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Local taxes › Mahaska County › Barnes City

City

Barnes City

Mahaska County · How cities work

$2,410 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($28.63 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$880 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.44 per $1,000)
$46,963property taxes the city levies, FY27
$229,150city 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.

  • Jeffrey A TompkinsBarnes City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jennifer McGuireBarnes City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jolee StoddardBarnes City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Barbara Jean DavisBarnes City Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Donald BakerBarnes City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Nancy DunnickBarnes City 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 Barnes City

Homes and businesses in most of Barnes City pay a combined $31.18 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Mahaska County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $10.44. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.17$11.81
FY21$33.10$10.21
FY22$31.55$9.21
FY23$33.57$11.18
FY24$34.39$11.96
FY25$33.64$11.66
FY26$32.79$10.89
FY27$31.18$10.44
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.17$11.81
FY21$33.10$10.21
FY22$31.55$9.21
FY23$33.57$11.18
FY24$34.39$11.96
FY25$33.64$11.66
FY26$32.79$10.89
FY27$31.18$10.44

Compared with places this size3

Barnes City’s city property tax rate of $10.44 per $1,000 is the 88th lowest of 180 Iowa cities with 100–230 people. The middle of the group is $10.76.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Harris: $23.13Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Swaledale: $18.62Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Prescott: $16.53Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Montour: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Greeley: $15.23Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Westgate: $14.05Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Lanesboro: $13.53Meservey: $13.43Calumet: $13.16Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Clemons: $12.69Blencoe: $12.57Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Webb: $12.10Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Ledyard: $11.74Joice: $11.72Cantril: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Somers: $10.99Frederika: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Woden: $10.68Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hancock: $10.13Melvin: $10.05Barnum: $9.96Grafton: $9.83Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Martinsburg: $9.49Rippey: $9.42Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Andover: $8.28South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Bernard: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Braddyville: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Franklin: $7.31Weldon: $7.18Brunsville: $6.95Packwood: $6.77Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Sherrill: $2.66Centralia: $2.41Rickardsville: $2.27New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Barnes City: $10.44$1.78 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 180
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Harris$23.13145
4Soldier$21.92176
5Coulter$21.80220
6Chelsea$21.61207
7Smithland$21.12184
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Coin$19.59171
12Rowan$19.53118
13Chester$19.30134
14Bouton$19.25125
15Ricketts$19.22105
16Garden Grove$19.20173
17Hastings$18.95157
18Swaledale$18.62136
19Jamaica$18.24196
20Hillsboro$17.68158
21Bristow$17.39139
22Woolstock$17.26141
23Prescott$16.53186
24Monmouth$16.41129
25Blockton$16.37123
26Montour$16.37199
27Geneva$16.25137
28Waterville$16.25112
29Little Sioux$15.74170
30Moorhead$15.68186
31Onslow$15.63198
32Linden$15.62206
33Woodburn$15.59133
34Kamrar$15.47178
35Greeley$15.23216
36Goodell$15.16139
37Marne$15.03109
38Marathon$14.89221
39Ladora$14.74223
40Magnolia$14.68194
41Davis City$14.45178
42Lucas$14.40176
43Westgate$14.05190
44Palmer$13.89137
45Ayrshire$13.55128
46Searsboro$13.55129
47Lanesboro$13.53112
48Meservey$13.43212
49Calumet$13.16144
50Portsmouth$13.05187
51Clutier$13.03209
52Delaware$12.86139
53Patterson$12.84176
54Clemons$12.69135
55Blencoe$12.57223
56Millersburg$12.40135
57Aurora$12.40165
58Bridgewater$12.29145
59Cushing$12.18225
60Hanlontown$12.17200
61Stout$12.14194
62Webb$12.10139
63Paton$12.09217
64Decatur$12.08174
65Rembrandt$12.03199
66Shambaugh$11.98161
67Lone Rock$11.92143
68East Peru$11.89119
69Henderson$11.85140
70Parnell$11.78190
71Reasnor$11.76157
72Ledyard$11.74118
73Joice$11.72206
74Cantril$11.69224
75Wadena$11.65201
76Exline$11.60157
77Beaman$11.54155
78College Springs$11.44172
79Melrose$11.27110
80Renwick$11.16228
81Linn Grove$11.15155
82Dundee$11.14193
83Randolph$11.08183
84Leighton$11.07153
85Rake$11.05179
86Somers$10.99121
87Frederika$10.99206
88Havelock$10.95127
89Alexander$10.90165
90Lambs Grove$10.78174
91Wallingford$10.75154
92Woden$10.68183
93Barnes City$10.44152
94Stockton$10.37171
95Randall$10.35156
96Dedham$10.28221
97Meriden$10.28175
98Drakesville$10.24170
99North Washington$10.23107
100Dawson$10.19110
101Hancock$10.13199
102Melvin$10.05196
103Barnum$9.96186
104Grafton$9.83212
105Clare$9.81133
106Tingley$9.81146
107Ionia$9.65220
108Rutland$9.65116
109Van Wert$9.62175
110Rock Falls$9.61143
111Kirkville$9.59159
112Superior$9.58127
113Martinsburg$9.49109
114Rippey$9.42217
115Larrabee$9.41116
116Hamilton$9.35125
117Floris$9.29119
118Mitchell$9.22118
119Westphalia$9.18133
120Elberon$9.16178
121Dixon$9.03204
122Blairsburg$8.93175
123Prairieburg$8.91156
124Oakville$8.89198
125Welton$8.86124
126Archer$8.84116
127Luther$8.83147
128Fraser$8.81107
129Macksburg$8.81103
130Washta$8.65206
131Moorland$8.61169
132Pilot Mound$8.54155
133Ollie$8.44196
134Thor$8.38182
135Andover$8.28106
136South English$8.27196
137Thurman$8.26162
138Boxholm$8.11177
139Rome$8.10112
140Westfield$8.10121
141Laurel$8.10214
142Lineville$8.10194
143Vincent$8.09125
144Mount Auburn$7.86162
145Haverhill$7.86164
146Grand River$7.86192
147Olds$7.86174
148Castalia$7.86141
149Dickens$7.86146
150Rose Hill$7.86156
151West Chester$7.82147
152Cromwell$7.81104
153Mcclelland$7.79147
154Luzerne$7.69111
155Lidderdale$7.68162
156Bernard$7.56117
157Fredonia$7.55227
158Braddyville$7.49142
159Alvord$7.41216
160Franklin$7.31133
161Weldon$7.18134
162Brunsville$6.95128
163Packwood$6.77186
164Houghton$6.73129
165Williamson$6.72126
166Lincoln$6.32119
167Gravity$6.18149
168Ackworth$5.90117
169Oakland Acres$5.88178
170Springbrook$5.79145
171Maysville$5.77155
172Harper$5.29117
173Panorama Park$4.62142
174Keomah Village$3.15107
175Mcintire$2.78115
176Sherrill$2.66176
177Centralia$2.41117
178Rickardsville$2.27204
179New Liberty$2.27141
180North Buena Vista$1.78107

The $8.10 limit

Barnes City’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 609 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $2.58 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.98 · $8,723
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.60 · $2,665

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$34,70775%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$8,72319%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2,6656%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Barnes City’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 50¢ of every dollar50¢Public Safety: 20¢ of every dollar20¢General Government: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 5¢ of every dollarEverything 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 180 Iowa cities closest in size (100–230 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (180)
Business Type / Enterprise50¢29¢
Public Safety20¢9¢
General Government15¢23¢
Public Works11¢25¢
Culture and Recreation5¢8¢
Everything else<1¢1¢

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 Works$102,20045%
  • Public Safety$71,00031%
  • General Government$49,25021%
  • Culture and Recreation$5,7002%
  • Community and Economic Development$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($168,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$50,800$34,077
Public Safety$37,524$37,686
Health and Social Services$0$5,570
General Government$41,137$18,661
Debt Service$46,388$0
Culture and Recreation$2,700$2,989
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$115,876$130,831

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.4M
$287,776

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Barnes City owes

$720,835 at June 30, 2026: $4,621 per resident. 147th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$941,613
$720,835
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$720,835$4,621
2025$758,458$4,862
2024$786,083$5,039
2023$821,949$5,269
2022$808,614$5,183
2021$865,583$5,549
2020$911,971$5,846
2019$941,613$6,036
2018$806,037$5,167
2017$808,908$5,185
2016$835,000$5,353
2015$835,000$5,353
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$720,835$4,621
2025$758,458$4,862
2024$786,083$5,039
2023$821,949$5,269
2022$808,614$5,183
2021$865,583$5,549
2020$911,971$5,846
2019$941,613$6,036
2018$806,037$5,167
2017$808,908$5,185
2016$835,000$5,353
2015$835,000$5,353
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Down 14% since 2015.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $332,306 (5% of $6.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Loansnew water system2056$670,502
LoansLoan for a pumper truck for fire department2029$50,333

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. Barnes City’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF), released Wednesday, November 8, 2023, by the Auditor of State.

1 earlier report for Barnes City

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: $15,065 in FY25, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$14,044$14,526$14,984$15,065

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.

$14,401
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$14,401
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$14,401
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−17%$14,473 → $15,065, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% 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 46% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% more.

    $21,797
    $21,654

    Federal grants, for comparison: $12,635 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award 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

    Ballot measures · 1

    Failed Yes 0.0% (0) · No 100.0% (2)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

    City · 2

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Barnes City; 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.

    • Barnes City City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Nancy Dunnick, Donald Baker
    • Barnes City Mayor
      Now held by Barbara Jean Davis

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

    Past ballot measures

    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

    Adrian Dickey (Sen. 44)Helena Hayes (Rep. 88)

    U.S. House:District 1

    Mahaska CountyMontezuma schoolsNorth Mahaska schools