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$3,220 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.26 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,450 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.17 per $1,000)
$281,551property taxes the city levies, FY27
$617,382city 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.

  • Jacob BosAshton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kay Colleen WinkelAshton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark CarlsonAshton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark Vander PolAshton Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • John CorbettAshton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mark VanderPolAshton 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 Ashton

Homes and businesses in most of Ashton pay a combined $38.26 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Osceola County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.17. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.33$16.17
FY21$35.67$16.31
FY22$35.37$16.27
FY23$34.43$15.79
FY24$34.63$15.68
FY25$36.99$16.23
FY26$38.33$16.84
FY27$38.26$17.17
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.33$16.17
FY21$35.67$16.31
FY22$35.37$16.27
FY23$34.43$15.79
FY24$34.63$15.68
FY25$36.99$16.23
FY26$38.33$16.84
FY27$38.26$17.17

Compared with places this size3

Ashton’s city property tax rate of $17.17 per $1,000 is the 27th highest of 181 Iowa cities with 290–650 people. The middle of the group is $12.97.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Massena: $18.23Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minden: $15.77Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Brighton: $12.88Goldfield: $12.73Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Williams: $12.57Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Moravia: $12.27Bonaparte: $12.17Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Terril: $11.48Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13Floyd: $10.02What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Gilman: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Agency: $7.94Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Keystone: $6.80New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Ashton: $17.17$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 181
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Fort Atkinson$19.19300
9Salem$19.15380
10Dumont$19.04614
11Seymour$18.78646
12Dexter$18.69631
13Fonda$18.52636
14Massena$18.23352
15Kanawha$18.11638
16Swea City$18.04545
17Elma$17.82493
18Callender$17.78361
19Casey$17.72387
20Dows$17.70509
21New Hartford$17.69555
22Vail$17.66383
23Ringsted$17.65346
24Emerson$17.54401
25Murray$17.44609
26Thompson$17.25478
27Ashton$17.17434
28Pierson$17.12335
29Burt$17.10404
30Latimer$16.96477
31Lohrville$16.95366
32Elk Horn$16.78631
33Mccallsburg$16.58356
34Whittemore$16.54478
35Irwin$16.46320
36Titonka$16.45491
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Lewis$16.25358
40Duncombe$16.10374
41Bayard$16.05402
42Scranton$16.01496
43Granville$16.00302
44Minden$15.77581
45Minburn$15.75317
46Peterson$15.27321
47Russell$15.18475
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Zearing$14.99508
50Arlington$14.98415
51Maynard$14.85466
52Plainfield$14.84392
53Ryan$14.84348
54Otho$14.82417
55Wyoming$14.81526
56Humeston$14.80472
57Hopkinton$14.79622
58Gilmore City$14.60484
59Sabula$14.38498
60Garrison$14.38345
61Lorimor$14.36377
62Collins$14.32503
63Clermont$14.30571
64Moulton$14.25596
65Ocheyedan$14.22424
66Garwin$14.08469
67Farragut$14.07480
68Mystic$14.01318
69Lime Springs$13.95467
70Dow City$13.94477
71Wesley$13.91382
72Diagonal$13.91331
73Bussey$13.83378
74Mondamin$13.82335
75Livermore$13.78382
76Fertile$13.70300
77Albion$13.58444
78Lamont$13.57429
79New Albin$13.55435
80Persia$13.41292
81Lawler$13.39392
82Lacona$13.38336
83Ute$13.26326
84New Market$13.25381
85Plymouth$13.21368
86Bennett$13.16330
87Quasqueton$13.12587
88Farmington$13.10583
89Anthon$13.05534
90Little Rock$13.03447
91Lehigh$12.97395
92Menlo$12.92347
93Templeton$12.91337
94Brighton$12.88592
95Goldfield$12.73617
96Delmar$12.68541
97Galva$12.68416
98Badger$12.67540
99Martensdale$12.63413
100Williams$12.57299
101Norway$12.53463
102Everly$12.51570
103Mccausland$12.45314
104Spillville$12.40371
105Mingo$12.31314
106Brandon$12.29331
107Moravia$12.27625
108Bonaparte$12.17357
109Hawkeye$12.11429
110Colesburg$11.97379
111Liscomb$11.96292
112Albert City$11.88627
113Thornton$11.86394
114Runnells$11.79467
115Allerton$11.72432
116Kelley$11.69312
117Orient$11.66363
118Ellsworth$11.57495
119Terril$11.48310
120Churdan$11.31359
121Miles$11.28400
122Sutherland$11.25628
123Arcadia$11.23588
124Milton$10.98395
125Ireton$10.93571
126New Vienna$10.91384
127Letts$10.91358
128Birmingham$10.87371
129Charlotte$10.86386
130Richland$10.82532
131Grand Mound$10.78608
132Batavia$10.77434
133Riverdale$10.67385
134Bode$10.64304
135Union$10.58378
136Calamus$10.47348
137Lovilia$10.46456
138Danbury$10.43315
139Radcliffe$10.37540
140Stacyville$10.36436
141Andrew$10.22374
142Royal$10.20379
143Bronson$10.14294
144Rudd$10.13339
145Floyd$10.02297
146What Cheer$10.01595
147Cumming$9.85527
148Breda$9.80492
149Doon$9.78640
150Lynnville$9.68382
151Salix$9.63303
152Farnhamville$9.18364
153Middletown$9.16365
154Alleman$9.12439
155Lester$8.94309
156Crescent$8.72626
157Ainsworth$8.62511
158Gilman$8.10530
159Lost Nation$8.10425
160Kellogg$8.10597
161Grandview$8.10431
162Nichols$8.10317
163Luana$7.98303
164Agency$7.94623
165Delhi$7.81438
166Klemme$7.74429
167Beacon$7.56434
168Sheldahl$7.56312
169Worthington$7.50374
170Marquette$7.08434
171Columbus City$6.94385
172Donahue$6.83336
173Keystone$6.80616
174New Virginia$5.97499
175Holy Cross$5.91348
176Conesville$5.86350
177University Park$5.27476
178Orleans$4.13503
179Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
180Wahpeton$3.19337
181West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Ashton’s general levy is $8.02 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.08 below the limit.4 418 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $8.02 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.15 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.07 · $66,196
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.01 · $49,070
  • Debt Service Levy$1.52 · $24,830
  • Unified Law Enforcement$0.55 · $8,919

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$130,58547%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$66,19624%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$49,07018%
  • Debt Service Levy$24,8309%
  • Unified Law Enforcement$8,9193%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ashton’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 30¢ de cada dólar30¢Public Works: 21¢ de cada dólar21¢Public Safety: 19¢ de cada dólar19¢General Government: 15¢ de cada dólar15¢Culture and Recreation: 9¢ de cada dólar9¢Everything else: 5¢ de cada dólar

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 180 Iowa cities closest in size (290–650 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (180)
Business Type / Enterprise30¢39¢
Public Works21¢19¢
Public Safety19¢9¢
General Government15¢14¢
Culture and Recreation9¢9¢
Everything else5¢6¢

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$185,70030%
  • General Government$154,65025%
  • Culture and Recreation$132,72021%
  • Public Safety$89,64215%
  • Community and Economic Development$29,0005%
  • Debt Service$25,3004%
  • Health and Social Services$3700%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($277,350 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$184,856$184,793
Public Safety$86,574$95,551
Health and Social Services$350$0
General Government$90,750$87,138
Debt Service$36,941$36,941
Culture and Recreation$37,750$45,813
Community and Economic Development$8,000$4,372
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$1.7M$3.3M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$3.8M
$1.1M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ashton owes

$1.5M at June 30, 2026: $3,459 per resident. 234th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.7M
$1.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.5M$3,459
2025$1.6M$3,622
2024$1.7M$3,796
2023$1.7M$3,969
2022$425,752$976
2021$484,239$1,111
2020$321,743$738
2019$351,324$806
2018$380,905$874
2017$410,486$941
2016$439,067$1,007
2015$470,172$1,078
2014$521,580$1,196
2013$61,042$140
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.5M$3,459
2025$1.6M$3,622
2024$1.7M$3,796
2023$1.7M$3,969
2022$425,752$976
2021$484,239$1,111
2020$321,743$738
2019$351,324$806
2018$380,905$874
2017$410,486$941
2016$439,067$1,007
2015$470,172$1,078
2014$521,580$1,196
2013$61,042$140
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Up 2371% since 2013.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Ashton’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF), released Thursday, July 3, 2025, by the Auditor of State.

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? 10

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: $48,807 in FY25, down 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 22% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$49,363$47,355$48,543$48,807

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.

$866,353
$1,097
  • Other$1,097100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,933
FY20$0
FY21$40,621
FY22$-5,000
FY23$866,353
FY24$0
FY25$1,097
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$12,933
FY20$0
FY21$40,621
FY22$-5,000
FY23$866,353
FY24$0
FY25$1,097

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−22%$49,790 → $48,807, down 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 22% 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 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more.

$68,746
$64,863

Federal grants, for comparison: $205,516 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 286 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)11.

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

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ashton; 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.

  • Ashton City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Mark VanderPol, John Corbett
  • Ashton Mayor
    Now held by Mark Vander Pol

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

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 ballot13.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress14

Lynn Evans (Sen. 3)Zach Dieken (Rep. 5)

U.S. House:District 4

Osceola CountySheldon schools