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Local taxes › Louisa County › Columbus Junction

City

Columbus Junction

Louisa County · How cities work

$2,690 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($31.97 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$990 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.71 per $1,000)
$504,578property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.8Mcity 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.

  • Harold PriorColumbus Junction City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Katie R. SparrowColumbus Junction City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kenan ToddColumbus Junction Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Darin MapelColumbus Junction City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kenan ToddColumbus Junction City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Tracy HarrisColumbus Junction 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 Columbus Junction

Homes and businesses in most of Columbus Junction pay a combined $31.97 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Louisa County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.71. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Columbus Junction$11.7137%
  • Columbus schools$9.9631%
  • Louisa County$7.8024%
  • Eastern Iowa Community College$1.043%
  • Columbus Benefited Fire District$0.512%
  • Louisa County Assessor$0.421%
  • Louisa County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.30<1%
  • Colcity-Coljct-Cotter-Col City Cem$0.22<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.59$13.22
FY21$33.84$13.00
FY22$33.16$12.39
FY23$32.07$12.27
FY24$32.90$12.69
FY25$33.05$12.37
FY26$32.85$12.19
FY27$31.97$11.71
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.59$13.22
FY21$33.84$13.00
FY22$33.16$12.39
FY23$32.07$12.27
FY24$32.90$12.69
FY25$33.05$12.37
FY26$32.85$12.19
FY27$31.97$11.71

Compared with places this size3

Columbus Junction’s city property tax rate of $11.71 per $1,000 is the 19th lowest of 106 Iowa cities with 1,200–2,700 people. The middle of the group is $14.18.

Eldora: $26.87Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Belmond: $19.86Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Manson: $16.87Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Cascade: $11.64Mitchellville: $11.54Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Walcott: $10.29Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Arnolds Park: $4.95Columbus Junction: $11.71$4.95 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 106
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sac City$19.691,992
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Britt$17.722,001
15Missouri Valley$17.682,638
16Manson$16.871,646
17Nashua$16.811,515
18Ackley$16.631,538
19West Union$16.602,435
20Audubon$16.522,008
21Roland$16.511,376
22Monona$16.411,462
23Belle Plaine$16.342,335
24Colfax$16.252,305
25Durant$16.241,798
26Lamoni$16.152,072
27Marengo$16.102,415
28Dike$15.941,293
29Holstein$15.811,475
30State Center$15.801,403
31Pleasantville$15.801,696
32Postville$15.682,418
33Earlham$15.551,411
34Shell Rock$15.521,265
35Brooklyn$15.491,474
36Stuart$15.481,887
37Mount Ayr$15.321,616
38Granger$15.222,095
39Sigourney$15.201,974
40Guttenberg$15.191,804
41Logan$15.051,351
42Tripoli$14.991,208
43Sumner$14.832,032
44Woodbine$14.801,707
45Bedford$14.661,474
46Lenox$14.651,355
47Manning$14.621,390
48Van Meter$14.601,840
49Coon Rapids$14.491,258
50Jesup$14.312,541
51Nora Springs$14.251,330
52Kingsley$14.251,394
53Urbana$14.201,635
54Parkersburg$14.151,986
55Hartley$14.111,584
56Ida Grove$14.101,988
57Woodward$14.051,383
58Guthrie Center$14.041,579
59Alton$13.871,248
60Lake Mills$13.822,077
61Montezuma$13.791,421
62Gilbert$13.711,397
63Clarksville$13.531,238
64Avoca$13.511,685
65Wapello$13.292,026
66Manly$13.291,233
67Center Point$13.192,578
68Greenfield$13.131,988
69Hawarden$13.022,630
70Akron$12.931,545
71Leon$12.931,779
72New Sharon$12.801,249
73Slater$12.791,626
74Bellevue$12.672,321
75Sanborn$12.621,463
76New London$12.561,853
77Lisbon$12.502,238
78Dallas Center$12.421,993
79Remsen$12.321,681
80Monroe$12.282,021
81Denver$12.271,955
82Alta$12.132,039
83Reinbeck$12.101,673
84Atkins$11.992,168
85Wellman$11.881,531
86Blue Grass$11.791,707
87Hull$11.792,459
88Columbus Junction$11.711,794
89Cascade$11.642,396
90Mitchellville$11.542,686
91Palo$11.491,554
92Prairie City$11.381,722
93Northwood$11.282,047
94Mediapolis$11.271,679
95Ely$11.082,371
96Ogden$10.991,970
97Farley$10.911,723
98Oakland$10.851,519
99Moville$10.671,707
100Walcott$10.291,556
101Central City$10.011,254
102Peosta$9.822,195
103Epworth$9.422,042
104Walford$8.721,357
105Lone Tree$8.131,341
106Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Columbus Junction’s general levy is $5.96 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $2.14 below the limit.4 890 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $7.55 · FY24 $7.55 · FY25 $7.24 · FY26 $6.66 · FY27 $5.96 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.76 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.84 · $164,972
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.50 · $64,421
  • Debt Service Levy$0.42 · $18,512

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Columbus Junction’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $36,196 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$70,781
$34,286
YearTIF revenue
FY16$70,781
FY17$51,804
FY18$5,834
FY20$31,091
FY21$31,473
FY22$31,509
FY23$34,286
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$70,781
FY17$51,804
FY18$5,834
FY20$31,091
FY21$31,473
FY22$31,509
FY23$34,286

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$255,87751%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$164,97233%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$64,42113%
  • Debt Service Levy$18,5124%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Columbus Junction’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 40¢ of every dollar40¢Public Safety: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢General Government: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 1¢ 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 105 Iowa cities closest in size (1,200–2,700 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (105)
Business Type / Enterprise40¢41¢
Public Safety31¢11¢
Public Works11¢11¢
Culture and Recreation8¢8¢
General Government8¢6¢
Everything else1¢9¢

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 Safety$1.1M60%
  • Public Works$265,40015%
  • Culture and Recreation$218,53112%
  • General Government$196,65211%
  • Debt Service$18,9531%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($979,740 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$240,990$304,488
Public Safety$751,323$841,988
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$178,575$217,584
Debt Service$18,953$27,156
Culture and Recreation$148,330$364,632
Community and Economic Development$20,000$20,000
Capital Projects$0$21,696
Business Type / Enterprise$2.2M$2.7M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$4.5M
$3.1M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Columbus Junction owes

$1.7M at June 30, 2026: $954 per resident. 555th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$2.4M
$1.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.7M$954
2025$1.4M$776
2024$1.7M$912
2023$2.4M$1,337
2022$1.1M$574
2021$1.1M$624
2020$977,819$534
2019$934,759$511
2018$743,000$406
2017$816,000$446
2016$881,322$482
2015$968,322$529
2014$1.4M$779
2013$302,000$165
2012$333,000$182
2011$363,000$198
2010$392,000$214
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.7M$954
2025$1.4M$776
2024$1.7M$912
2023$2.4M$1,337
2022$1.1M$574
2021$1.1M$624
2020$977,819$534
2019$934,759$511
2018$743,000$406
2017$816,000$446
2016$881,322$482
2015$968,322$529
2014$1.4M$779
2013$302,000$165
2012$333,000$182
2011$363,000$198
2010$392,000$214

Up 345% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $181,421, 5% of the limit of about $3.9M (5% of $78.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

6 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsProposed Wastewater Improvement-UV Project2042$970,839
Revenue Bondsfinancing all or part of the construction of drinking water treatment facility serving residents2033$310,000
Revenue Bondsfinance a Radio Read Meter Project for 811 meters, plus combine remaining interim loan for water plant2030$199,061
General ObligationFINANCING FOR NEW STREET AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN NEW HERITAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT2027$181,421
LoansUTILITY, FINANCE INTO PAYMENT5 FROM 1 YEAR LOAN OF $150,000.002033$68,800
LoansAMBULANCE LINE OF CREDIT FOR TRANSFER RIG EXPENSES2027$15,160

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

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, May 29, 2026, by a CPA firm.

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

13 earlier reports for Columbus Junction

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: $259,895 in FY25, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$254,688$251,828$258,492$259,895

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.

$107,087
$20,091
  • Other$15,52077%
  • State grants$4,57123%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,834
FY20$107,087
FY21$45,282
FY22$5,074
FY23$14,853
FY24$0
FY25$20,091
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,834
FY20$107,087
FY21$45,282
FY22$5,074
FY23$14,853
FY24$0
FY25$20,091

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$245,324 → $259,895, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% 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 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less.

$184,323
$153,614

Federal grants, for comparison: $143,537 in FY24.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

  • Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 10 jobs required
    $537K

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 Columbus Junction; 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.

  • Columbus Junction City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Kenan Todd, Darin Mapel, Tracy Harris

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

Mark S. Lofgren (Sen. 48)Taylor R. Collins (Rep. 95)

U.S. House:District 1

Louisa CountyColumbus schools