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Local taxes › Mitchell County › Riceville

City

Riceville

Mitchell County · How cities work

$2,840 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.68 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,290 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.31 per $1,000)
$481,595property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.0Mcity 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.

  • Brandon WatsonRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brandon WatsonRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian FosterRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian FosterRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Christina HubkaRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Christina HubkaRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • James OwenRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • James OwenRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Robert GrimmRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Robert GrimmRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Sal GomezRiceville Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lynn DoaneRiceville Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lynn DoaneRiceville Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Paige PorterRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Paige PorterRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Wade WannerRiceville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Wade WannerRiceville 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 Riceville

Homes and businesses in most of Riceville pay a combined $33.68 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, $15.31. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Riceville$15.3145%
  • Riceville schools$9.5128%
  • Mitchell County$5.6417%
  • Mitchell County Hospital$1.133%
  • Northeast Iowa Community College$1.043%
  • Mitchell County Assessor$0.652%
  • Mitchell County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.31<1%
  • Riceville Emergency Medical Service$0.10<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.49$17.43
FY21$36.04$17.98
FY22$34.78$16.96
FY23$34.90$17.12
FY24$34.92$17.28
FY25$33.95$15.66
FY26$33.31$15.67
FY27$33.68$15.31
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.49$17.43
FY21$36.04$17.98
FY22$34.78$16.96
FY23$34.90$17.12
FY24$34.92$17.28
FY25$33.95$15.66
FY26$33.31$15.67
FY27$33.68$15.31

Compared with places this size3

Riceville’s city property tax rate of $15.31 per $1,000 is the 42nd highest of 182 Iowa cities with 540–1,200 people. The middle of the group is $12.82.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Okoboji: $3.83Riceville: $15.31$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 182
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Dayton$22.51766
4Correctionville$19.84759
5Villisca$19.741,106
6Allison$19.06937
7Dumont$19.04614
8Seymour$18.78646
9Dexter$18.69631
10Fonda$18.52636
11Kanawha$18.11638
12Swea City$18.04545
13Greene$17.91971
14Alden$17.90738
15New Hartford$17.69555
16Lansing$17.67959
17Strawberry Point$17.581,141
18Rockwell$17.541,044
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Gowrie$17.17943
22Colo$17.14856
23Mapleton$16.901,114
24George$16.891,106
25Fayette$16.851,193
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Bancroft$16.52677
32Eldon$16.42788
33Early$16.35571
34Aplington$16.341,088
35Panora$16.141,096
36Mechanicsville$16.12974
37Armstrong$15.87847
38Ruthven$15.84710
39Minden$15.77581
40Walker$15.74671
41Newell$15.49850
42Riceville$15.31807
43Neola$15.30917
44Sidney$15.191,048
45Gilbertville$15.15792
46Stanwood$15.12612
47Stratford$15.03688
48Griswold$15.01975
49Readlyn$14.99857
50Tripoli$14.991,208
51Hopkinton$14.79622
52Essex$14.76721
53Dunlap$14.561,030
54Garnavillo$14.52751
55Maxwell$14.50862
56Clermont$14.30571
57Moulton$14.25596
58Mcgregor$14.20725
59Olin$14.19652
60Primghar$14.18893
61Sheffield$14.161,123
62Elgin$14.05676
63Ossian$13.88777
64Redfield$13.73719
65Victor$13.72852
66Edgewood$13.64908
67Sioux Rapids$13.63722
68Donnellson$13.63859
69Gladbrook$13.58775
70Rockford$13.52722
71Janesville$13.431,052
72Glidden$13.431,140
73Calmar$13.391,100
74Boyden$13.39694
75Baxter$13.32983
76Anita$13.28953
77Van Horne$13.27768
78Conrad$13.231,098
79Springville$13.221,161
80Keota$13.21888
81Shellsburg$13.20987
82De Soto$13.18937
83Quasqueton$13.12587
84Farmington$13.10583
85Treynor$13.031,104
86Odebolt$13.00967
87Coggon$12.99691
88Earlville$12.90713
89Brighton$12.88592
90Danville$12.87910
91Underwood$12.85973
92Malvern$12.791,056
93Montrose$12.78734
94Goldfield$12.73617
95Wellsburg$12.68709
96Buffalo$12.681,163
97Delmar$12.68541
98Badger$12.67540
99Stanton$12.62664
100Hospers$12.58703
101Everly$12.51570
102Hazleton$12.48711
103West Point$12.39903
104Hinton$12.38959
105Preston$12.38940
106Alburnett$12.30672
107Hubbard$12.30837
108Moravia$12.27625
109Hedrick$12.22717
110Carson$12.22772
111Wheatland$12.18765
112Schaller$12.14702
113Winfield$12.041,006
114Elkhart$12.001,079
115Afton$11.96864
116Lowden$11.93767
117Tabor$11.88983
118Albert City$11.88627
119Aurelia$11.84970
120Merrill$11.64713
121Morning Sun$11.50702
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Wall Lake$11.43739
124West Bend$11.42770
125Dakota City$11.39764
126Marcus$11.311,069
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Sutherland$11.25628
129Arcadia$11.23588
130Whiting$11.21725
131Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
132Shelby$11.17730
133University Heights$11.121,188
134Blairstown$11.04705
135Manilla$11.01756
136Hamburg$10.95863
137Clarence$10.94991
138Ireton$10.93571
139Fontanelle$10.88684
140Grand Mound$10.78608
141Cambridge$10.53844
142Swisher$10.39909
143Schleswig$10.39820
144Melbourne$10.38771
145Radcliffe$10.37540
146Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
147Fredericksburg$10.27983
148Lake Park$10.251,155
149Ventura$10.22701
150Inwood$10.22962
151Milo$10.20762
152Hartford$10.16729
153What Cheer$10.01595
154Newhall$9.99887
155Graettinger$9.81810
156Doon$9.78640
157Long Grove$9.59849
158Lake View$9.391,120
159Paullina$9.21979
160Fairbank$9.001,133
161Winthrop$8.94814
162Crescent$8.72626
163Keosauqua$8.58944
164Grand Junction$8.57715
165Princeton$8.24917
166Kellogg$8.10597
167Lakeside$8.10695
168Riverside$8.021,063
169Agency$7.94623
170Hills$7.94911
171Fremont$7.86688
172Larchwood$7.52954
173North English$7.491,030
174Sloan$7.491,078
175Sully$7.41891
176Fruitland$7.21928
177Lawton$7.10949
178Wayland$7.07935
179Raymond$6.85754
180Keystone$6.80616
181Shueyville$6.79725
182Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Riceville’s general levy is $7.81 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 below the limit.4 690 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.05 · FY27 $7.81 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.50 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.92 · $94,144
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.67 · $83,390
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.91 · $59,564

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$981,073 of taxable value in Riceville is in TIF districts’ increment (3% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $21,593 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$72,749
$41,484

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 $12,153 of the city’s own.

  • Riceville schools$8,138
  • Howard County$6,046
YearTIF revenue
FY16$13,018
FY17$14,105
FY18$12,637
FY19$31,756
FY20$56,457
FY21$72,749
FY22$57,388
FY23$41,484
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$13,018
FY17$14,105
FY18$12,637
FY19$31,756
FY20$56,457
FY21$72,749
FY22$57,388
FY23$41,484

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$244,02551%
  • Debt Service Levy$94,14420%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$83,39017%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$59,56412%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Riceville’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Culture and Recreation: 17¢ of every dollar17¢General Government: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 11¢ of every dollar11¢

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 181 Iowa cities closest in size (540–1,200 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (181)
Business Type / Enterprise31¢40¢
Culture and Recreation17¢9¢
General Government16¢10¢
Public Safety13¢10¢
Public Works11¢16¢
Everything else11¢8¢

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.

  • General Government$247,92225%
  • Public Works$199,91120%
  • Culture and Recreation$177,43818%
  • Public Safety$153,15015%
  • Community and Economic Development$120,50012%
  • Debt Service$94,8139%
  • Capital Projects$8,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($319,610 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$156,387$125,069
Public Safety$104,525$86,128
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$59,347$135,250
Debt Service$108,128$108,128
Culture and Recreation$148,662$151,452
Community and Economic Development$91,740$95,274
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$373,098$308,546

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$2.8M
$1.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Riceville owes

$525,000 at June 30, 2026: $651 per resident. 615th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$1.1M
$525,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$525,000$651
2025$605,000$751
2024$685,000$850
2023$793,559$985
2022$894,415$1,110
2021$973,569$1,208
2020$1.1M$1,326
2019$189,195$235
2018$283,201$351
2017$371,402$461
2016$458,844$569
2015$540,571$671
2014$624,514$775
2013$704,931$875
2012$776,859$964
2011$851,113$1,056
2010$690,000$856
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$525,000$651
2025$605,000$751
2024$685,000$850
2023$793,559$985
2022$894,415$1,110
2021$973,569$1,208
2020$1.1M$1,326
2019$189,195$235
2018$283,201$351
2017$371,402$461
2016$458,844$569
2015$540,571$671
2014$624,514$775
2013$704,931$875
2012$776,859$964
2011$851,113$1,056
2010$690,000$856

Down 24% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $525,000, 19% of the limit of about $2.8M (5% of $56.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligationconstruction of street, sanitary sewer system, and storm water drainage improvements2032$525,000

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. Riceville’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Wednesday, November 5, 2025, by the Auditor of State.

4 earlier reports for Riceville

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: $119,138 in FY25, up 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$110,893$110,915$101,000$114,468
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$9,937$9,474$4,670

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.

$28,883
$1,464
  • State grants$1,464100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,407
FY20$2,263
FY21$5,762
FY22$2,346
FY23$2,736
FY24$28,883
FY25$1,464
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,407
FY20$2,263
FY21$5,762
FY22$2,346
FY23$2,736
FY24$28,883
FY25$1,464

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−10%$101,411 → $114,468, 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 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more.

$127,691
$124,430

Federal grants, for comparison: $11,700 in FY24.

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)14.

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 · 5

3 seats: the top 3 win.

2 seats: the top 2 win.

3 seats: the top 3 win.

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Riceville; 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.

  • Riceville City Council At-Large (4 seats)
    Now held by Wade Wanner, Paige Porter, Wade Wanner, Paige Porter
  • Riceville Mayor (2 seats)
    Now held by Lynn Doane, Lynn Doane

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Michael R. Bergan (Rep. 63)

U.S. House:District 2

Mitchell CountyRiceville schools