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Local taxes › Mahaska County › New Sharon

City

New Sharon

Mahaska County · How cities work

$2,820 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.54 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,080 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.80 per $1,000)
$537,667property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.5Mcity 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.

  • Christian HuffmanNew Sharon City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Justin StoutNew Sharon City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Thomas GermanNew Sharon Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Keri LambersonNew Sharon City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Linda S. SteelNew Sharon 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 New Sharon

Homes and businesses in most of New Sharon pay a combined $33.54 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, $12.80. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.65$11.30
FY21$35.27$12.38
FY22$35.10$12.77
FY23$36.14$13.75
FY24$36.57$14.13
FY25$35.76$13.78
FY26$35.29$13.39
FY27$33.54$12.80
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.65$11.30
FY21$35.27$12.38
FY22$35.10$12.77
FY23$36.14$13.75
FY24$36.57$14.13
FY25$35.76$13.78
FY26$35.29$13.39
FY27$33.54$12.80

Compared with places this size3

New Sharon’s city property tax rate of $12.80 per $1,000 is the 59th lowest of 147 Iowa cities with 840–1,900 people. The middle of the group is $13.39.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Villisca: $19.74Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Buffalo Center: $16.58Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Durant: $16.24Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Mount Ayr: $15.32Neola: $15.30Guttenberg: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Dunlap: $14.56Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Hartley: $14.11Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Donnellson: $13.63Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Remsen: $12.32Hubbard: $12.30Reinbeck: $12.10Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Inwood: $10.22Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Arnolds Park: $4.95New Sharon: $12.80$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 147
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Villisca$19.741,106
5Traer$19.561,547
6Corning$19.361,509
7Lake City$19.321,656
8Allison$19.06937
9Corydon$18.221,563
10Dysart$17.951,266
11Greene$17.91971
12Lansing$17.67959
13Strawberry Point$17.581,141
14Rockwell$17.541,044
15Gowrie$17.17943
16Colo$17.14856
17Mapleton$16.901,114
18George$16.891,106
19Manson$16.871,646
20Fayette$16.851,193
21Eddyville$16.82965
22Nashua$16.811,515
23Ackley$16.631,538
24Buffalo Center$16.58839
25Roland$16.511,376
26Monona$16.411,462
27Aplington$16.341,088
28Durant$16.241,798
29Panora$16.141,096
30Mechanicsville$16.12974
31Dike$15.941,293
32Armstrong$15.87847
33Holstein$15.811,475
34State Center$15.801,403
35Pleasantville$15.801,696
36Earlham$15.551,411
37Shell Rock$15.521,265
38Brooklyn$15.491,474
39Newell$15.49850
40Mount Ayr$15.321,616
41Neola$15.30917
42Guttenberg$15.191,804
43Sidney$15.191,048
44Logan$15.051,351
45Griswold$15.01975
46Readlyn$14.99857
47Tripoli$14.991,208
48Woodbine$14.801,707
49Bedford$14.661,474
50Lenox$14.651,355
51Manning$14.621,390
52Van Meter$14.601,840
53Dunlap$14.561,030
54Maxwell$14.50862
55Coon Rapids$14.491,258
56Nora Springs$14.251,330
57Kingsley$14.251,394
58Urbana$14.201,635
59Primghar$14.18893
60Sheffield$14.161,123
61Hartley$14.111,584
62Woodward$14.051,383
63Guthrie Center$14.041,579
64Alton$13.871,248
65Montezuma$13.791,421
66Victor$13.72852
67Gilbert$13.711,397
68Edgewood$13.64908
69Donnellson$13.63859
70Clarksville$13.531,238
71Avoca$13.511,685
72Janesville$13.431,052
73Glidden$13.431,140
74Calmar$13.391,100
75Baxter$13.32983
76Manly$13.291,233
77Anita$13.28953
78Conrad$13.231,098
79Springville$13.221,161
80Keota$13.21888
81Shellsburg$13.20987
82De Soto$13.18937
83Treynor$13.031,104
84Odebolt$13.00967
85Akron$12.931,545
86Leon$12.931,779
87Danville$12.87910
88Underwood$12.85973
89New Sharon$12.801,249
90Slater$12.791,626
91Malvern$12.791,056
92Buffalo$12.681,163
93Sanborn$12.621,463
94New London$12.561,853
95West Point$12.39903
96Hinton$12.38959
97Preston$12.38940
98Remsen$12.321,681
99Hubbard$12.30837
100Reinbeck$12.101,673
101Winfield$12.041,006
102Elkhart$12.001,079
103Afton$11.96864
104Tabor$11.88983
105Wellman$11.881,531
106Aurelia$11.84970
107Blue Grass$11.791,707
108Columbus Junction$11.711,794
109Palo$11.491,554
110Prairie City$11.381,722
111Marcus$11.311,069
112Dunkerton$11.30840
113Mediapolis$11.271,679
114Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
115University Heights$11.121,188
116Hamburg$10.95863
117Clarence$10.94991
118Farley$10.911,723
119Oakland$10.851,519
120Moville$10.671,707
121Cambridge$10.53844
122Swisher$10.39909
123Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
124Walcott$10.291,556
125Fredericksburg$10.27983
126Lake Park$10.251,155
127Inwood$10.22962
128Central City$10.011,254
129Newhall$9.99887
130Long Grove$9.59849
131Lake View$9.391,120
132Paullina$9.21979
133Fairbank$9.001,133
134Walford$8.721,357
135Keosauqua$8.58944
136Princeton$8.24917
137Lone Tree$8.131,341
138Riverside$8.021,063
139Hills$7.94911
140Larchwood$7.52954
141North English$7.491,030
142Sloan$7.491,078
143Sully$7.41891
144Fruitland$7.21928
145Lawton$7.10949
146Wayland$7.07935
147Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

New Sharon’s general levy is $7.73 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.37 below the limit.4 724 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $7.97 · FY27 $7.73 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.06 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.31 · $139,028
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.75 · $73,430

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$324,59760%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$139,02826%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$73,43014%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of New Sharon’s budget goes, FY26

Public Safety: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Public Works: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Business Type / Enterprise: 20¢ of every dollar20¢Culture and Recreation: 18¢ of every dollar18¢General Government: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Everything else: 2¢ 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 146 Iowa cities closest in size (840–1,900 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (146)
Public Safety22¢10¢
Public Works22¢13¢
Business Type / Enterprise20¢41¢
Culture and Recreation18¢9¢
General Government17¢8¢
Everything else2¢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.

  • Public Safety$429,46128%
  • Public Works$390,11526%
  • Culture and Recreation$301,43420%
  • General Government$261,52517%
  • Community and Economic Development$140,0009%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($315,525 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$269,671$222,693
Public Safety$324,031$285,705
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$184,054$235,046
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$200,060$179,324
Community and Economic Development$75,000$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$305,045$263,965

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$2.7M
$1.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What New Sharon owes

$1.9M at June 30, 2026: $1,532 per resident. 457th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$2.5M
$1.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$1,532
2025$2.1M$1,628
2024$2.2M$1,723
2023$2.2M$1,723
2022$2.3M$1,815
2021$2.5M$1,996
2020$2.5M$2,018
2019$1.3M$1,006
2018$104,000$82
2017$585,000$464
2016$607,000$481
2015$680,000$539
2014$725,000$574
2013$725,000$574
2012$768,000$609
2011$790,550$626
2010$521,027$413
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.9M$1,532
2025$2.1M$1,628
2024$2.2M$1,723
2023$2.2M$1,723
2022$2.3M$1,815
2021$2.5M$1,996
2020$2.5M$2,018
2019$1.3M$1,006
2018$104,000$82
2017$585,000$464
2016$607,000$481
2015$680,000$539
2014$725,000$574
2013$725,000$574
2012$768,000$609
2011$790,550$626
2010$521,027$413

Up 271% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $3.8M (5% of $76.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bondssewer treatment plant inprovements2039$1.8M
Revenue Bondsne sewer lift station2039$153,000

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. New Sharon’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, October 24, 2025, by the Auditor of State.

6 earlier reports for New Sharon

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: $181,315 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)$175,224$173,665$178,261$179,228
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$2,694$2,922$2,504$2,087

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.

$24,085
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$500
    FY21$10,216
    FY22$4,700
    FY23$223
    FY24$24,085
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$500
    FY21$10,216
    FY22$4,700
    FY23$223
    FY24$24,085
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−14%$167,037 → $179,228, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−75%$6,709 → $2,087, down 69% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 75% 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 62% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% more.

    $165,313

    Federal grants, for comparison: $96,667 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2007 worth $50K, for 10 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)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 New Sharon; 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.

    • New Sharon City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Keri Lamberson, Linda S. Steel
    • New Sharon Mayor
      Now held by Thomas German

    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

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

    U.S. House:District 1

    Mahaska CountyNorth Mahaska schools