Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Mitchell County › Osage

City

Osage

Mitchell County · How cities work

$3,000 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.57 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,200 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.29 per $1,000)
$1.6Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$5.1Mcity 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.

  • Bill HughetOsage City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian FangmeierOsage City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Larry MorkOsage City Council Ward 4 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian R. AdamsOsage City Council Ward 3 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Darla OlsonOsage City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Judy VoaklanderOsage City Council Ward 1 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Steve CooperOsage Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mitchell WigernOsage Park Board Commissioner · elected November 4, 2025

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 Osage

Homes and businesses in most of Osage pay a combined $35.57 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Mitchell County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.29. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Osage$14.2940%
  • Osage schools$12.3235%
  • Mitchell County$5.6416%
  • North Iowa Area Community College$1.243%
  • Mitchell County Hospital$1.133%
  • Mitchell County Assessor$0.652%
  • Mitchell County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.31<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.33$13.08
FY21$34.33$13.08
FY22$33.43$12.93
FY23$33.79$13.16
FY24$34.57$13.82
FY25$33.73$13.28
FY26$35.05$14.20
FY27$35.57$14.29
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.33$13.08
FY21$34.33$13.08
FY22$33.43$12.93
FY23$33.79$13.16
FY24$34.57$13.82
FY25$33.73$13.28
FY26$35.05$14.20
FY27$35.57$14.29

Compared with places this size3

Osage’s city property tax rate of $14.29 per $1,000 is the 30th lowest of 66 Iowa cities with 2,400–5,300 people. The middle of the group is $14.53.

Eldora: $26.87Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Tama: $17.74Clarion: $17.74Missouri Valley: $17.68Clarinda: $17.25Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Grundy Center: $16.36Vinton: $16.25Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Humboldt: $16.00Forest City: $15.77Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Rock Rapids: $14.57Monticello: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Windsor Heights: $14.30Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62Mount Vernon: $13.50New Hampton: $13.44Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Hawarden: $13.02Garner: $12.86Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Milford: $12.57Onawa: $12.32Hull: $11.79Huxley: $11.68Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Williamsburg: $11.11Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37Dyersville: $10.27West Burlington: $10.15Robins: $9.68Fairfax: $8.10Evansdale: $8.00Osage: $14.29$8.00 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 66
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Bloomfield$20.412,773
3Belmond$19.862,405
4Sibley$19.772,787
5Albia$19.703,579
6Eagle Grove$19.323,615
7Iowa Falls$18.864,993
8West Liberty$18.683,724
9Chariton$18.374,278
10Tama$17.742,997
11Clarion$17.742,751
12Missouri Valley$17.682,638
13Clarinda$17.255,334
14Madrid$16.932,824
15West Union$16.602,435
16Grundy Center$16.362,821
17Vinton$16.254,962
18Cresco$16.133,890
19Marengo$16.102,415
20Humboldt$16.004,774
21Forest City$15.774,199
22Postville$15.682,418
23Tipton$15.543,059
24Harlan$15.074,898
25Shenandoah$15.024,878
26Manchester$14.965,283
27Jefferson$14.884,148
28Hampton$14.864,340
29Carlisle$14.824,381
30Cherokee$14.825,186
31Glenwood$14.775,250
32Waukon$14.763,799
33Rock Rapids$14.572,709
34Monticello$14.494,095
35Jesup$14.312,541
36Windsor Heights$14.305,106
37Osage$14.293,559
38Rock Valley$13.764,024
39Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
40Emmetsburg$13.703,632
41Wilton$13.622,914
42Mount Vernon$13.504,518
43New Hampton$13.443,433
44Hudson$13.192,916
45Center Point$13.192,578
46Hawarden$13.022,630
47Garner$12.863,049
48Camanche$12.754,536
49Le Claire$12.644,776
50Milford$12.573,258
51Onawa$12.322,795
52Hull$11.792,459
53Huxley$11.684,737
54Cascade$11.642,396
55West Branch$11.632,876
56Mitchellville$11.542,686
57Solon$11.533,284
58Williamsburg$11.113,380
59Carter Lake$10.673,752
60Story City$10.393,439
61Kalona$10.372,762
62Dyersville$10.274,559
63West Burlington$10.153,249
64Robins$9.683,362
65Fairfax$8.102,937
66Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Osage’s general levy is $8.12 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.02 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 240 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.12 · FY27 $8.12 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.17 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.40 · $497,603
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.77 · $199,975

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$55.1M of taxable value in Osage is in TIF districts’ increment (33% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $1.3M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$1.2M

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 $787,054 of the city’s own.

  • Osage schools$529,907
  • Mitchell County$310,573
YearTIF revenue
FY16$716,544
FY17$804,962
FY18$943,119
FY19$903,894
FY20$925,098
FY21$1.1M
FY22$1.1M
FY23$1.2M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$716,544
FY17$804,962
FY18$943,119
FY19$903,894
FY20$925,098
FY21$1.1M
FY22$1.1M
FY23$1.2M

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$918,58857%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$497,60331%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$199,97512%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Osage’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Capital Projects: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 17¢ of every dollar17¢

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 65 Iowa cities closest in size (2,400–5,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (65)
Business Type / Enterprise31¢37¢
Capital Projects22¢18¢
Culture and Recreation11¢8¢
Public Safety10¢13¢
Public Works8¢9¢
Everything else17¢16¢

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.

  • Culture and Recreation$1.1M22%
  • Public Safety$1.1M21%
  • Public Works$995,80020%
  • Debt Service$753,37315%
  • Community and Economic Development$574,40511%
  • General Government$480,3929%
  • Capital Projects$100,0002%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($3.2M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$744,358$726,745
Public Safety$927,290$959,940
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$447,460$420,346
Debt Service$901,750$896,153
Culture and Recreation$942,425$814,196
Community and Economic Development$1.5M$509,568
Capital Projects$913,049$969,069
Business Type / Enterprise$2.0M$2.2M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$12.7M
$12.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Osage owes

$6.9M at June 30, 2026: $1,913 per resident. 398th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$11.2M
$6.9M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.9M$1,913
2025$5.6M$1,557
2024$6.4M$1,778
2023$7.6M$2,098
2022$8.7M$2,404
2021$8.5M$2,354
2020$6.8M$1,885
2019$7.6M$2,090
2018$6.0M$1,667
2017$11.2M$3,098
2016$4.6M$1,275
2015$5.0M$1,376
2014$5.3M$1,468
2013$5.8M$1,590
2012$6.1M$1,683
2011$7.4M$2,041
2010$6.7M$1,856
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.9M$1,913
2025$5.6M$1,557
2024$6.4M$1,778
2023$7.6M$2,098
2022$8.7M$2,404
2021$8.5M$2,354
2020$6.8M$1,885
2019$7.6M$2,090
2018$6.0M$1,667
2017$11.2M$3,098
2016$4.6M$1,275
2015$5.0M$1,376
2014$5.3M$1,468
2013$5.8M$1,590
2012$6.1M$1,683
2011$7.4M$2,041
2010$6.7M$1,856

Up 3% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $4.0M, 26% of the limit of about $15.3M (5% of $305.3M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

8 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2025 Street Project2036$2.1M
Revenue BondsWater Revenue for Water Tower, well and well house2041$1.4M
General ObligationSplashpad and Playground in City Park2034$916,000
Revenue BondsSEWER2028$730,000
General Obligation2018 STREET PROJECT2030$570,000
Revenue BondsSewer Revenue Sludge tank and blower building2036$437,000
Revenue BondsDAYCARE2033$416,000
General ObligationADVANCE REFUNDING PUBLIC SAFETY2029$400,000

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 balances11. Osage’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, September 24, 2025, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Osage

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: $600,053 in FY25, up 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$501,174$499,116$512,323$515,104
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$48,127$39,716$114,006$84,949

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.

$363,769
  • Iowa Economic Development Authority$360,00099%
  • State grants$3,7691%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$10,596
FY20$14,003
FY21$6,132
FY22$5,188
FY23$5,053
FY24$5,103
FY25$363,769
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$10,596
FY20$14,003
FY21$6,132
FY22$5,188
FY23$5,053
FY24$5,103
FY25$363,769

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$467,523 → $515,104, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+42%$47,757 → $84,949, up 78% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 42% more

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 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more.

$531,731
$516,143

Federal grants, for comparison: $78,595 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

2 businesses have state awards in OSAGE: $2.1M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 26 jobs.14

  • A to Z Drying, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY24 · Under contract: Building · 16 jobs required
    $1.0M
  • Valent BioSciences LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Under contract: Building · 10 jobs required
    $1.1M

Community college new jobs training: 7 contracts since 2007 worth $2.3M, for 192 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 · 4

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Osage; 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.

  • Osage City Council At-Large
    Now held by Darla Olson
  • Osage City Council Ward 1
    Now held by Judy Voaklander
  • Osage City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Brian R. Adams
  • Osage Mayor
    Now held by Steve Cooper
  • Osage Park Board Commissioner
    Now held by Ted Funk

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

Doug Campbell (Sen. 30)Jane Bloomingdale (Rep. 60)

U.S. House:District 2

Mitchell CountyOsage schools