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Local taxes › Keokuk County › Harper

City

Harper

Keokuk County · How cities work

$2,210 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($26.19 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$450 a yearof that goes to the city ($5.29 per $1,000)
$21,489property taxes the city levies, FY27
$46,209city 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.

  • Colton Altenhofen (Write In)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Connie BakerHarper City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • James Sines (Write In)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Luke McCarville (Write In)Harper Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mary Lou KaneHarper City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Roberta PeifferHarper City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Barb Gretter (Write-in)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Dan Peiffer (Write-in)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • James Sines (Write-in)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Luke McCarville (Write-in)Harper City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Tyler Curtis OlsenHarper 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 Harper

Homes and businesses in most of Harper pay a combined $26.19 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, $5.29. Estimate your bill.

  • Keota schools$11.3543%
  • Keokuk County$5.6422%
  • City of Harper$5.2920%
  • Keokuk County Hospital$1.767%
  • Indian Hills Community College$1.245%
  • Keokuk County Assessor$0.602%
  • Keokuk County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.311%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.79$8.10
FY21$30.26$8.10
FY22$29.47$7.84
FY23$29.48$7.84
FY24$29.35$7.71
FY25$29.23$7.48
FY26$29.15$7.48
FY27$26.19$5.29
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.79$8.10
FY21$30.26$8.10
FY22$29.47$7.84
FY23$29.48$7.84
FY24$29.35$7.71
FY25$29.23$7.48
FY26$29.15$7.48
FY27$26.19$5.29

Compared with places this size3

Harper’s city property tax rate of $5.29 per $1,000 is the 8th lowest of 146 Iowa cities with 80–180 people. The middle of the group is $9.86.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Hansell: $23.66Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Stanley: $20.69Coin: $19.59Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Grant: $18.71Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Little Sioux: $15.74Woodburn: $15.59Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Delaware: $12.86Clemons: $12.69Cylinder: $12.52Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Decatur: $12.08Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Linn Grove: $11.15Promise City: $11.13Leighton: $11.07Masonville: $11.00Somers: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Pacific Junction: $10.56Barnes City: $10.44Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Andover: $8.28Thurman: $8.26Carpenter: $8.10Chillicothe: $8.10Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Buckeye: $7.94Morrison: $7.86Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Westwood: $7.67Kinross: $7.57Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Craig: $7.01Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Pleasant Plain: $6.79Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Tennant: $6.29Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Balltown: $0.12Harper: $5.29$0.12 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 146
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Hansell$23.6685
4Harris$23.13145
5Whitten$22.6598
6Stanley$20.6986
7Coin$19.59171
8Rowan$19.53118
9Chester$19.30134
10Bouton$19.25125
11Ricketts$19.22105
12Garden Grove$19.20173
13Hastings$18.95157
14Grant$18.7182
15Swaledale$18.62136
16Derby$18.1389
17Hillsboro$17.68158
18Bristow$17.39139
19Woolstock$17.26141
20Monmouth$16.41129
21Blockton$16.37123
22Geneva$16.25137
23Waterville$16.25112
24Little Sioux$15.74170
25Woodburn$15.59133
26Goodell$15.16139
27Marne$15.03109
28Baldwin$14.9199
29Palmer$13.89137
30Ayrshire$13.55128
31Searsboro$13.55129
32Ferguson$13.5398
33Lanesboro$13.53112
34Calumet$13.16144
35Delaware$12.86139
36Clemons$12.69135
37Cylinder$12.5284
38Millersburg$12.40135
39Aurora$12.40165
40Bridgewater$12.29145
41Arion$12.1499
42Webb$12.10139
43Decatur$12.08174
44Shambaugh$11.98161
45Lone Rock$11.92143
46East Peru$11.89119
47Henderson$11.85140
48Reasnor$11.76157
49Morley$11.7494
50Ledyard$11.74118
51Toronto$11.68101
52Exline$11.60157
53Beaman$11.54155
54College Springs$11.44172
55Melrose$11.27110
56Linn Grove$11.15155
57Promise City$11.1391
58Leighton$11.07153
59Masonville$11.0098
60Somers$10.99121
61Havelock$10.95127
62Alexander$10.90165
63Lambs Grove$10.78174
64Wallingford$10.75154
65Pacific Junction$10.5699
66Barnes City$10.44152
67Stockton$10.37171
68Randall$10.35156
69Meriden$10.28175
70Drakesville$10.24170
71North Washington$10.23107
72Dawson$10.19110
73Hartwick$9.9091
74Clare$9.81133
75Tingley$9.81146
76Rutland$9.65116
77Van Wert$9.62175
78Rock Falls$9.61143
79Kirkville$9.59159
80Superior$9.58127
81Webster$9.5594
82Martinsburg$9.49109
83Larrabee$9.41116
84Hamilton$9.35125
85Wiota$9.3291
86Floris$9.29119
87Mitchell$9.22118
88Westphalia$9.18133
89Blairsburg$8.93175
90Prairieburg$8.91156
91Welton$8.86124
92Archer$8.84116
93Luther$8.83147
94Fraser$8.81107
95Macksburg$8.81103
96Moorland$8.61169
97Pilot Mound$8.54155
98Andover$8.28106
99Thurman$8.26162
100Carpenter$8.1092
101Chillicothe$8.1079
102Rome$8.10112
103Westfield$8.10121
104Vincent$8.09125
105Buckeye$7.9482
106Morrison$7.86101
107Mount Auburn$7.86162
108Haverhill$7.86164
109Oyens$7.8688
110Olds$7.86174
111Castalia$7.86141
112Dickens$7.86146
113Rose Hill$7.86156
114West Chester$7.82147
115Cromwell$7.81104
116Mcclelland$7.79147
117Arispe$7.7195
118Luzerne$7.69111
119Lidderdale$7.68162
120Westwood$7.6796
121Kinross$7.5780
122Bernard$7.56117
123Braddyville$7.49142
124Franklin$7.31133
125Spragueville$7.2092
126Weldon$7.18134
127Craig$7.0178
128Brunsville$6.95128
129Zwingle$6.9386
130Pleasant Plain$6.7983
131Houghton$6.73129
132Williamson$6.72126
133Lincoln$6.32119
134Tennant$6.2983
135Gravity$6.18149
136Ackworth$5.90117
137Springbrook$5.79145
138Maysville$5.77155
139Harper$5.29117
140Panorama Park$4.62142
141Keomah Village$3.15107
142Mcintire$2.78115
143Centralia$2.41117
144New Liberty$2.27141
145North Buena Vista$1.78107
146Balltown$0.1278

The $8.10 limit

Harper’s general levy is $5.29 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $2.81 below the limit.4 902 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $7.84 · FY24 $7.71 · FY25 $7.48 · FY26 $7.48 · FY27 $5.29 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

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$21,489100%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Harper’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 60¢ of every dollar60¢Public Works: 20¢ of every dollar20¢General Government: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Safety: 2¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: <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 147 Iowa cities closest in size (80–180 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (147)
Business Type / Enterprise60¢24¢
Public Works20¢27¢
General Government18¢26¢
Public Safety2¢10¢
Culture and Recreation<1¢7¢

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$30,65066%
  • General Government$10,47723%
  • Public Safety$2,5936%
  • Culture and Recreation$2,4895%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($80,778 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$22,800$40,945
Public Safety$2,324$2,322
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$10,079$13,707
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$365$5,802
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$68,900$78,055

What it spent each year

FY24 left out5

$140,831
$108,578

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Harper owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.6

$16,736
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$1,661$14
2018$3,336$28
2017$5,036$43
2016$6,711$57
2015$8,386$71
2014$10,061$85
2013$11,711$99
2012$13,386$113
2011$15,061$128
2010$16,736$142
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$1,661$14
2018$3,336$28
2017$5,036$43
2016$6,711$57
2015$8,386$71
2014$10,061$85
2013$11,711$99
2012$13,386$113
2011$15,061$128
2010$16,736$142

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit7

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $355,939 (5% of $7.1M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Harper’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Tuesday, March 31, 2026 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Tuesday, March 31, 2026 (PDF), released Friday, October 16, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

4 earlier reports for Harper

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: $11,772 in FY25, up 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$11,521$11,418$11,710$11,772

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.

$118
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$118
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$118
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−10%$10,465 → $11,772, up 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% 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 57% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 25% more.

    $15,001
    $11,078

    Federal grants, for comparison: $8,223 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 Harper; 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.

    • Harper City Council At-Large (5 seats)
      Now held by Tyler Curtis Olsen, James Sines (Write-in), Barb Gretter (Write-in), Luke McCarville (Write-in), Dan Peiffer (Write-in)
    • Harper Mayor
      Now held by Luke McCarville (Write In)

    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 CountyKeota schools