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Local taxes › Kossuth County › Lakota

City

Lakota

Kossuth County · How cities work

$2,210 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($26.22 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,420 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.84 per $1,000)
$108,334property taxes the city levies, FY27
$265,911city 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.

  • Brittany PriceLakota City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tanner T. WeringaLakota City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nathan HeideckerLakota Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Rick MeyerLakota City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Royce JanssenLakota 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 Lakota

Homes and businesses in most of Lakota pay a combined $34.64 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Kossuth County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.84. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.09$16.51
FY21$25.80$16.05
FY22$25.59$16.09
FY23$25.43$16.17
FY24$26.17$16.29
FY25$26.62$16.63
FY26$25.72$13.97
FY27$26.22$16.84
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.09$16.51
FY21$25.80$16.05
FY22$25.59$16.09
FY23$25.43$16.17
FY24$26.17$16.29
FY25$26.62$16.63
FY26$25.72$13.97
FY27$26.22$16.84

Compared with places this size3

Lakota’s city property tax rate of $16.84 per $1,000 is the 23rd highest 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: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Pierson: $17.12Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Marble 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: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $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: $2.27Lakota: $16.84$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
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
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
121Holland$11.37261
122Churdan$11.31359
123Mallard$11.28255
124Renwick$11.16228
125Dundee$11.14193
126Randolph$11.08183
127Rake$11.05179
128Frederika$10.99206
129New Vienna$10.91384
130Letts$10.91358
131Goose Lake$10.89250
132Birmingham$10.87371
133Charlotte$10.86386
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

Lakota’s general levy is $8.47 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.37 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 34 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.47 · FY26 $8.47 · FY27 $8.47 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.37 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$5.71 · $36,176
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.62 · $16,617
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.03 · $195

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$53,63450%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$36,17634%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$16,61716%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$1950%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Lakota’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 44¢ of every dollar44¢Public Works: 20¢ of every dollar20¢General Government: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Safety: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Culture and Recreation: 7¢ 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 / Enterprise44¢36¢
Public Works20¢21¢
General Government19¢18¢
Public Safety10¢9¢
Culture and Recreation7¢8¢
Everything else<1¢2¢

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$82,56031%
  • Public Safety$81,56631%
  • General Government$69,57826%
  • Culture and Recreation$31,20712%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($161,066 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$76,773$70,994
Public Safety$38,420$73,689
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$55,566$61,356
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$39,339$27,955
Community and Economic Development$1,000$24
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$176,261$203,087

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.1M
$499,548

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Lakota owes

$1.9M at June 30, 2026: $6,976 per resident. 52nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$2.1M
$1.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$6,976
2025$1.9M$7,188
2024$2.0M$7,394
2023$2.0M$7,598
2022$2.1M$7,795
2021$2.1M$7,994
2020$1.6M$6,158
2019$1.4M$5,283
2018$1.4M$5,384
2017$1.5M$5,482
2016$1.5M$5,578
2015$995,363$3,728
2014$49,974$187
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$15,000$56
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$6,976
2025$1.9M$7,188
2024$2.0M$7,394
2023$2.0M$7,598
2022$2.1M$7,795
2021$2.1M$7,994
2020$1.6M$6,158
2019$1.4M$5,283
2018$1.4M$5,384
2017$1.5M$5,482
2016$1.5M$5,578
2015$995,363$3,728
2014$49,974$187
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$15,000$56

Up 12318% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $577,928 (5% of $11.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWastewater System2056$1.2M
Revenue BondsWater Plant2047$654,000

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 balances9. Lakota’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Wednesday, March 31, 2021 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Wednesday, March 31, 2021 (PDF), released Thursday, March 24, 2022, by the Auditor of State.

1 earlier report for Lakota

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? 11

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: $25,025 in FY25, down 15% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$29,109$24,537$24,556$24,690
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$149$670$502$335

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.

$110,610
$5,014
  • State grants$5,014100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$396
FY20$110,610
FY21$12,127
FY22$660
FY23$20,858
FY24$4,438
FY25$5,014
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$396
FY20$110,610
FY21$12,127
FY22$660
FY23$20,858
FY24$4,438
FY25$5,014

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−33%$29,579 → $24,690, down 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% 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 38% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% more.

$44,085
$42,100

Federal grants, for comparison: $20,789 in FY22.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2001 worth $295K, for 38 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)12.

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 · 1

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Lakota; 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.

  • Lakota City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Rick Meyer, Royce Janssen
  • Lakota Mayor
    Now held by Nathan Heidecker

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

David D. Rowley (Sen. 5)Henry Stone (Rep. 9)

U.S. House:District 4

Kossuth CountyNorth Iowa schools