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Local taxes › Kossuth County › Swea City

City

Swea City

Kossuth County · How cities work

$2,990 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.46 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,520 a yearof that goes to the city ($18.04 per $1,000)
$317,052property taxes the city levies, FY27
$926,037city 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.

  • Deb JohnsonSwea City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Randy PerdueSwea City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Troy LangfordSwea City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dustin SobolikSwea City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lupe KollaschSwea City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mark GeerdesSwea 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 Swea City

Homes and businesses in most of Swea City pay a combined $35.46 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, $18.04. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.11$20.09
FY21$37.76$21.98
FY22$37.35$21.78
FY23$37.88$22.03
FY24$38.05$21.52
FY25$38.34$21.46
FY26$37.70$20.71
FY27$35.46$18.04
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.11$20.09
FY21$37.76$21.98
FY22$37.35$21.78
FY23$37.88$22.03
FY24$38.05$21.52
FY25$38.34$21.46
FY26$37.70$20.71
FY27$35.46$18.04

Compared with places this size3

Swea City’s city property tax rate of $18.04 per $1,000 is the 15th highest of 190 Iowa cities with 360–810 people. The middle of the group is $12.94.

Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Correctionville: $19.84Pomeroy: $19.60Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Emerson: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Adair: $16.84Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Riceville: $15.31Russell: $15.18Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Garnavillo: $14.52Sabula: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Ossian: $13.88Bussey: $13.83Livermore: $13.78Redfield: $13.73Sioux Rapids: $13.63Albion: $13.58Gladbrook: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39Van Horne: $13.27New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48Spillville: $12.40Alburnett: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Lowden: $11.93Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Fontanelle: $10.88Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Union: $10.58Lovilia: $10.46Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Andrew: $10.22Milo: $10.20Royal: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Grand Junction: $8.57Gilman: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Swea City: $18.04$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 190
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Dayton$22.51766
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Correctionville$19.84759
8Pomeroy$19.60511
9Salem$19.15380
10Dumont$19.04614
11Seymour$18.78646
12Dexter$18.69631
13Fonda$18.52636
14Kanawha$18.11638
15Swea City$18.04545
16Alden$17.90738
17Elma$17.82493
18Casey$17.72387
19Dows$17.70509
20New Hartford$17.69555
21Vail$17.66383
22Emerson$17.54401
23Walnut$17.46728
24Murray$17.44609
25Thompson$17.25478
26Ashton$17.17434
27Burt$17.10404
28Latimer$16.96477
29Lohrville$16.95366
30Adair$16.84792
31Elk Horn$16.78631
32Oxford$16.70715
33Whittemore$16.54478
34Bancroft$16.52677
35Titonka$16.45491
36Eldon$16.42788
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Duncombe$16.10374
40Bayard$16.05402
41Scranton$16.01496
42Ruthven$15.84710
43Minden$15.77581
44Walker$15.74671
45Riceville$15.31807
46Russell$15.18475
47Gilbertville$15.15792
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Stratford$15.03688
50Zearing$14.99508
51Arlington$14.98415
52Maynard$14.85466
53Plainfield$14.84392
54Otho$14.82417
55Wyoming$14.81526
56Humeston$14.80472
57Hopkinton$14.79622
58Essex$14.76721
59Gilmore City$14.60484
60Garnavillo$14.52751
61Sabula$14.38498
62Lorimor$14.36377
63Collins$14.32503
64Clermont$14.30571
65Moulton$14.25596
66Ocheyedan$14.22424
67Mcgregor$14.20725
68Olin$14.19652
69Garwin$14.08469
70Farragut$14.07480
71Elgin$14.05676
72Lime Springs$13.95467
73Dow City$13.94477
74Wesley$13.91382
75Ossian$13.88777
76Bussey$13.83378
77Livermore$13.78382
78Redfield$13.73719
79Sioux Rapids$13.63722
80Albion$13.58444
81Gladbrook$13.58775
82Lamont$13.57429
83New Albin$13.55435
84Rockford$13.52722
85Boyden$13.39694
86Lawler$13.39392
87Van Horne$13.27768
88New Market$13.25381
89Plymouth$13.21368
90Quasqueton$13.12587
91Farmington$13.10583
92Anthon$13.05534
93Little Rock$13.03447
94Coggon$12.99691
95Lehigh$12.97395
96Earlville$12.90713
97Brighton$12.88592
98Montrose$12.78734
99Goldfield$12.73617
100Wellsburg$12.68709
101Delmar$12.68541
102Galva$12.68416
103Badger$12.67540
104Martensdale$12.63413
105Stanton$12.62664
106Hospers$12.58703
107Norway$12.53463
108Everly$12.51570
109Hazleton$12.48711
110Spillville$12.40371
111Alburnett$12.30672
112Moravia$12.27625
113Hedrick$12.22717
114Carson$12.22772
115Wheatland$12.18765
116Schaller$12.14702
117Hawkeye$12.11429
118Colesburg$11.97379
119Lowden$11.93767
120Albert City$11.88627
121Thornton$11.86394
122Runnells$11.79467
123Allerton$11.72432
124Merrill$11.64713
125Ellsworth$11.57495
126Morning Sun$11.50702
127Battle Creek$11.49683
128Wall Lake$11.43739
129West Bend$11.42770
130Dakota City$11.39764
131Miles$11.28400
132Sutherland$11.25628
133Arcadia$11.23588
134Whiting$11.21725
135Shelby$11.17730
136Blairstown$11.04705
137Manilla$11.01756
138Milton$10.98395
139Ireton$10.93571
140New Vienna$10.91384
141Fontanelle$10.88684
142Birmingham$10.87371
143Charlotte$10.86386
144Richland$10.82532
145Grand Mound$10.78608
146Batavia$10.77434
147Riverdale$10.67385
148Union$10.58378
149Lovilia$10.46456
150Melbourne$10.38771
151Radcliffe$10.37540
152Stacyville$10.36436
153Ventura$10.22701
154Andrew$10.22374
155Milo$10.20762
156Royal$10.20379
157Hartford$10.16729
158What Cheer$10.01595
159Cumming$9.85527
160Graettinger$9.81810
161Breda$9.80492
162Doon$9.78640
163Lynnville$9.68382
164Farnhamville$9.18364
165Middletown$9.16365
166Alleman$9.12439
167Winthrop$8.94814
168Crescent$8.72626
169Ainsworth$8.62511
170Grand Junction$8.57715
171Gilman$8.10530
172Grandview$8.10431
173Kellogg$8.10597
174Lakeside$8.10695
175Lost Nation$8.10425
176Agency$7.94623
177Fremont$7.86688
178Delhi$7.81438
179Klemme$7.74429
180Beacon$7.56434
181Worthington$7.50374
182Marquette$7.08434
183Columbus City$6.94385
184Raymond$6.85754
185Keystone$6.80616
186Shueyville$6.79725
187New Virginia$5.97499
188University Park$5.27476
189Orleans$4.13503
190Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Swea City’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 545 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $10.15 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$4.81 · $84,159
  • Debt Service Levy$3.07 · $53,843
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.27 · $39,760

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$138,15544%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$84,15927%
  • Debt Service Levy$53,84317%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$39,76013%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Swea City’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 32¢ of every dollar32¢Public Works: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Debt Service: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 7¢ 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 189 Iowa cities closest in size (360–810 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (189)
Business Type / Enterprise32¢40¢
Public Works24¢18¢
Debt Service16¢5¢
Culture and Recreation11¢9¢
General Government11¢12¢
Everything else7¢11¢

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.

  • Debt Service$392,09142%
  • Public Works$253,72027%
  • General Government$123,87513%
  • Culture and Recreation$101,96911%
  • Public Safety$46,8825%
  • Community and Economic Development$7,5001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($315,697 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$180,300$202,626
Public Safety$106,410$102,628
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$71,960$81,180
Debt Service$137,612$137,612
Culture and Recreation$69,083$91,483
Community and Economic Development$10,000$2,144
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$305,715$831,205

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.6M
$1.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Swea City owes

$5.9M at June 30, 2026: $10,493 per resident. 12th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$5.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.9M$10,493
2025$1.1M$1,887
2024$921,000$1,627
2023$1.0M$1,830
2022$1.1M$2,028
2021$1.3M$2,221
2020$1.2M$2,035
2019$1.3M$2,221
2018$1.4M$2,490
2017$1.5M$2,679
2016$1.6M$2,870
2015$895,500$1,582
2014$951,562$1,681
2013$225,407$398
2012$204,971$362
2011$191,045$338
2010$247,479$437
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.9M$10,493
2025$1.1M$1,887
2024$921,000$1,627
2023$1.0M$1,830
2022$1.1M$2,028
2021$1.3M$2,221
2020$1.2M$2,035
2019$1.3M$2,221
2018$1.4M$2,490
2017$1.5M$2,679
2016$1.6M$2,870
2015$895,500$1,582
2014$951,562$1,681
2013$225,407$398
2012$204,971$362
2011$191,045$338
2010$247,479$437

Up 2300% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $356,000, 29% of the limit of about $1.2M (5% of $24.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWaste water project including new lagoon and treatment building.2055$5.0M
Revenue BondsWell/Water Plant Project2036$409,000
General ObligationWater Tower Painting2044$250,000
Revenue BondsSewer project2032$177,000
General ObligationConsolidation bond and equipment2028$106,000

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. Swea City’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF), released Wednesday, March 18, 2020, by the Auditor of State.

3 earlier reports for Swea 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? 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: $85,874 in FY25, up 24% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$77,492$77,888$79,949$80,383
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–––$5,491

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.

$40,834
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$1,690
    FY20$1,722
    FY21$1,446
    FY22$40,834
    FY23$39,551
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$1,690
    FY20$1,722
    FY21$1,446
    FY22$40,834
    FY23$39,551
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−7%$69,244 → $80,383, up 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% 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.

    $104,389
    $99,647

    Federal grants, for comparison: $3,496 in FY25.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2017 worth $225K, for 27 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 · 2

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Swea 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.

    • Swea City City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Dustin Sobolik, Lupe Kollasch, Mark Geerdes

    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 Kossuth schools