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Local taxes › Montgomery County › Red Oak

City

Red Oak

Montgomery County · How cities work

$4,130 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($49.03 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,740 a yearof that goes to the city ($20.65 per $1,000)
$4.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$8.3Mcity 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.

  • Jeanice LesterRed Oak City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Levi FranksRed Oak City Council Ward 1 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Terry KoppaRed Oak City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tim FridolphRed Oak Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Adam HietbrinkRed Oak City Council Ward 3 · elected November 7, 2023
  • John F. HaidsiakRed Oak City Council Ward 1 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Sharon BradleyRed Oak 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 Red Oak

Homes and businesses in most of Red Oak pay a combined $49.03 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Montgomery County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $20.65. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Red Oak$20.6542%
  • Red Oak schools$15.2631%
  • Montgomery County$8.0816%
  • Montgomery County Memorial Hospital$3.066%
  • Southwestern Community College$1.072%
  • Montgomery County Assessor$0.601%
  • Montgomery County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.30<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$46.25$17.69
FY21$47.48$18.68
FY22$47.24$18.71
FY23$46.83$18.78
FY24$49.36$20.67
FY25$48.60$20.36
FY26$49.47$20.91
FY27$49.03$20.65
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$46.25$17.69
FY21$47.48$18.68
FY22$47.24$18.71
FY23$46.83$18.78
FY24$49.36$20.67
FY25$48.60$20.36
FY26$49.47$20.91
FY27$49.03$20.65

Compared with places this size3

Red Oak’s city property tax rate of $20.65 per $1,000 is the 1st highest of 59 Iowa cities with 3,600–8,000 people. The middle of the group is $14.88.

Oelwein: $20.16Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Perry: $17.91Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Nevada: $14.58Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Evansdale: $8.00Red Oak: $20.65$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 59
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Eagle Grove$19.323,615
4Independence$19.016,266
5Iowa Falls$18.864,993
6West Liberty$18.683,724
7Chariton$18.374,278
8Perry$17.918,046
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Knoxville$17.467,440
11Clarinda$17.255,334
12Centerville$16.855,345
13Algona$16.755,341
14Webster City$16.517,763
15Vinton$16.254,962
16Winterset$16.155,421
17Cresco$16.133,890
18Humboldt$16.004,774
19Anamosa$15.955,845
20Charles City$15.957,081
21Forest City$15.774,199
22Decorah$15.527,454
23Sheldon$15.335,584
24Estherville$15.275,796
25Washington$15.217,281
26Harlan$15.074,898
27Shenandoah$15.024,878
28Creston$14.997,421
29Manchester$14.965,283
30Jefferson$14.884,148
31Hampton$14.864,340
32Carlisle$14.824,381
33Cherokee$14.825,186
34Glenwood$14.775,250
35Waukon$14.763,799
36Nevada$14.587,082
37Monticello$14.494,095
38Osceola$14.375,585
39Windsor Heights$14.305,106
40Orange City$14.016,547
41Hiawatha$13.787,347
42Rock Valley$13.764,024
43Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
44Emmetsburg$13.703,632
45Mount Vernon$13.504,518
46Adel$13.436,763
47Maquoketa$12.856,064
48Camanche$12.754,536
49Le Claire$12.644,776
50Tiffin$11.806,695
51Huxley$11.684,737
52Polk City$11.006,430
53Carter Lake$10.673,752
54Dyersville$10.274,559
55Spirit Lake$10.175,548
56Clear Lake$9.857,602
57Asbury$8.326,051
58Eldridge$8.136,967
59Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Red Oak’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 559 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $12.76 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$8.04 · $1.6M
  • Debt Service Levy$3.21 · $653,177
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.51 · $300,312

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$4.4M of taxable value in Red Oak is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $221,815 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$338,764
$134,666

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 $76,841 of the city’s own.

  • Red Oak schools$46,658
  • Montgomery County$29,071
YearTIF revenue
FY16$261,789
FY17$269,656
FY18$338,764
FY19$289,272
FY20$229,895
FY21$194,638
FY22$127,761
FY23$134,666
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$261,789
FY17$269,656
FY18$338,764
FY19$289,272
FY20$229,895
FY21$194,638
FY22$127,761
FY23$134,666

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.

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.6M39%
  • Consolidate General Fund$1.6M38%
  • Debt Service Levy$653,17716%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$300,3127%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Red Oak’s budget goes, FY26

Public Safety: 33¢ of every dollar33¢Business Type / Enterprise: 25¢ of every dollar25¢Culture and Recreation: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 58 Iowa cities closest in size (3,600–8,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (58)
Public Safety33¢13¢
Business Type / Enterprise25¢37¢
Culture and Recreation13¢8¢
Public Works13¢8¢
Debt Service8¢7¢
Everything else8¢27¢

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$3.8M46%
  • Public Works$1.5M18%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.3M16%
  • Debt Service$794,02510%
  • Community and Economic Development$422,0955%
  • General Government$278,6003%
  • Capital Projects$170,0002%
  • Health and Social Services$16,1000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.8M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$1.1M$1.2M
Public Safety$2.9M$3.1M
Health and Social Services$33,500$0
General Government$195,181$258,107
Debt Service$936,085$941,085
Culture and Recreation$1.1M$1.0M
Community and Economic Development$53,615$121,860
Capital Projects$1.1M$708,436
Business Type / Enterprise$2.1M$2.0M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$13.4M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Red Oak owes

$7.4M at June 30, 2026: $1,319 per resident. 491st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$9.1M
$7.4M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.4M$1,319
2025$8.2M$1,467
2024$9.1M$1,628
2023$6.4M$1,135
2022$7.3M$1,298
2021$8.8M$1,574
2020$8.8M$1,574
2019$6.9M$1,237
2018$6.7M$1,204
2017$7.4M$1,321
2016$8.1M$1,439
2015$8.7M$1,551
2014$8.1M$1,448
2013$8.8M$1,564
2012$5.9M$1,053
2011$7.1M$1,264
2010$2.2M$398
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.4M$1,319
2025$8.2M$1,467
2024$9.1M$1,628
2023$6.4M$1,135
2022$7.3M$1,298
2021$8.8M$1,574
2020$8.8M$1,574
2019$6.9M$1,237
2018$6.7M$1,204
2017$7.4M$1,321
2016$8.1M$1,439
2015$8.7M$1,551
2014$8.1M$1,448
2013$8.8M$1,564
2012$5.9M$1,053
2011$7.1M$1,264
2010$2.2M$398

Up 231% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Red Oak’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, July 1, 2026, by a CPA firm.

11 earlier reports for Red Oak

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? 12

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: $794,740 in FY25, down 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 23% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$777,196$770,073$790,450$794,740
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$42,053–––

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.

$313,500
$38,568
  • Iowa DOT projects$33,25686%
  • State grants$5,31214%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$47,250
FY20$92,611
FY21$297,496
FY22$38,133
FY23$3
FY24$313,500
FY25$38,568
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$47,250
FY20$92,611
FY21$297,496
FY22$38,133
FY23$3
FY24$313,500
FY25$38,568

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−15%$741,784 → $794,740, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% 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 58% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 26% more.

$877,782

Federal grants, for comparison: $112,024 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in RED OAK: $143K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 65 jobs.13

  • Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Under contract: Building · 65 jobs required
    $143K
  • Clarios, LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Not going ahead: Declined or withdrawn
    $23.6M

Community college new jobs training: 7 contracts since 1999 worth $3.2M, for 391 pledged jobs.

Awards statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 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.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Red Oak; 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.

  • Red Oak City Council At-Large
    Now held by Sharon Bradley
  • Red Oak City Council Ward 1
    Now held by John F. Haidsiak
  • Red Oak City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Adam Hietbrink
  • Red Oak Mayor
    Now held by Tim Fridolph

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

Tom Shipley (Sen. 9)Thomas Jay Moore (Rep. 18)

U.S. House:District 3

Montgomery CountyRed Oak schools