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Local taxes › Page County › Clarinda

City

Clarinda

Page County · How cities work

$3,340 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.63 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,450 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.25 per $1,000)
$2.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$10.2Mcity 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.

  • Adam SamuelsonClarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Craig HillClarinda Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jamie ShoreClarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kerry ClarkClarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Austin AscherlClarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kaley NealClarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mike Allbaugh, Sr.Clarinda City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Dale FulkClarinda Hospital Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Katharine Morford BoysenClarinda Hospital Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rob MarshClarinda Hospital Board · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bryan WhippClarinda City Hospital Trustee · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jeff ClarkClarinda City Hospital Trustee · 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 Clarinda

Homes and businesses in most of Clarinda pay a combined $39.63 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Page County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.25. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.22$17.00
FY21$38.32$17.00
FY22$38.03$17.00
FY23$37.04$16.50
FY24$37.44$16.75
FY25$40.53$18.00
FY26$40.14$17.75
FY27$39.63$17.25
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$37.22$17.00
FY21$38.32$17.00
FY22$38.03$17.00
FY23$37.04$16.50
FY24$37.44$16.75
FY25$40.53$18.00
FY26$40.14$17.75
FY27$39.63$17.25

Compared with places this size3

Clarinda’s city property tax rate of $17.25 per $1,000 is the 11th highest of 60 Iowa cities with 3,600–7,800 people. The middle of the group is $14.87.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Centerville: $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: $14.30Osage: $14.29Orange 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: $8.00Clarinda: $17.25$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 60
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Albia$19.703,579
4Eagle Grove$19.323,615
5Independence$19.016,266
6Iowa Falls$18.864,993
7West Liberty$18.683,724
8Chariton$18.374,278
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
40Osage$14.293,559
41Orange City$14.016,547
42Hiawatha$13.787,347
43Rock Valley$13.764,024
44Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
45Emmetsburg$13.703,632
46Mount Vernon$13.504,518
47Adel$13.436,763
48Maquoketa$12.856,064
49Camanche$12.754,536
50Le Claire$12.644,776
51Tiffin$11.806,695
52Huxley$11.684,737
53Polk City$11.006,430
54Carter Lake$10.673,752
55Dyersville$10.274,559
56Spirit Lake$10.175,548
57Clear Lake$9.857,602
58Asbury$8.326,051
59Eldridge$8.136,967
60Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Clarinda’s general levy is $8.52 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.42 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 25 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.78 · FY26 $8.78 · FY27 $8.52 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.73 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.65 · $570,942
  • Debt Service Levy$3.01 · $498,177
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.07 · $322,739

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$7.2M of taxable value in Clarinda is in TIF districts’ increment (5% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $254,258 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$193,123

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 $103,133 of the city’s own.

  • Clarinda schools$62,124
  • Page County$43,686
YearTIF revenue
FY16$66,906
FY17$110,599
FY18$170,265
FY19$167,565
FY20$171,241
FY21$55,283
FY22$103,360
FY23$193,123
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$66,906
FY17$110,599
FY18$170,265
FY19$167,565
FY20$171,241
FY21$55,283
FY22$103,360
FY23$193,123

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$1.3M49%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$570,94221%
  • Debt Service Levy$498,17718%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$322,73912%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Clarinda’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 93¢ of every dollar93¢Capital Projects: 3¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 1¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 1¢ of every dollarPublic Works: 1¢ 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 59 Iowa cities closest in size (3,600–7,800 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (59)
Business Type / Enterprise93¢36¢
Capital Projects3¢19¢
Public Safety1¢13¢
Culture and Recreation1¢8¢
Public Works1¢9¢
Everything else1¢15¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$4.8M46%
  • Public Safety$1.5M15%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.2M12%
  • Public Works$929,6289%
  • General Government$675,5417%
  • Debt Service$640,3956%
  • Community and Economic Development$481,7285%
  • Health and Social Services$25,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($103.3M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$830,288$853,742
Public Safety$1.3M$1.2M
Health and Social Services$25,000$5,000
General Government$496,373$468,256
Debt Service$459,920$460,120
Culture and Recreation$1.2M$1.3M
Community and Economic Development$407,359$381,813
Capital Projects$1.1M$2.5M
Business Type / Enterprise$85.6M$56.6M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$77.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Clarinda owes

$16.8M at June 30, 2026: $3,124 per resident. 271st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$18.3M
$16.8M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$16.8M$3,124
2025$18.3M$3,399
2024$15.9M$2,964
2023$16.9M$3,140
2022$17.3M$3,222
2021$13.8M$2,572
2020$5.9M$1,102
2019$4.1M$763
2018$5.0M$925
2017$5.8M$1,083
2016$6.6M$1,235
2015$7.4M$1,386
2014$7.3M$1,363
2013$8.2M$1,522
2012$9.0M$1,676
2011$7.7M$1,442
2010$8.8M$1,641
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$16.8M$3,124
2025$18.3M$3,399
2024$15.9M$2,964
2023$16.9M$3,140
2022$17.3M$3,222
2021$13.8M$2,572
2020$5.9M$1,102
2019$4.1M$763
2018$5.0M$925
2017$5.8M$1,083
2016$6.6M$1,235
2015$7.4M$1,386
2014$7.3M$1,363
2013$8.2M$1,522
2012$9.0M$1,676
2011$7.7M$1,442
2010$8.8M$1,641

Up 90% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Clarinda’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 Tuesday, March 31, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

7 earlier reports for Clarinda

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: $955,480 in FY25, up 19% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$747,238$738,835$758,385$762,502
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$78,402$68,952$189,516$192,978

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.

$310,860
$10,777
  • State grants$5,77754%
  • Iowa DOT projects$5,00046%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$7,506
FY20$5,667
FY21$133,742
FY22$15,099
FY23$10,497
FY24$310,860
FY25$10,777
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$7,506
FY20$5,667
FY21$133,742
FY22$15,099
FY23$10,497
FY24$310,860
FY25$10,777

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$719,823 → $762,502, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+91%$80,360 → $192,978, up 140% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 91% 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 45% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% more.

$753,417
$707,539

Federal grants, for comparison: $731,166 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in CLARINDA: $518K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 74 jobs. Closed projects promised 74 jobs; 58 were there at the end.13

  • Novae Corp
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Paid some back · 74 jobs required, 58 at the end
    $518K

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2005 worth $1.0M, for 151 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.

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 4

2 seats: the top 2 win.

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Clarinda; 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.

  • Clarinda City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Austin Ascherl, Kaley Neal, Mike Allbaugh, Sr.
  • Clarinda City Hospital Trustee (2 seats)
    Now held by Bryan Whipp, Jeff Clark

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)Devon Wood (Rep. 17)

U.S. House:District 3

Page CountyClarinda schools