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Local taxes › Madison County › Winterset

City

Winterset

Madison County · How cities work

$3,420 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.62 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,360 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.15 per $1,000)
$4.2Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$9.0Mcity 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.

  • Michael J. CookWinterset City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike FletcherWinterset City Council South Ward · elected November 4, 2025
  • Thomas J. LenersWinterset Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Christopher D. FairholmWinterset City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mary Ann OrrWinterset City Council North Ward · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michael EllerWinterset 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 Winterset

Homes and businesses in most of Winterset pay a combined $40.62 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, $16.15. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Winterset$16.1540%
  • Winterset schools$15.5538%
  • Madison County$4.7012%
  • Madison County Memorial Hospital$2.767%
  • 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 Winterset pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$43.58$16.53
FY21$43.55$16.53
FY22$43.63$16.52
FY23$42.27$16.52
FY24$41.79$15.98
FY25$40.33$14.98
FY26$41.28$16.41
FY27$40.62$16.15
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$43.58$16.53
FY21$43.55$16.53
FY22$43.63$16.52
FY23$42.27$16.52
FY24$41.79$15.98
FY25$40.33$14.98
FY26$41.28$16.41
FY27$40.62$16.15

Compared with places this size3

Winterset’s city property tax rate of $16.15 per $1,000 is the 16th highest of 59 Iowa cities with 3,600–8,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.88.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Perry: $17.91Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Nevada: $14.58Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Evansdale: $8.00Winterset: $16.15$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 59
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Eagle Grove$19.323,615
4Independence$19.016,266
5Iowa Falls$18.864,993
6West Liberty$18.683,724
7Chariton$18.374,278
8Perry$17.918,046
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Knoxville$17.467,440
11Clarinda$17.255,334
12Centerville$16.855,345
13Algona$16.755,341
14Webster City$16.517,763
15Vinton$16.254,962
16Winterset$16.155,421
17Cresco$16.133,890
18Humboldt$16.004,774
19Anamosa$15.955,845
20Charles City$15.957,081
21Forest City$15.774,199
22Decorah$15.527,454
23Sheldon$15.335,584
24Estherville$15.275,796
25Washington$15.217,281
26Harlan$15.074,898
27Shenandoah$15.024,878
28Creston$14.997,421
29Manchester$14.965,283
30Jefferson$14.884,148
31Hampton$14.864,340
32Carlisle$14.824,381
33Cherokee$14.825,186
34Glenwood$14.775,250
35Waukon$14.763,799
36Nevada$14.587,082
37Monticello$14.494,095
38Osceola$14.375,585
39Windsor Heights$14.305,106
40Orange City$14.016,547
41Hiawatha$13.787,347
42Rock Valley$13.764,024
43Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
44Emmetsburg$13.703,632
45Mount Vernon$13.504,518
46Adel$13.436,763
47Maquoketa$12.856,064
48Camanche$12.754,536
49Le Claire$12.644,776
50Tiffin$11.806,695
51Huxley$11.684,737
52Polk City$11.006,430
53Carter Lake$10.673,752
54Dyersville$10.274,559
55Spirit Lake$10.175,548
56Clear Lake$9.857,602
57Asbury$8.326,051
58Eldridge$8.136,967
59Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Winterset’s general levy is $7.81 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 below the limit.4 693 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $7.89 · FY27 $7.81 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.33 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.42 · $1.1M
  • Debt Service Levy$2.80 · $831,439
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.85 · $214,324
  • Aviation Authority$0.27 · $68,225

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$42.8M of taxable value in Winterset is in TIF districts’ increment (15% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $1.5M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$1.6M
$1.4M

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 $571,844 of the city’s own.

  • Winterset schools$399,626
  • Madison County$191,876
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.0M
FY17$1.2M
FY18$1.2M
FY19$1.4M
FY20$1.5M
FY21$1.6M
FY22$1.5M
FY23$1.4M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.0M
FY17$1.2M
FY18$1.2M
FY19$1.4M
FY20$1.5M
FY21$1.6M
FY22$1.5M
FY23$1.4M

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$2.0M47%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.1M27%
  • Debt Service Levy$831,43920%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$214,3245%
  • Aviation Authority (under sec.330A.15)$68,2252%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Winterset’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 60¢ of every dollar60¢Public Safety: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Community and Economic Development: 7¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 5¢ of every dollarEverything else: 7¢ 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 58 Iowa cities closest in size (3,600–8,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (58)
Business Type / Enterprise60¢36¢
Public Safety11¢13¢
Culture and Recreation10¢8¢
Community and Economic Development7¢3¢
Debt Service5¢7¢
Everything else7¢13¢

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$2.4M27%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.6M17%
  • Public Safety$1.4M15%
  • Community and Economic Development$1.1M13%
  • Debt Service$1.1M12%
  • Public Works$817,6459%
  • General Government$559,3206%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($9.8M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$807,131$750,112
Public Safety$1.5M$1.4M
Health and Social Services$10,000$12,250
General Government$726,264$736,477
Debt Service$1.3M$1.3M
Culture and Recreation$1.4M$1.7M
Community and Economic Development$775,559$1.1M
Capital Projects$975,000$4,505
Business Type / Enterprise$2.8M$12.6M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$20.5M
$20.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Winterset owes

$17.2M at June 30, 2026: $3,217 per resident. 260th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$24.2M
$17.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$17.2M$3,217
2025$17.2M$3,217
2024$16.3M$3,047
2023$17.3M$3,230
2022$19.5M$3,642
2021$21.2M$3,957
2020$22.8M$4,258
2019$22.2M$4,151
2018$22.0M$4,106
2017$24.2M$4,513
2016$24.0M$4,490
2015$20.5M$3,832
2014$19.3M$3,612
2013$15.9M$2,966
2012$17.1M$3,199
2011$16.9M$3,149
2010$16.3M$3,044
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$17.2M$3,217
2025$17.2M$3,217
2024$16.3M$3,047
2023$17.3M$3,230
2022$19.5M$3,642
2021$21.2M$3,957
2020$22.8M$4,258
2019$22.2M$4,151
2018$22.0M$4,106
2017$24.2M$4,513
2016$24.0M$4,490
2015$20.5M$3,832
2014$19.3M$3,612
2013$15.9M$2,966
2012$17.1M$3,199
2011$16.9M$3,149
2010$16.3M$3,044

Up 6% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $5.9M, 22% of the limit of about $27.1M (5% of $541.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

11 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationPublic Safety Vehicles and Street improvements2035$4.0M
Revenue Bonds2013 Water Revenue Refi in 20202035$3.6M
Revenue Bonds2014 Water Revenue Refi in 20212034$2.5M
Revenue BondsElectric Revenue Bond (2021B)2031$2.4M
Revenue BondsSewer - North Lift station2040$1.4M
General ObligationStorm Water Project, Equipment Purchase, Library Parking Lot2034$1.2M
Revenue Bonds2015 SRF2035$919,000
General ObligationGO Debt - Facade Project, Airport and Fire SCBA's2029$570,000
Revenue Bonds2012 SRF2032$524,000
General ObligationStreet & Sidewalk Improvements2030$214,000
Revenue Bonds2017 El.Revenue2029$0

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. Winterset’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Friday, March 28, 2025, by a CPA firm.

15 earlier reports for Winterset

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: $760,229 in FY25, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$735,900$736,633$756,125$760,229
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$72,512––

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.

$1.2M
$606,500
  • State grants$600,00099%
  • Library$6,5001%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$287,857
FY20$265,293
FY21$127,263
FY22$1.2M
FY23$27,270
FY24$66,499
FY25$606,500
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$287,857
FY20$265,293
FY21$127,263
FY22$1.2M
FY23$27,270
FY24$66,499
FY25$606,500

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−10%$670,474 → $760,229, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% 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 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more.

$766,540
$741,366

Federal grants, for comparison: $402,441 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in WINTERSET: $200K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 26 jobs. Closed projects promised 26 jobs; 26 were there at the end.14

  • Grip-Tite Manufacturing Co., LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Closed: Met its contract · 26 jobs required, 26 at the end
    $200K

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2023 worth $235K, for 22 pledged jobs.

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)15.

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 · 3

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Winterset; 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.

  • Winterset City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Christopher D. Fairholm, Michael Eller
  • Winterset City Council North Ward
    Now held by Mary Ann Orr
  • Winterset Mayor
    Now held by Thomas J. Leners

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Amy Sinclair (Sen. 12)Ray Sorensen (Rep. 23)

U.S. House:District 3

Madison CountyWinterset schools