delta

City

Delta

Keokuk County · How cities work

$2,790 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.07 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$970 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.52 per $1,000)
$41,620property taxes the city levies, FY27

Who runs it

The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.

  • Barbara FisherDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dolores CareyDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • James AhlbergDelta Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Melvin LambertDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nathan SlagterDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Shannon Kleinschmidt (Write In)Delta City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Donnie WalkerDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • James CareyDelta City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Roma NeitzelDelta 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 Delta

Homes and businesses in most of Delta pay a combined $33.07 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Keokuk County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.52. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Delta$11.5235%
  • Sigourney schools$11.4935%
  • Keokuk County$5.6417%
  • Keokuk County Hospital$1.765%
  • Indian Hills Community College$1.244%
  • Keokuk County Assessor$0.602%
  • Prairie-Gibson Thornburg Cemetery$0.502%
  • Keokuk County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.31<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.03$12.58
FY21$34.89$12.67
FY22$36.46$14.41
FY23$36.20$14.27
FY24$36.11$14.48
FY25$38.14$16.45
FY26$36.56$14.93
FY27$33.07$11.52
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.03$12.58
FY21$34.89$12.67
FY22$36.46$14.41
FY23$36.20$14.27
FY24$36.11$14.48
FY25$38.14$16.45
FY26$36.56$14.93
FY27$33.07$11.52

Compared with places this size2

Delta’s city property tax rate of $11.52 per $1,000 is the 94th lowest of 211 Iowa cities with 170–390 people. The middle of the group is $12.03.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Pierson: $17.12Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ryan: $14.84Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $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: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Oakland Acres: $5.88Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Delta: $11.52$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 211
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Soldier$21.92176
4Coulter$21.80220
5Chelsea$21.61207
6Elliott$21.61328
7Smithland$21.12184
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Garden Grove$19.20173
12Fort Atkinson$19.19300
13Salem$19.15380
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Massena$18.23352
17Callender$17.78361
18Vail$17.66383
19Ringsted$17.65346
20Pierson$17.12335
21Pisgah$17.09248
22Lohrville$16.95366
23Lakota$16.84261
24Marble Rock$16.78258
25Auburn$16.65253
26Mccallsburg$16.58356
27Prescott$16.53186
28Irwin$16.46320
29Montour$16.37199
30Lewis$16.25358
31Corwith$16.22259
32Deep River$16.18243
33Waucoma$16.17235
34Duncombe$16.10374
35Granville$16.00302
36Minburn$15.75317
37Moorhead$15.68186
38Onslow$15.63198
39Linden$15.62206
40Kamrar$15.47178
41Peterson$15.27321
42Greeley$15.23216
43Riverton$14.94243
44Marathon$14.89221
45Ryan$14.84348
46Ladora$14.74223
47Magnolia$14.68194
48Bagley$14.63230
49Davis City$14.45178
50Lucas$14.40176
51Garrison$14.38345
52Halbur$14.37268
53Lorimor$14.36377
54Crystal Lake$14.36243
55Kimballton$14.27281
56Steamboat Rock$14.19261
57Westgate$14.05190
58Mystic$14.01318
59Wesley$13.91382
60Diagonal$13.91331
61Bussey$13.83378
62Mondamin$13.82335
63Livermore$13.78382
64Fertile$13.70300
65Stockport$13.68272
66Kellerton$13.60241
67Quimby$13.58245
68Meservey$13.43212
69Persia$13.41292
70Lacona$13.38336
71Leland$13.31240
72Ute$13.26326
73New Market$13.25381
74Plymouth$13.21368
75Harcourt$13.21257
76Bennett$13.16330
77Ridgeway$13.10261
78Farmersburg$13.09264
79Portsmouth$13.05187
80Clutier$13.03209
81Menlo$12.92347
82Templeton$12.91337
83Silver City$12.87244
84Patterson$12.84176
85Martelle$12.83250
86Malcom$12.82257
87Blencoe$12.57223
88Williams$12.57299
89Maurice$12.56271
90Clearfield$12.50277
91Kensett$12.47256
92Mccausland$12.45314
93Spillville$12.40371
94Modale$12.34284
95Mingo$12.31314
96Brandon$12.29331
97Blakesburg$12.21273
98Cushing$12.18225
99Bonaparte$12.17357
100Hanlontown$12.17200
101Stout$12.14194
102Macedonia$12.12266
103Paton$12.09217
104Decatur$12.08174
105Kiron$12.03262
106Rembrandt$12.03199
107Colesburg$11.97379
108Liscomb$11.96292
109New Providence$11.88233
110Parnell$11.78190
111Joice$11.72206
112Atalissa$11.71287
113Cantril$11.69224
114Kelley$11.69312
115Orient$11.66363
116Wadena$11.65201
117Cincinnati$11.57280
118Delta$11.52257
119Terril$11.48310
120Westside$11.45283
121College Springs$11.44172
122Holland$11.37261
123Churdan$11.31359
124Mallard$11.28255
125Renwick$11.16228
126Dundee$11.14193
127Randolph$11.08183
128Rake$11.05179
129Frederika$10.99206
130New Vienna$10.91384
131Letts$10.91358
132Goose Lake$10.89250
133Birmingham$10.87371
134Yale$10.85265
135Lambs Grove$10.78174
136Hornick$10.74255
137Woden$10.68183
138Riverdale$10.67385
139Bode$10.64304
140Union$10.58378
141Cleghorn$10.49235
142Calamus$10.47348
143Danbury$10.43315
144Lytton$10.38274
145Rhodes$10.36269
146Dedham$10.28221
147Deloit$10.28246
148Protivin$10.28264
149Meriden$10.28175
150Andrew$10.22374
151Royal$10.20379
152Bronson$10.14294
153Hancock$10.13199
154Rudd$10.13339
155La Motte$10.09235
156Melvin$10.05196
157Defiance$10.05248
158Floyd$10.02297
159Barnum$9.96186
160Panama$9.85234
161Grafton$9.83212
162Lynnville$9.68382
163Ionia$9.65220
164Salix$9.63303
165Van Wert$9.62175
166Luxemburg$9.58240
167Rippey$9.42217
168Farnhamville$9.18364
169Elberon$9.16178
170Middletown$9.16365
171Dixon$9.03204
172Lester$8.94309
173Blairsburg$8.93175
174Oakville$8.89198
175Harvey$8.71242
176Washta$8.65206
177Ollie$8.44196
178Thor$8.38182
179Rowley$8.31264
180South English$8.27196
181Boxholm$8.11177
182Bertram$8.10267
183Fostoria$8.10229
184Low Moor$8.10242
185Nichols$8.10317
186Laurel$8.10214
187Lineville$8.10194
188Luana$7.98303
189Lockridge$7.92245
190Grand River$7.86192
191Olds$7.86174
192Pulaski$7.58259
193Sheldahl$7.56312
194Fredonia$7.55227
195Worthington$7.50374
196Harpers Ferry$7.49273
197Alvord$7.41216
198Columbus City$6.94385
199Donahue$6.83336
200Packwood$6.77186
201Libertyville$6.60278
202Keswick$6.49238
203Crawfordsville$6.44278
204Holy Cross$5.91348
205Oakland Acres$5.88178
206Conesville$5.86350
207Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
208Wahpeton$3.19337
209West Okoboji$2.92311
210Sherrill$2.66176
211Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Delta’s general levy is $7.63 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.47 below the limit.3 763 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.94 · FY26 $7.86 · FY27 $7.63 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.89 more4

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.43 · $12,012
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.46 · $1,607

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$26,73766%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$12,01230%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1,6074%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Delta’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 54¢ of every dollar54¢Public Works: 28¢ of every dollar28¢General Government: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Safety: 1¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: <1¢ of every dollarEverything else: <1¢ 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 209 Iowa cities closest in size (170–390 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (209)
Business Type / Enterprise54¢36¢
Public Works28¢21¢
General Government17¢18¢
Public Safety1¢9¢
Culture and Recreation<1¢8¢
Everything else<1¢<1¢

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.

    The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($154,777 in FY26), so this total is low.

    Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
    FunctionBudgetSpent
    Public Works$74,000$29,316
    Public Safety$3,800$102
    Health and Social Services$0$0
    General Government$25,380$18,651
    Debt Service$0$0
    Culture and Recreation$350$328
    Community and Economic Development$0$6,561
    Capital Projects$0$0
    Business Type / Enterprise$139,000$205,160

    What it spent each year

    FY24 left out5

    $363,826
    $260,118

    Debt, reserves and audits

    How local debt works · What an audit tells you

    What Delta owes

    $32,046 at June 30, 2026: $121 per resident. 697th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).6

    $522,468
    $32,046
    June 30OwedPer resident
    2026$32,046$121
    2025$68,046$258
    2024$121,326$460
    2023$157,204$595
    2022$191,556$726
    2021$250,155$948
    2020$265,114$1,004
    2019$295,640$1,120
    2018$324,754$1,230
    2017$353,640$1,340
    2016$379,005$1,436
    2015$404,342$1,532
    2014$428,652$1,624
    2013$452,900$1,716
    2012$476,196$1,804
    2011$500,252$1,895
    2010$522,468$1,979
    Show the numbers
    June 30OwedPer resident
    2026$32,046$121
    2025$68,046$258
    2024$121,326$460
    2023$157,204$595
    2022$191,556$726
    2021$250,155$948
    2020$265,114$1,004
    2019$295,640$1,120
    2018$324,754$1,230
    2017$353,640$1,340
    2016$379,005$1,436
    2015$404,342$1,532
    2014$428,652$1,624
    2013$452,900$1,716
    2012$476,196$1,804
    2011$500,252$1,895
    2010$522,468$1,979

    Down 94% since 2010.

    The 5% limit7

    General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $378,899 (5% of $7.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

    1 obligation at June 30, 2026
    KindForPaid off byOwed
    Revenue BondsCity pays $225.00 monthly to Wapello Rural Water Assoc. for a water line which was put in before new wells were dug south of City.2045$32,046

    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 balances8. Delta’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Monday, March 31, 2025 (PDF).

    Audits9

    The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Monday, March 31, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, March 27, 2026, by a CPA firm.

    1 earlier report for Delta

    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? 10

    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: $39,830 in FY24, down 6% since FY19 while prices rose 22%, so it buys 23% less. Grants are below.

    Show the numbers
    SourceFY21FY22FY23FY24
    Road Use Tax (streets)$35,962$63,302$33,547$39,830

    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.

    $2,000
    $0
      YearGrants and projects
      FY19$0
      FY20$0
      FY21$1,000
      FY22$1,000
      FY23$2,000
      FY24$0
      Show the numbers
      YearGrants and projects
      FY19$0
      FY20$0
      FY21$1,000
      FY22$1,000
      FY23$2,000
      FY24$0

      Has it kept up with prices?

      Each source from FY19 to FY24, after inflation.

      • Road Use Tax (streets)−23%$42,373 → $39,830, down 6% since FY19 while prices rose 22%, so it buys 23% 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 24% since FY19 while prices rose 22%, so it buys 2% more.

      $36,384
      $28,543

      Federal grants, for comparison: $23,774 in FY23.

      Business awards

      Every award 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)11.

      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

      5 seats: the top 5 win.

      Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Delta; 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.

      • Delta City Council At-Large (5 seats)
        Now held by Roma Neitzel, Donnie Walker, Nathan Slagter, James Carey, Barbara Fisher
      • Delta Mayor
        Now held by James Ahlberg

      Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

      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 ballot13.

      Related places

      At the Statehouse and in Congress14

      Adrian Dickey (Sen. 44)Helena Hayes (Rep. 88)

      U.S. House:District 1

      Keokuk CountySigourney schools