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Center Point

Linn County · How cities work

$3,260 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.77 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,110 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.19 per $1,000)
$1.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.3Mcity 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.

  • John StuelkeCenter Point City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Melissa McLaughlinCenter Point City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nathan SchnellCenter Point City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Traer MorganCenter Point Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Alicia ThomasCenter Point City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mike LeClereCenter Point 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 Center Point

Homes and businesses in most of Center Point pay a combined $38.77 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Linn County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.19. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.74$13.02
FY21$39.00$13.01
FY22$40.13$14.26
FY23$39.70$14.20
FY24$39.40$13.80
FY25$39.20$13.64
FY26$39.00$13.41
FY27$38.77$13.19
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.74$13.02
FY21$39.00$13.01
FY22$40.13$14.26
FY23$39.70$14.20
FY24$39.40$13.80
FY25$39.20$13.64
FY26$39.00$13.41
FY27$38.77$13.19

Compared with places this size3

Center Point’s city property tax rate of $13.19 per $1,000 is the 35th lowest of 80 Iowa cities with 1,700–3,800 people. The middle of the group is $13.76.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Eagle Grove: $19.32West Liberty: $18.68Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Waukon: $14.76Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Center Point: $13.19$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 80
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Albia$19.703,579
8Sac City$19.691,992
9Eagle Grove$19.323,615
10West Liberty$18.683,724
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Tama$17.742,997
14Clarion$17.742,751
15Britt$17.722,001
16Missouri Valley$17.682,638
17Madrid$16.932,824
18West Union$16.602,435
19Audubon$16.522,008
20Grundy Center$16.362,821
21Belle Plaine$16.342,335
22Colfax$16.252,305
23Durant$16.241,798
24Lamoni$16.152,072
25Marengo$16.102,415
26Postville$15.682,418
27Tipton$15.543,059
28Stuart$15.481,887
29Granger$15.222,095
30Sigourney$15.201,974
31Guttenberg$15.191,804
32Sumner$14.832,032
33Waukon$14.763,799
34Van Meter$14.601,840
35Rock Rapids$14.572,709
36Jesup$14.312,541
37Osage$14.293,559
38Parkersburg$14.151,986
39Ida Grove$14.101,988
40Lake Mills$13.822,077
41Emmetsburg$13.703,632
42Wilton$13.622,914
43New Hampton$13.443,433
44Wapello$13.292,026
45Hudson$13.192,916
46Center Point$13.192,578
47Greenfield$13.131,988
48Hawarden$13.022,630
49Leon$12.931,779
50Garner$12.863,049
51Bellevue$12.672,321
52Milford$12.573,258
53New London$12.561,853
54Lisbon$12.502,238
55Dallas Center$12.421,993
56Onawa$12.322,795
57Monroe$12.282,021
58Denver$12.271,955
59Alta$12.132,039
60Atkins$11.992,168
61Hull$11.792,459
62Columbus Junction$11.711,794
63Cascade$11.642,396
64West Branch$11.632,876
65Mitchellville$11.542,686
66Solon$11.533,284
67Prairie City$11.381,722
68Northwood$11.282,047
69Williamsburg$11.113,380
70Ely$11.082,371
71Ogden$10.991,970
72Farley$10.911,723
73Carter Lake$10.673,752
74Story City$10.393,439
75Kalona$10.372,762
76West Burlington$10.153,249
77Peosta$9.822,195
78Robins$9.683,362
79Epworth$9.422,042
80Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Center Point’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 676 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.26 · FY26 $8.02 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.33 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.48 · $333,084
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.71 · $222,689
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.14 · $148,981

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$3.8M of taxable value in Center Point is in TIF districts’ increment (4% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $230,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$252,978
$227,338

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $41,051 of the city’s own.

  • Center Point-Urbana schools$41,346
  • Linn County$21,631
YearTIF revenue
FY16$196,246
FY17$195,693
FY18$196,374
FY19$252,978
FY20$236,535
FY21$230,113
FY22$238,994
FY23$227,338
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$196,246
FY17$195,693
FY18$196,374
FY19$252,978
FY20$236,535
FY21$230,113
FY22$238,994
FY23$227,338

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$1.0M59%
  • Debt Service Levy$333,08419%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$222,68913%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$148,9819%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Center Point’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 36¢ of every dollar36¢Capital Projects: 20¢ of every dollar20¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything else: 13¢ of every dollar13¢

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 79 Iowa cities closest in size (1,700–3,800 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (79)
Business Type / Enterprise36¢39¢
Capital Projects20¢15¢
Culture and Recreation12¢7¢
General Government11¢6¢
Public Works10¢10¢
Everything else13¢23¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$1.6M38%
  • Culture and Recreation$772,30018%
  • General Government$677,37016%
  • Debt Service$506,10012%
  • Public Works$383,5609%
  • Public Safety$186,1204%
  • Community and Economic Development$114,8503%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.2M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$467,425$426,424
Public Safety$313,600$755,827
Health and Social Services$5,000$85
General Government$576,900$445,141
Debt Service$659,670$671,269
Culture and Recreation$787,065$592,838
Community and Economic Development$45,000$31,370
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$7.7M$4.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$13.2M
$10.0M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Center Point owes

$11.2M at June 30, 2026: $4,323 per resident. 159th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$15.1M
$11.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$11.2M$4,323
2025$12.1M$4,706
2024$13.0M$5,045
2023$14.0M$5,428
2022$15.1M$5,847
2021$6.6M$2,574
2020$4.2M$1,623
2019$4.6M$1,801
2018$4.6M$1,801
2017$4.3M$1,652
2016$4.6M$1,796
2015$5.0M$1,926
2014$5.4M$2,081
2013$5.8M$2,233
2012$6.1M$2,378
2011$3.4M$1,333
2010$2.1M$804
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$11.2M$4,323
2025$12.1M$4,706
2024$13.0M$5,045
2023$14.0M$5,428
2022$15.1M$5,847
2021$6.6M$2,574
2020$4.2M$1,623
2019$4.6M$1,801
2018$4.6M$1,801
2017$4.3M$1,652
2016$4.6M$1,796
2015$5.0M$1,926
2014$5.4M$2,081
2013$5.8M$2,233
2012$6.1M$2,378
2011$3.4M$1,333
2010$2.1M$804

Up 438% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $2.6M, 20% of the limit of about $12.9M (5% of $257.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bonds2021 Wastewwater Treatment Facility loan.2041$8.2M
General Obligation$2 Million of the bond is for the Fire Station Project. $700,000 of the bond is for coroporate purpose2036$1.7M
General ObligationStreet Construction Lewis Access Road Iowa Street2030$730,000
Revenue BondsWater Tower2031$395,000
General ObligationGENERAL OBLIGATION CORP. PURPOSE AND REFUNDING BONDS SERIES 20182028$160,000

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 balances11. Center Point’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF), released Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by a CPA firm.

AI summary13

  • The city has weaknesses in how it handles money because the city clerk and deputy clerk have too much control over different parts of the accounting process without enough oversight, which led to one instance where the city paid the same invoice twice for $4,030.
  • The city acknowledged the response and noted that while limited staff makes it difficult, they could use elected officials to help review financial transactions and reports.
The findings, as the report states them
Schedule of Findings and Responses SECTION I: FINDINGS RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2026-001 Lack of Segregation of Accounting DutiesCriteria:Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control. A good system of internal control provides for adequate segregation of duties so no one individual handles a transaction from its inception to completion. In order to maintain proper internal control, duties should be segregated so the authorization, custody and recording of transactions are not under the control of the same employee. This segregation of duties helps prevent losses from employee error or dishonesty and maximizes the accuracy of the City's financial statements.Condition: Generally, one or two individuals may have control over the following areas for which no compensating controls exist: The City Clerk, who is able to handle receipts and disbursements, also receives the bank statements and completes the bank reconciliation. The City Clerk has access to all areas of the accounting system. The City Clerk is able to make Utility Billing Adjustments without review. The Deputy Clerk is responsible for receipting cash payments and making the daily deposit. The City Clerk records journal entries without review. There was one instance noted of the City paying the same invoice twice for $4,030.Cause: The City has a limited number of employees and procedures have not been designed to adequately segregate duties or provide compensating controls through additional oversight of transactions and processes.Effect or Potential Effect: Inadequate segregation of duties could adversely affect the City's ability to prevent or detect and correct misstatements, errors or misappropriations on a timely basis by employees in the normal course of performing their assigned functions.Recommendation: Staff will try to utilize the employees in the office to help create more segregation of duties. The staff is limited. The City can divide the duties between the few that are in the office.Views of Responsible Officials: The City continues to improve where we can in the area of segregation of duties. With limited staff available, it makes it hard to be efficient as well as consistent with our accounting functions.Conclusion: Response acknowledged. The City could utilize elected officials to provide additional control through review of financial transactions, reconciliations and reports. ### Page 56 54City of Center Point Schedule of Findings and Responses SECTION II – OTHER FINDINGS RELATED TO STATUTORY REPORTING:1. Certified BudgetDisbursements for the year ended June 30, 2026, did not exceed budgeted amounts. 2. Questionable Disbursements We noted no material expenditures which did not appear to meet the requirements of public purpose as defined in an Attorney General's opinion dated April 25, 1979. 3. Travel Expense No disbursements of City money for travel expenses of spouses of City officials or employees were noted. 4. Business Transactions No Business transactions between the City and City officials or employees the City is in accordance with Chapter 362.5(3)(j) of the Code of Iowa. 5. Restricted Donor Activity No transactions were noted between the City, City officials, City employees and restricted donors in compliance with Chapter 68B of the Code of Iowa. 6. Bond Coverage Surety bond coverage of City officials and employees is in accordance with statutory provisions. The amount of coverage should be reviewed annually to ensure that the coverage is adequate for current operations. 7. Council Minutes No transactions were found that we believe should have been approved in the Council minutes but were not. 8. Deposits and Investments No instances of noncompliance with the deposit and investment provision of Chapter 12B and 12C of the Code of Iowa and the City's investment policy were noted. 9. Revenue Bonds and Notes No instances of non-compliance with the revenue bond and note resolutions were noted. 10. Tax Increment Financing The Special Revenue, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund properly disbursed payments for TIF loans and rebates. Also, the City of Center Point properly completed the Tax Increment Debt Certificate Forms to request TIF property taxes. 11. Annual Urban Renewal Report The Annual Urban Renewal Report was properly approved and certified to the Iowa Department of Management on or before December 1 as required by Chapter 384.22(2)(a) of the Code of Iowaand no exceptions were noted.
16 earlier reports for Center Point

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? 14

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: $376,696 in FY25, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$352,565$354,899$364,290$366,268
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$26,071$20,831$15,642$10,428

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.

$34,751
$5,943
  • State grants$5,943100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,789
FY20$0
FY21$6,021
FY22$2,392
FY23$3,266
FY24$34,751
FY25$5,943
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,789
FY20$0
FY21$6,021
FY22$2,392
FY23$3,266
FY24$34,751
FY25$5,943

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−7%$312,759 → $366,268, up 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−67%$25,170 → $10,428, down 59% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 67% 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 42% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% more.

$500,870
$453,263

Federal grants, for comparison: $3.5M in FY25.

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)15.

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

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Center Point; 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.

  • Center Point City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Alicia Thomas, Mike LeClere
  • Center Point Mayor
    Now held by Traer Morgan

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

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