Who runs it
The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.
- Chance GoodridgeEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Danielle McDonaldEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Josh RodgersEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Rick KimmelEast Peru Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
- Shari PorterEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Todd PorterEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Danielle RinardEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
- David VaseyEast Peru City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
- Josh RogersEast Peru 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 East Peru
Homes and businesses in most of East Peru pay a combined $36.37 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Madison County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.89. Estimate your bill.
- Winterset schools$15.5543%
- City of East Peru$11.8933%
- Madison County$4.7013%
- Madison County Memorial Hospital$2.768%
- Des Moines Area Community College$0.812%
- Madison County Assessor$0.431%
- Madison County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.23<1%
Rates over time
Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in East Peru pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.
| Year | Combined | City’s own |
|---|---|---|
| FY20 | $39.29 | $12.24 |
| FY21 | $39.52 | $12.50 |
| FY22 | $39.12 | $12.02 |
| FY23 | $37.16 | $11.41 |
| FY24 | $37.05 | $11.23 |
| FY25 | $36.63 | $11.29 |
| FY26 | $36.57 | $11.70 |
| FY27 | $36.37 | $11.89 |
Show the numbers
| Year | Combined | City’s own |
|---|---|---|
| FY20 | $39.29 | $12.24 |
| FY21 | $39.52 | $12.50 |
| FY22 | $39.12 | $12.02 |
| FY23 | $37.16 | $11.41 |
| FY24 | $37.05 | $11.23 |
| FY25 | $36.63 | $11.29 |
| FY26 | $36.57 | $11.70 |
| FY27 | $36.37 | $11.89 |
Compared with places this size3
East Peru’s city property tax rate of $11.89 per $1,000 is the 51st highest of 152 Iowa cities with 80–180 people. The middle of the group is $10.21.
See all 152
| # | Place | Rate per $1,000 | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castana | $34.13 | 103 |
| 2 | Brayton | $25.07 | 138 |
| 3 | Hansell | $23.66 | 85 |
| 4 | Harris | $23.13 | 145 |
| 5 | Whitten | $22.65 | 98 |
| 6 | Soldier | $21.92 | 176 |
| 7 | Stanley | $20.69 | 86 |
| 8 | Coin | $19.59 | 171 |
| 9 | Rowan | $19.53 | 118 |
| 10 | Chester | $19.30 | 134 |
| 11 | Bouton | $19.25 | 125 |
| 12 | Ricketts | $19.22 | 105 |
| 13 | Garden Grove | $19.20 | 173 |
| 14 | Hastings | $18.95 | 157 |
| 15 | Grant | $18.71 | 82 |
| 16 | Swaledale | $18.62 | 136 |
| 17 | Derby | $18.13 | 89 |
| 18 | Hillsboro | $17.68 | 158 |
| 19 | Bristow | $17.39 | 139 |
| 20 | Woolstock | $17.26 | 141 |
| 21 | Monmouth | $16.41 | 129 |
| 22 | Blockton | $16.37 | 123 |
| 23 | Geneva | $16.25 | 137 |
| 24 | Waterville | $16.25 | 112 |
| 25 | Little Sioux | $15.74 | 170 |
| 26 | Woodburn | $15.59 | 133 |
| 27 | Kamrar | $15.47 | 178 |
| 28 | Goodell | $15.16 | 139 |
| 29 | Marne | $15.03 | 109 |
| 30 | Baldwin | $14.91 | 99 |
| 31 | Davis City | $14.45 | 178 |
| 32 | Lucas | $14.40 | 176 |
| 33 | Palmer | $13.89 | 137 |
| 34 | Ayrshire | $13.55 | 128 |
| 35 | Searsboro | $13.55 | 129 |
| 36 | Ferguson | $13.53 | 98 |
| 37 | Lanesboro | $13.53 | 112 |
| 38 | Calumet | $13.16 | 144 |
| 39 | Delaware | $12.86 | 139 |
| 40 | Patterson | $12.84 | 176 |
| 41 | Clemons | $12.69 | 135 |
| 42 | Cylinder | $12.52 | 84 |
| 43 | Millersburg | $12.40 | 135 |
| 44 | Aurora | $12.40 | 165 |
| 45 | Bridgewater | $12.29 | 145 |
| 46 | Arion | $12.14 | 99 |
| 47 | Webb | $12.10 | 139 |
| 48 | Decatur | $12.08 | 174 |
| 49 | Shambaugh | $11.98 | 161 |
| 50 | Lone Rock | $11.92 | 143 |
| 51 | East Peru | $11.89 | 119 |
| 52 | Henderson | $11.85 | 140 |
| 53 | Reasnor | $11.76 | 157 |
| 54 | Morley | $11.74 | 94 |
| 55 | Ledyard | $11.74 | 118 |
| 56 | Toronto | $11.68 | 101 |
| 57 | Exline | $11.60 | 157 |
| 58 | Beaman | $11.54 | 155 |
| 59 | College Springs | $11.44 | 172 |
| 60 | Melrose | $11.27 | 110 |
| 61 | Linn Grove | $11.15 | 155 |
| 62 | Promise City | $11.13 | 91 |
| 63 | Leighton | $11.07 | 153 |
| 64 | Masonville | $11.00 | 98 |
| 65 | Somers | $10.99 | 121 |
| 66 | Havelock | $10.95 | 127 |
| 67 | Alexander | $10.90 | 165 |
| 68 | Lambs Grove | $10.78 | 174 |
| 69 | Wallingford | $10.75 | 154 |
| 70 | Pacific Junction | $10.56 | 99 |
| 71 | Barnes City | $10.44 | 152 |
| 72 | Stockton | $10.37 | 171 |
| 73 | Randall | $10.35 | 156 |
| 74 | Meriden | $10.28 | 175 |
| 75 | Drakesville | $10.24 | 170 |
| 76 | North Washington | $10.23 | 107 |
| 77 | Dawson | $10.19 | 110 |
| 78 | Hartwick | $9.90 | 91 |
| 79 | Clare | $9.81 | 133 |
| 80 | Tingley | $9.81 | 146 |
| 81 | Rutland | $9.65 | 116 |
| 82 | Van Wert | $9.62 | 175 |
| 83 | Rock Falls | $9.61 | 143 |
| 84 | Kirkville | $9.59 | 159 |
| 85 | Superior | $9.58 | 127 |
| 86 | Webster | $9.55 | 94 |
| 87 | Martinsburg | $9.49 | 109 |
| 88 | Larrabee | $9.41 | 116 |
| 89 | Hamilton | $9.35 | 125 |
| 90 | Wiota | $9.32 | 91 |
| 91 | Floris | $9.29 | 119 |
| 92 | Mitchell | $9.22 | 118 |
| 93 | Westphalia | $9.18 | 133 |
| 94 | Elberon | $9.16 | 178 |
| 95 | Blairsburg | $8.93 | 175 |
| 96 | Prairieburg | $8.91 | 156 |
| 97 | Welton | $8.86 | 124 |
| 98 | Archer | $8.84 | 116 |
| 99 | Luther | $8.83 | 147 |
| 100 | Fraser | $8.81 | 107 |
| 101 | Macksburg | $8.81 | 103 |
| 102 | Moorland | $8.61 | 169 |
| 103 | Pilot Mound | $8.54 | 155 |
| 104 | Andover | $8.28 | 106 |
| 105 | Thurman | $8.26 | 162 |
| 106 | Boxholm | $8.11 | 177 |
| 107 | Carpenter | $8.10 | 92 |
| 108 | Rome | $8.10 | 112 |
| 109 | Westfield | $8.10 | 121 |
| 110 | Vincent | $8.09 | 125 |
| 111 | Buckeye | $7.94 | 82 |
| 112 | Morrison | $7.86 | 101 |
| 113 | Mount Auburn | $7.86 | 162 |
| 114 | Haverhill | $7.86 | 164 |
| 115 | Oyens | $7.86 | 88 |
| 116 | Olds | $7.86 | 174 |
| 117 | Castalia | $7.86 | 141 |
| 118 | Dickens | $7.86 | 146 |
| 119 | Rose Hill | $7.86 | 156 |
| 120 | West Chester | $7.82 | 147 |
| 121 | Cromwell | $7.81 | 104 |
| 122 | Mcclelland | $7.79 | 147 |
| 123 | Arispe | $7.71 | 95 |
| 124 | Luzerne | $7.69 | 111 |
| 125 | Lidderdale | $7.68 | 162 |
| 126 | Westwood | $7.67 | 96 |
| 127 | Kinross | $7.57 | 80 |
| 128 | Bernard | $7.56 | 117 |
| 129 | Braddyville | $7.49 | 142 |
| 130 | Franklin | $7.31 | 133 |
| 131 | Spragueville | $7.20 | 92 |
| 132 | Weldon | $7.18 | 134 |
| 133 | Brunsville | $6.95 | 128 |
| 134 | Zwingle | $6.93 | 86 |
| 135 | Pleasant Plain | $6.79 | 83 |
| 136 | Houghton | $6.73 | 129 |
| 137 | Williamson | $6.72 | 126 |
| 138 | Lincoln | $6.32 | 119 |
| 139 | Tennant | $6.29 | 83 |
| 140 | Gravity | $6.18 | 149 |
| 141 | Ackworth | $5.90 | 117 |
| 142 | Oakland Acres | $5.88 | 178 |
| 143 | Springbrook | $5.79 | 145 |
| 144 | Maysville | $5.77 | 155 |
| 145 | Harper | $5.29 | 117 |
| 146 | Panorama Park | $4.62 | 142 |
| 147 | Keomah Village | $3.15 | 107 |
| 148 | Mcintire | $2.78 | 115 |
| 149 | Sherrill | $2.66 | 176 |
| 150 | Centralia | $2.41 | 117 |
| 151 | New Liberty | $2.27 | 141 |
| 152 | North Buena Vista | $1.78 | 107 |
The $8.10 limit
East Peru’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: $3.79 more5
- Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.10 · $6,362
- Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.69 · $1,419
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.
Budget and spending
Where each dollar of East Peru’s budget goes, FY26
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 152 Iowa cities closest in size (80–180 people).
| Where it goes | Of each dollar | Cities this size (152) |
|---|---|---|
| General Government | 34¢ | 25¢ |
| Public Works | 29¢ | 27¢ |
| Public Safety | 20¢ | 10¢ |
| Culture and Recreation | 8¢ | 8¢ |
| Debt Service | 8¢ | 2¢ |
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.
Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
| Function | Budget | Spent |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works | $29,600 | $27,029 |
| Public Safety | $8,500 | $26,171 |
| Health and Social Services | $0 | $0 |
| General Government | $18,400 | $16,550 |
| Debt Service | $0 | $0 |
| Culture and Recreation | $3,775 | $3,301 |
| Community and Economic Development | $0 | $0 |
| Capital Projects | $0 | $0 |
| Business Type / Enterprise | $0 | $0 |
What it spent each year
FY24, FY25 left out6
Debt, reserves and audits
How local debt works · What an audit tells you
What East Peru owes
$25,000 at June 30, 2026: $217 per resident. 686th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7
| June 30 | Owed | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2025 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2024 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2023 | $0 | $0 |
| 2022 | $0 | $0 |
| 2021 | $0 | $0 |
| 2020 | $0 | $0 |
| 2019 | $0 | $0 |
| 2018 | $0 | $0 |
| 2017 | $2,239 | $19 |
| 2016 | $4,179 | $36 |
| 2015 | $6,211 | $54 |
| 2014 | $8,000 | $70 |
| 2013 | $0 | $0 |
| 2012 | $0 | $0 |
| 2011 | $0 | $0 |
| 2010 | $0 | $0 |
Show the numbers
| June 30 | Owed | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2025 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2024 | $25,000 | $217 |
| 2023 | $0 | $0 |
| 2022 | $0 | $0 |
| 2021 | $0 | $0 |
| 2020 | $0 | $0 |
| 2019 | $0 | $0 |
| 2018 | $0 | $0 |
| 2017 | $2,239 | $19 |
| 2016 | $4,179 | $36 |
| 2015 | $6,211 | $54 |
| 2014 | $8,000 | $70 |
| 2013 | $0 | $0 |
| 2012 | $0 | $0 |
| 2011 | $0 | $0 |
| 2010 | $0 | $0 |
Up 213% since 2014.
The 5% limit8
General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $258,925 (5% of $5.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).
1 obligation at June 30, 2026
| Kind | For | Paid off by | Owed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans | Purchase a grass fire truck for the east peru fire department to be able to operate more efficiently. | 2029 | $25,000 |
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 balances9. East Peru’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination Follow-Up, period ending Friday, March 31, 2017 (PDF).
Audits10
The latest: Periodic Examination Follow-Up for the period ending Friday, March 31, 2017 (PDF), released Friday, September 1, 2017, by a CPA firm.
1 earlier report for East Peru
- Periodic Examination, period ending Friday, July 31, 2015Monday, December 28, 2015
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: $5,374 in FY25, down 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.
Show the numbers
| Source | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Use Tax (streets) | $5,496 | $14,928 | $5,374 | $5,374 |
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.
| Year | Grants and projects |
|---|---|
| FY19 | $0 |
| FY20 | $0 |
| FY21 | $0 |
| FY22 | $0 |
| FY23 | $18,100 |
| FY24 | $0 |
| FY25 | $0 |
Show the numbers
| Year | Grants and projects |
|---|---|
| FY19 | $0 |
| FY20 | $0 |
| FY21 | $0 |
| FY22 | $0 |
| FY23 | $18,100 |
| FY24 | $0 |
| FY25 | $0 |
Has it kept up with prices?
Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.
- Road Use Tax (streets)−21%$5,397 → $5,374, down 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% 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 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more.
Business awards
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
5 seats: the top 5 win.
- Todd Porter Winner1124.4%
- Danielle McDonald Winner920.0%
- Shari Porter Winner920.0%
- Chance Goodridge Winner817.8%
- Josh Rodgers Winner817.8%
- Josh Rogers 00.0%
- Rick Kimmel Winner8100.0%
- Josh Rogers 00.0%
Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for East Peru; 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.
- East Peru City Council At-Large (5 seats)Now held by David Vasey, Shari Porter, Josh Rogers, Danielle Rinard, Todd Porter
- East Peru MayorNow held by Rick Kimmel
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
Amy Sinclair (Sen. 12)Ray Sorensen (Rep. 23)
U.S. House:District 3