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Local taxes › Linn County › Palo

City

Palo

Linn County · How cities work

$2,800 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.25 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$970 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.49 per $1,000)
$874,061property taxes the city levies, FY27
$9.2Mcity 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.

  • Bryan BuschPalo Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Eric Van KerckhovePalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jen WeltonPalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Taylor BurginPalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Darren StoltenbergPalo City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Doug HanoverPalo 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 Palo

Homes and businesses in most of Palo pay a combined $33.25 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, $11.49. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.47$13.00
FY21$36.28$12.93
FY22$36.07$12.84
FY23$36.33$14.09
FY24$35.47$13.13
FY25$32.56$10.87
FY26$32.15$10.71
FY27$33.25$11.49
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.47$13.00
FY21$36.28$12.93
FY22$36.07$12.84
FY23$36.33$14.09
FY24$35.47$13.13
FY25$32.56$10.87
FY26$32.15$10.71
FY27$33.25$11.49

Compared with places this size3

Palo’s city property tax rate of $11.49 per $1,000 is the 24th lowest of 120 Iowa cities with 1,000–2,300 people. The middle of the group is $13.96.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Panora: $16.14Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Elkhart: $12.00Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Sloan: $7.49Arnolds Park: $4.95Palo: $11.49$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 120
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Villisca$19.741,106
6Sac City$19.691,992
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
11La Porte City$18.082,267
12Dysart$17.951,266
13Britt$17.722,001
14Strawberry Point$17.581,141
15Rockwell$17.541,044
16Mapleton$16.901,114
17George$16.891,106
18Manson$16.871,646
19Fayette$16.851,193
20Nashua$16.811,515
21Ackley$16.631,538
22Audubon$16.522,008
23Roland$16.511,376
24Monona$16.411,462
25Aplington$16.341,088
26Colfax$16.252,305
27Durant$16.241,798
28Lamoni$16.152,072
29Panora$16.141,096
30Dike$15.941,293
31Holstein$15.811,475
32State Center$15.801,403
33Pleasantville$15.801,696
34Earlham$15.551,411
35Shell Rock$15.521,265
36Brooklyn$15.491,474
37Stuart$15.481,887
38Mount Ayr$15.321,616
39Granger$15.222,095
40Sigourney$15.201,974
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Sidney$15.191,048
43Logan$15.051,351
44Tripoli$14.991,208
45Sumner$14.832,032
46Woodbine$14.801,707
47Bedford$14.661,474
48Lenox$14.651,355
49Manning$14.621,390
50Van Meter$14.601,840
51Coon Rapids$14.491,258
52Nora Springs$14.251,330
53Kingsley$14.251,394
54Urbana$14.201,635
55Sheffield$14.161,123
56Parkersburg$14.151,986
57Hartley$14.111,584
58Ida Grove$14.101,988
59Woodward$14.051,383
60Guthrie Center$14.041,579
61Alton$13.871,248
62Lake Mills$13.822,077
63Montezuma$13.791,421
64Gilbert$13.711,397
65Clarksville$13.531,238
66Avoca$13.511,685
67Janesville$13.431,052
68Glidden$13.431,140
69Calmar$13.391,100
70Wapello$13.292,026
71Manly$13.291,233
72Conrad$13.231,098
73Springville$13.221,161
74Greenfield$13.131,988
75Treynor$13.031,104
76Akron$12.931,545
77Leon$12.931,779
78New Sharon$12.801,249
79Slater$12.791,626
80Malvern$12.791,056
81Buffalo$12.681,163
82Bellevue$12.672,321
83Sanborn$12.621,463
84New London$12.561,853
85Lisbon$12.502,238
86Dallas Center$12.421,993
87Remsen$12.321,681
88Monroe$12.282,021
89Denver$12.271,955
90Alta$12.132,039
91Reinbeck$12.101,673
92Elkhart$12.001,079
93Atkins$11.992,168
94Wellman$11.881,531
95Blue Grass$11.791,707
96Columbus Junction$11.711,794
97Palo$11.491,554
98Prairie City$11.381,722
99Marcus$11.311,069
100Northwood$11.282,047
101Mediapolis$11.271,679
102Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
103University Heights$11.121,188
104Ogden$10.991,970
105Farley$10.911,723
106Oakland$10.851,519
107Moville$10.671,707
108Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
109Walcott$10.291,556
110Lake Park$10.251,155
111Central City$10.011,254
112Peosta$9.822,195
113Epworth$9.422,042
114Lake View$9.391,120
115Fairbank$9.001,133
116Walford$8.721,357
117Lone Tree$8.131,341
118Riverside$8.021,063
119Sloan$7.491,078
120Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Palo’s general levy is $7.63 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.47 below the limit.4 766 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.79 · FY27 $7.63 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.86 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$1.81 · $162,946
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.16 · $85,011
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.89 · $65,241

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$16.7M of taxable value in Palo is in TIF districts’ increment (19% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $351,541 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$421,368
$254,781

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 $161,966 of the city’s own.

  • Cedar Rapids schools$202,005
  • Linn County$94,382
YearTIF revenue
FY16$294,978
FY17$204,012
FY18$198,860
FY19$213,247
FY20$264,268
FY21$181,217
FY22$421,368
FY23$254,781
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$294,978
FY17$204,012
FY18$198,860
FY19$213,247
FY20$264,268
FY21$181,217
FY22$421,368
FY23$254,781

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$559,91264%
  • Debt Service Levy$162,94619%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$85,01110%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$65,2417%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Palo’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 34¢ of every dollar34¢Business Type / Enterprise: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Debt Service: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Public Works: 9¢ of every dollar9¢General Government: 7¢ of every dollarEverything 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 119 Iowa cities closest in size (1,000–2,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (119)
Capital Projects34¢13¢
Business Type / Enterprise28¢40¢
Debt Service10¢7¢
Public Works9¢12¢
General Government7¢7¢
Everything else13¢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.

  • Capital Projects$6.8M74%
  • Culture and Recreation$563,4706%
  • Public Works$511,1926%
  • Debt Service$466,3855%
  • General Government$353,0804%
  • Public Safety$280,5373%
  • Community and Economic Development$209,4802%
  • Health and Social Services$7,6000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.2M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$377,314$313,652
Public Safety$139,025$132,704
Health and Social Services$7,500$7,500
General Government$257,275$306,297
Debt Service$377,719$368,931
Culture and Recreation$294,095$193,884
Community and Economic Development$263,300$79,541
Capital Projects$531,930$358,613
Business Type / Enterprise$2.1M$899,856

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$3.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Palo owes

$2.8M at June 30, 2026: $1,966 per resident. 392nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$5.6M
$2.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.8M$1,966
2025$3.2M$2,244
2024$3.3M$2,317
2023$3.6M$2,577
2022$4.2M$3,012
2021$4.6M$3,281
2020$5.0M$3,541
2019$4.6M$3,296
2018$4.6M$3,296
2017$4.9M$3,486
2016$5.3M$3,734
2015$5.6M$4,005
2014$4.7M$3,365
2013$4.8M$3,401
2012$5.1M$3,660
2011$5.2M$3,682
2010$4.2M$2,971
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.8M$1,966
2025$3.2M$2,244
2024$3.3M$2,317
2023$3.6M$2,577
2022$4.2M$3,012
2021$4.6M$3,281
2020$5.0M$3,541
2019$4.6M$3,296
2018$4.6M$3,296
2017$4.9M$3,486
2016$5.3M$3,734
2015$5.6M$4,005
2014$4.7M$3,365
2013$4.8M$3,401
2012$5.1M$3,660
2011$5.2M$3,682
2010$4.2M$2,971

Down 34% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $855,000, 10% of the limit of about $8.6M (5% of $171.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsUtilities/Waste Water Treatment Facility2039$1.9M
General Obligation2019A2035$285,000
General Obligation2015GO2030$280,000
General Obligation2012GO Utilites/Waste Water Treatement2027$155,000
General ObligationGeneral Obligation Bonds 2019B2035$135,000

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. Palo’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, October 13, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

16 earlier reports for Palo

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: $223,244 in FY25, up 61% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$184,995$193,619$198,742$199,821
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$10,606$8,171$26,126$23,423

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.

$28,367
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$867
    FY20$1,500
    FY21$26,001
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$28,367
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$867
    FY20$1,500
    FY21$26,001
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$28,367
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)+20%$132,545 → $199,821, up 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+219%$5,856 → $23,423, up 300% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 219% 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 81% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 44% more.

    $242,323
    $231,724

    Federal grants, for comparison: $20,676 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)14.

    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 Palo; 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.

    • Palo City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Doug Hanover, Darren Stoltenberg

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

    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 ballot16.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress17

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

    U.S. House:District 2

    Linn CountyCedar Rapids schools