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Local taxes › Monona County › Ute

City

Ute

Monona County · How cities work

$2,520 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($29.98 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,120 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.26 per $1,000)
$163,937property taxes the city levies, FY27
$418,834city 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.

  • James HenschenUte Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Josh GottoUte City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Matt LeitzUte City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jimmy CarlsonUte City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ryan PithanUte City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Sue KelmUte 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 Ute

Homes and businesses in most of Ute pay a combined $29.98 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Monona County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.26. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.85$18.38
FY21$36.78$19.28
FY22$36.30$18.95
FY23$32.33$15.11
FY24$31.64$14.32
FY25$32.03$14.79
FY26$29.09$11.57
FY27$29.98$13.26
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.85$18.38
FY21$36.78$19.28
FY22$36.30$18.95
FY23$32.33$15.11
FY24$31.64$14.32
FY25$32.03$14.79
FY26$29.09$11.57
FY27$29.98$13.26

Compared with places this size3

Ute’s city property tax rate of $13.26 per $1,000 is the 80th highest of 199 Iowa cities with 220–480 people. The middle of the group is $12.50.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Humeston: $14.80Ladora: $14.74Bagley: $14.63Gilmore City: $14.60Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Rowley: $8.31Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Ute: $13.26$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 199
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Elliott$21.61328
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Alta Vista$19.88219
8Arthur$19.86218
9Fort Atkinson$19.19300
10Salem$19.15380
11Cumberland$18.42248
12Massena$18.23352
13Callender$17.78361
14Casey$17.72387
15Vail$17.66383
16Ringsted$17.65346
17Emerson$17.54401
18Thompson$17.25478
19Ashton$17.17434
20Pierson$17.12335
21Burt$17.10404
22Pisgah$17.09248
23Latimer$16.96477
24Lohrville$16.95366
25Lakota$16.84261
26Marble Rock$16.78258
27Auburn$16.65253
28Mccallsburg$16.58356
29Whittemore$16.54478
30Irwin$16.46320
31Lewis$16.25358
32Corwith$16.22259
33Deep River$16.18243
34Waucoma$16.17235
35Duncombe$16.10374
36Bayard$16.05402
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Peterson$15.27321
40Russell$15.18475
41Arlington$14.98415
42Riverton$14.94243
43Marathon$14.89221
44Maynard$14.85466
45Plainfield$14.84392
46Ryan$14.84348
47Otho$14.82417
48Humeston$14.80472
49Ladora$14.74223
50Bagley$14.63230
51Gilmore City$14.60484
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Ocheyedan$14.22424
58Steamboat Rock$14.19261
59Garwin$14.08469
60Farragut$14.07480
61Mystic$14.01318
62Lime Springs$13.95467
63Dow City$13.94477
64Wesley$13.91382
65Diagonal$13.91331
66Bussey$13.83378
67Mondamin$13.82335
68Livermore$13.78382
69Fertile$13.70300
70Stockport$13.68272
71Kellerton$13.60241
72Albion$13.58444
73Quimby$13.58245
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Leland$13.31240
80Ute$13.26326
81New Market$13.25381
82Plymouth$13.21368
83Harcourt$13.21257
84Bennett$13.16330
85Ridgeway$13.10261
86Farmersburg$13.09264
87Little Rock$13.03447
88Lehigh$12.97395
89Menlo$12.92347
90Templeton$12.91337
91Silver City$12.87244
92Martelle$12.83250
93Malcom$12.82257
94Galva$12.68416
95Martensdale$12.63413
96Blencoe$12.57223
97Williams$12.57299
98Maurice$12.56271
99Norway$12.53463
100Clearfield$12.50277
101Kensett$12.47256
102Mccausland$12.45314
103Spillville$12.40371
104Modale$12.34284
105Mingo$12.31314
106Brandon$12.29331
107Blakesburg$12.21273
108Cushing$12.18225
109Bonaparte$12.17357
110Macedonia$12.12266
111Hawkeye$12.11429
112Kiron$12.03262
113Colesburg$11.97379
114Liscomb$11.96292
115New Providence$11.88233
116Thornton$11.86394
117Runnells$11.79467
118Allerton$11.72432
119Atalissa$11.71287
120Cantril$11.69224
121Kelley$11.69312
122Orient$11.66363
123Cincinnati$11.57280
124Delta$11.52257
125Terril$11.48310
126Westside$11.45283
127Holland$11.37261
128Churdan$11.31359
129Mallard$11.28255
130Miles$11.28400
131Renwick$11.16228
132Milton$10.98395
133New Vienna$10.91384
134Letts$10.91358
135Goose Lake$10.89250
136Birmingham$10.87371
137Charlotte$10.86386
138Yale$10.85265
139Batavia$10.77434
140Hornick$10.74255
141Riverdale$10.67385
142Bode$10.64304
143Union$10.58378
144Cleghorn$10.49235
145Calamus$10.47348
146Lovilia$10.46456
147Danbury$10.43315
148Lytton$10.38274
149Stacyville$10.36436
150Rhodes$10.36269
151Dedham$10.28221
152Deloit$10.28246
153Protivin$10.28264
154Andrew$10.22374
155Royal$10.20379
156Bronson$10.14294
157Rudd$10.13339
158La Motte$10.09235
159Defiance$10.05248
160Floyd$10.02297
161Panama$9.85234
162Lynnville$9.68382
163Ionia$9.65220
164Salix$9.63303
165Luxemburg$9.58240
166Farnhamville$9.18364
167Middletown$9.16365
168Alleman$9.12439
169Lester$8.94309
170Harvey$8.71242
171Rowley$8.31264
172Bertram$8.10267
173Fostoria$8.10229
174Grandview$8.10431
175Lost Nation$8.10425
176Low Moor$8.10242
177Nichols$8.10317
178Luana$7.98303
179Lockridge$7.92245
180Delhi$7.81438
181Klemme$7.74429
182Pulaski$7.58259
183Beacon$7.56434
184Sheldahl$7.56312
185Fredonia$7.55227
186Worthington$7.50374
187Harpers Ferry$7.49273
188Marquette$7.08434
189Columbus City$6.94385
190Donahue$6.83336
191Libertyville$6.60278
192Keswick$6.49238
193Crawfordsville$6.44278
194Holy Cross$5.91348
195Conesville$5.86350
196University Park$5.27476
197Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
198Wahpeton$3.19337
199West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Ute’s general levy is $7.97 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.13 below the limit.4 449 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $5.29 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.83 · $34,927
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.57 · $19,382
  • Debt Service Levy$0.89 · $10,940

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$98,24960%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$34,92721%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$19,38212%
  • Debt Service Levy$10,9407%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ute’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 63¢ of every dollar63¢Public Works: 20¢ of every dollar20¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 4¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 2¢ 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 197 Iowa cities closest in size (220–480 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (197)
Business Type / Enterprise63¢38¢
Public Works20¢20¢
General Government11¢16¢
Public Safety4¢9¢
Culture and Recreation2¢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$201,26948%
  • Public Safety$88,99121%
  • General Government$83,91020%
  • Culture and Recreation$29,5967%
  • Debt Service$11,0883%
  • Health and Social Services$3,9801%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($812,887 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$231,441$204,870
Public Safety$30,035$30,809
Health and Social Services$4,220$3,535
General Government$114,874$108,119
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$27,885$15,476
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$300,000$5,121
Business Type / Enterprise$130,064$115,110

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$3.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ute owes

$1.8M at June 30, 2026: $5,201 per resident. 118th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.8M
$1.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.8M$5,201
2025$1.7M$5,154
2024$1.8M$5,207
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$45,000$133
2020$89,000$263
2019$131,000$388
2018$172,000$509
2017$211,000$624
2016$249,000$737
2015$313,000$926
2014$369,000$1,092
2013$30,000$89
2012$45,000$133
2011$60,000$178
2010$75,000$222
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.8M$5,201
2025$1.7M$5,154
2024$1.8M$5,207
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$45,000$133
2020$89,000$263
2019$131,000$388
2018$172,000$509
2017$211,000$624
2016$249,000$737
2015$313,000$926
2014$369,000$1,092
2013$30,000$89
2012$45,000$133
2011$60,000$178
2010$75,000$222

Up 2244% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $47,000, 5% of the limit of about $891,467 (5% of $17.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsUSDA Loan 91-04 for New Water Tower Project2064$922,396
Revenue BondsUSDA Loan 91-06 for New Water Tower Project2064$788,700
General ObligationGO Bond 2026 - Tree Removal and Snow Plow Blade2030$47,000

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. Ute’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF), released Tuesday, October 13, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

4 earlier reports for Ute

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: $55,215 in FY25, down 3% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 23% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$51,857$39,300$47,744$55,215
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$3,583$6,272––

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.

$1,702
  • State grants$1,702100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$1,350
FY24$0
FY25$1,702
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$1,350
FY24$0
FY25$1,702

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−9%$48,315 → $55,215, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% 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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

$44,446
$42,599

Federal grants, for comparison: $778,654 in FY25.

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

City · 2

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ute; 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.

  • Ute City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Ryan Pithan, Sue Kelm, Jimmy Carlson
  • Ute Mayor
    Now held by James Henschen

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

Kevin Alons (Sen. 7)Travis M. Sitzmann (Rep. 13)

U.S. House:District 4

Monona CountyCharter Oak-Ute schools