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Local taxes › Linn County › Mount Vernon

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Mount Vernon

Linn County · How cities work

$3,230 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.35 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,140 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.50 per $1,000)
$2.4Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$11.3Mcity 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.

  • C. Sherene Hansen PlayerMount Vernon City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Paul A. TuerlerMount Vernon City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Thomas M WieselerMount Vernon Mayor · elected November 4, 2025

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 Mount Vernon

Homes and businesses in most of Mount Vernon pay a combined $38.35 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, $13.50. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

CombinedCity’s own
0$10$20$30$40’20’22’24’26’27CombinedCity’s own
0$10$20$30$40’20’21’22’23’24’25’26’27CombinedCity’s own
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.81$13.00
FY21$38.88$13.00
FY22$38.77$13.00
FY23$37.86$13.00
FY24$38.37$13.15
FY25$38.53$13.34
FY26$38.53$13.50
FY27$38.35$13.50
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.81$13.00
FY21$38.88$13.00
FY22$38.77$13.00
FY23$37.86$13.00
FY24$38.37$13.15
FY25$38.53$13.34
FY26$38.53$13.50
FY27$38.35$13.50

Compared with places this size3

Mount Vernon’s city property tax rate of $13.50 per $1,000 is the 21st lowest of 59 Iowa cities with 3,000–6,800 people. The middle of the group is $14.76.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Atlantic: $17.48Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Tipton: $15.54Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Osage: $14.29Orange City: $14.01Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70New Hampton: $13.44Adel: $13.43Garner: $12.86Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Milford: $12.57Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Solon: $11.53Williamsburg: $11.11Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17West Burlington: $10.15Robins: $9.68Asbury: $8.32Evansdale: $8.00Mount Vernon: $13.50$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 59
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Albia$19.703,579
4Eagle Grove$19.323,615
5Independence$19.016,266
6Iowa Falls$18.864,993
7West Liberty$18.683,724
8Chariton$18.374,278
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Clarinda$17.255,334
11Centerville$16.855,345
12Algona$16.755,341
13Vinton$16.254,962
14Winterset$16.155,421
15Cresco$16.133,890
16Humboldt$16.004,774
17Anamosa$15.955,845
18Forest City$15.774,199
19Tipton$15.543,059
20Sheldon$15.335,584
21Estherville$15.275,796
22Harlan$15.074,898
23Shenandoah$15.024,878
24Manchester$14.965,283
25Jefferson$14.884,148
26Hampton$14.864,340
27Carlisle$14.824,381
28Cherokee$14.825,186
29Glenwood$14.775,250
30Waukon$14.763,799
31Monticello$14.494,095
32Osceola$14.375,585
33Windsor Heights$14.305,106
34Osage$14.293,559
35Orange City$14.016,547
36Rock Valley$13.764,024
37Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
38Emmetsburg$13.703,632
39Mount Vernon$13.504,518
40New Hampton$13.443,433
41Adel$13.436,763
42Garner$12.863,049
43Maquoketa$12.856,064
44Camanche$12.754,536
45Le Claire$12.644,776
46Milford$12.573,258
47Tiffin$11.806,695
48Huxley$11.684,737
49Solon$11.533,284
50Williamsburg$11.113,380
51Polk City$11.006,430
52Carter Lake$10.673,752
53Story City$10.393,439
54Dyersville$10.274,559
55Spirit Lake$10.175,548
56West Burlington$10.153,249
57Robins$9.683,362
58Asbury$8.326,051
59Evansdale$8.004,515

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$1.4M60%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$683,26229%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$148,1166%
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$119,8385%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Mount Vernon’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Business Type / Enterprise: 23¢ of every dollar23¢Debt Service: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Culture and Recreation: 7¢ of every dollar7¢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 58 Iowa cities closest in size (3,000–6,800 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (58)
Capital Projects28¢17¢
Business Type / Enterprise23¢38¢
Debt Service15¢8¢
Public Safety14¢13¢
Culture and Recreation7¢8¢
Everything else13¢16¢

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$4.4M39%
  • Public Safety$2.0M18%
  • Debt Service$2.0M17%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.1M9%
  • General Government$804,8407%
  • Public Works$777,5307%
  • Community and Economic Development$343,6503%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($3.1M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$596,300$724,564
Public Safety$1.4M$1.6M
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$577,225$618,737
Debt Service$1.4M$1.4M
Culture and Recreation$790,397$982,363
Community and Economic Development$336,200$236,256
Capital Projects$5.9M$1.8M
Business Type / Enterprise$2.6M$2.8M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out4

$19.5M
’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’25

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? 5

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: $729,228 in FY25, up 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less. Grants are below.

In today's dollarsActual dollars
$500,000$625,000$750,000$875,000$1.0M’19’21’23’25Today's $Actual
$500,000$625,000$750,000$875,000$1.0M’19’20’21’22’23’24’25Today's $Actual
Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$625,260$622,966$639,451$642,921
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$34,171$30,364$85,079$86,307

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.

$873,318
$18,965
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
  • STEP/state grants$14,15475%
  • Liquor profits$4,81125%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$32,090
FY20$24,436
FY21$873,318
FY22$76,485
FY23$31,786
FY24$27,746
FY25$18,965
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$32,090
FY20$24,436
FY21$873,318
FY22$76,485
FY23$31,786
FY24$27,746
FY25$18,965

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$582,111 → $642,921, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+96%$35,025 → $86,307, up 146% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 96% 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 35% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% more.

$886,941
$791,600
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Federal grants, for comparison: $522,415 in FY25.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Mount Vernon; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress6

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

U.S. House:District 2

Linn CountyMount Vernon schools