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Local taxes › Linn County › Ely

City

Ely

Linn County · How cities work

$2,990 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.52 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$930 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.08 per $1,000)
$1.5Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.5Mcity 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.

  • Daniel WhitakerEly City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark BecickaEly City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Carol ThompsonEly City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • James CoxEly City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Judy WeryEly City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Scott LadwigEly Mayor · 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 Ely

Homes and businesses in most of Ely pay a combined $35.52 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, $11.08. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.81$10.81
FY21$34.94$10.35
FY22$35.44$10.96
FY23$35.07$10.95
FY24$35.37$11.08
FY25$35.47$11.08
FY26$35.45$11.08
FY27$35.52$11.08
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.81$10.81
FY21$34.94$10.35
FY22$35.44$10.96
FY23$35.07$10.95
FY24$35.37$11.08
FY25$35.47$11.08
FY26$35.45$11.08
FY27$35.52$11.08

Compared with places this size3

Ely’s city property tax rate of $11.08 per $1,000 is the 11th lowest of 87 Iowa cities with 1,600–3,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.51.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Sac City: $19.69Lake City: $19.32Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Leon: $12.93Garner: $12.86Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Williamsburg: $11.11Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Moville: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Ely: $11.08$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 87
#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
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Lake City$19.321,656
9Toledo$18.212,372
10La Porte City$18.082,267
11Tama$17.742,997
12Clarion$17.742,751
13Britt$17.722,001
14Missouri Valley$17.682,638
15Madrid$16.932,824
16Manson$16.871,646
17West Union$16.602,435
18Audubon$16.522,008
19Grundy Center$16.362,821
20Belle Plaine$16.342,335
21Colfax$16.252,305
22Durant$16.241,798
23Lamoni$16.152,072
24Marengo$16.102,415
25Pleasantville$15.801,696
26Postville$15.682,418
27Tipton$15.543,059
28Stuart$15.481,887
29Mount Ayr$15.321,616
30Granger$15.222,095
31Sigourney$15.201,974
32Guttenberg$15.191,804
33Sumner$14.832,032
34Woodbine$14.801,707
35Van Meter$14.601,840
36Rock Rapids$14.572,709
37Jesup$14.312,541
38Urbana$14.201,635
39Parkersburg$14.151,986
40Hartley$14.111,584
41Ida Grove$14.101,988
42Lake Mills$13.822,077
43Wilton$13.622,914
44Avoca$13.511,685
45New Hampton$13.443,433
46Wapello$13.292,026
47Hudson$13.192,916
48Center Point$13.192,578
49Greenfield$13.131,988
50Hawarden$13.022,630
51Leon$12.931,779
52Garner$12.863,049
53Slater$12.791,626
54Bellevue$12.672,321
55Milford$12.573,258
56New London$12.561,853
57Lisbon$12.502,238
58Dallas Center$12.421,993
59Onawa$12.322,795
60Remsen$12.321,681
61Monroe$12.282,021
62Denver$12.271,955
63Alta$12.132,039
64Reinbeck$12.101,673
65Atkins$11.992,168
66Blue Grass$11.791,707
67Hull$11.792,459
68Columbus Junction$11.711,794
69Cascade$11.642,396
70West Branch$11.632,876
71Mitchellville$11.542,686
72Solon$11.533,284
73Prairie City$11.381,722
74Northwood$11.282,047
75Mediapolis$11.271,679
76Williamsburg$11.113,380
77Ely$11.082,371
78Ogden$10.991,970
79Farley$10.911,723
80Moville$10.671,707
81Story City$10.393,439
82Kalona$10.372,762
83West Burlington$10.153,249
84Peosta$9.822,195
85Robins$9.683,362
86Epworth$9.422,042
87Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Ely’s general levy is $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, at the limit.4 247 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $2.98 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.39 · $318,686
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.37 · $48,888
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.22 · $29,145

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.3M of taxable value in Ely is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $140,015 in TIF revenue for FY24.

$433,262
$349,213

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 $20,339 of the city’s own.

  • College schools$24,640
  • Linn County$13,197
YearTIF revenue
FY16$226,622
FY17$209,985
FY18$208,982
FY19$207,097
FY20$209,390
FY21$82,901
FY22$433,262
FY23$349,213
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$226,622
FY17$209,985
FY18$208,982
FY19$207,097
FY20$209,390
FY21$82,901
FY22$433,262
FY23$349,213

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$1.1M73%
  • Debt Service Levy$318,68622%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$48,8883%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$29,1452%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ely’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 33¢ of every dollar33¢Business Type / Enterprise: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Public Works: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢General Government: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Everything else: 12¢ of every dollar12¢

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 86 Iowa cities closest in size (1,600–3,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (86)
Capital Projects33¢14¢
Business Type / Enterprise21¢40¢
Public Works15¢10¢
Culture and Recreation10¢7¢
General Government9¢6¢
Everything else12¢22¢

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$813,60332%
  • Culture and Recreation$538,53721%
  • General Government$503,67320%
  • Debt Service$445,26018%
  • Public Safety$147,0396%
  • Community and Economic Development$77,5003%
  • Capital Projects$10,8000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.1M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$517,969$481,471
Public Safety$112,909$112,881
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$384,260$355,012
Debt Service$487,724$313,938
Culture and Recreation$455,672$509,226
Community and Economic Development$38,700$46,446
Capital Projects$3.9M$1.9M
Business Type / Enterprise$804,567$824,182

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$7.9M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ely owes

$7.0M at June 30, 2026: $3,028 per resident. 280th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$7.6M
$7.0M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.0M$3,028
2025$7.6M$3,265
2024$6.6M$2,829
2023$6.9M$2,973
2022$7.5M$3,226
2021$5.9M$2,540
2020$5.5M$2,345
2019$6.0M$2,583
2018$3.2M$1,388
2017$3.7M$1,591
2016$4.2M$1,815
2015$4.7M$2,015
2014$4.1M$1,740
2013$4.4M$1,906
2012$4.8M$2,082
2011$4.0M$1,718
2010$3.2M$1,389
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.0M$3,028
2025$7.6M$3,265
2024$6.6M$2,829
2023$6.9M$2,973
2022$7.5M$3,226
2021$5.9M$2,540
2020$5.5M$2,345
2019$6.0M$2,583
2018$3.2M$1,388
2017$3.7M$1,591
2016$4.2M$1,815
2015$4.7M$2,015
2014$4.1M$1,740
2013$4.4M$1,906
2012$4.8M$2,082
2011$4.0M$1,718
2010$3.2M$1,389

Up 118% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $4.3M, 31% of the limit of about $13.8M (5% of $276.1M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

7 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSewer Extension Hoosier2042$2.4M
General ObligationStreets,Sewer, Water improvements2039$2.2M
General ObligationSewer Improvements2044$892,000
General ObligationStreet improvements2037$580,000
General ObligationStreet Improvements, Parking, Storm Water, Library Exp2031$555,000
Revenue BondsWater Tower on Jappa Rd & Water System Improvements - IFA2031$287,000
Revenue BondsWWTP & Rogers Creek Trunk Refi - Sewer Revenue2027$130,000

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. Ely’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Thursday, February 19, 2026, by a CPA firm.

13 earlier reports for Ely

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? 13

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: $358,003 in FY25, up 50% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$308,045$320,359$328,836$330,621
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$5,544$5,129$5,235$27,382

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.

$237,955
$72,933
  • State grants$72,933100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,950
FY20$237,955
FY21$66,899
FY22$28,739
FY23$12,425
FY24$31,876
FY25$72,933
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,950
FY20$237,955
FY21$66,899
FY22$28,739
FY23$12,425
FY24$31,876
FY25$72,933

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)+15%$229,434 → $330,621, up 44% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% more
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+138%$9,157 → $27,382, up 199% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 138% more

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 74% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 39% more.

$397,229
$377,059

Federal grants, for comparison: $60,448 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2014 worth $105K, for 19 pledged jobs.

Awards 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)14.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Most recent: November 3, 2026

Ballot measures · 1

Failed Yes 49.5% (623) · No 50.5% (636)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ely; 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.

  • Ely City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Judy Wery, Carol Thompson, James Cox
  • Ely Mayor
    Now held by Scott Ladwig

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

Past ballot measures

  • Ely Public Measure ENovember 3, 2026

    Failed Yes 49.5% (623) · No 50.5% (636)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

  • Public Measure CNovember 7, 2023

    Failed Yes 38.9% (313) · No 61.1% (492)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Charlie McClintock (Sen. 42)Cindy Golding (Rep. 83)

U.S. House:District 2

Linn CountyCollege schools