Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Palo Alto County › West Bend

City

West Bend

Palo Alto County · How cities work

$2,560 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($30.34 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$960 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.42 per $1,000)
$511,055property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.2Mcity 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.

  • Andrew VirklerWest Bend Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Blake D. BanwartWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bobbie Gearhart BauerWest Bend Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Chris NewtonWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Grant GearhartWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Grant GearhartWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brooke WinkelhorstWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Brooke WinkelhorstWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joseph MontagWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joseph MontagWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kimberly JohnsonWest Bend Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Kimberly JohnsonWest Bend Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Linda ThilgesWest Bend City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Linda ThilgesWest Bend 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 West Bend

Homes and businesses in most of West Bend pay a combined $30.40 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Palo Alto County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.42. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.57$11.04
FY21$33.19$11.10
FY22$32.82$11.30
FY23$32.80$11.14
FY24$31.59$11.04
FY25$30.57$10.82
FY26$30.07$10.78
FY27$30.40$11.42
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.57$11.04
FY21$33.19$11.10
FY22$32.82$11.30
FY23$32.80$11.14
FY24$31.59$11.04
FY25$30.57$10.82
FY26$30.07$10.78
FY27$30.40$11.42

Compared with places this size3

West Bend’s city property tax rate of $11.42 per $1,000 is the 60th lowest of 182 Iowa cities with 520–1,200 people. The middle of the group is $12.82.

Exira: $24.81Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $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: $16.89Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Wyoming: $14.81Hopkinton: $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: $13.23Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $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: $11.43Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand 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: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Kellogg: $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: $3.83West Bend: $11.42$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 182
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Dayton$22.51766
3Charter Oak$21.32521
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
25Adair$16.84792
26Eddyville$16.82965
27Elk Horn$16.78631
28Oxford$16.70715
29Buffalo Center$16.58839
30Bancroft$16.52677
31Eldon$16.42788
32Early$16.35571
33Truro$16.34515
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
50Wyoming$14.81526
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
79Keota$13.21888
80Shellsburg$13.20987
81De Soto$13.18937
82Quasqueton$13.12587
83Farmington$13.10583
84Anthon$13.05534
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
96Delmar$12.68541
97Badger$12.67540
98Stanton$12.62664
99Hospers$12.58703
100Everly$12.51570
101Hazleton$12.48711
102West Point$12.39903
103Hinton$12.38959
104Preston$12.38940
105Alburnett$12.30672
106Hubbard$12.30837
107Moravia$12.27625
108Hedrick$12.22717
109Carson$12.22772
110Wheatland$12.18765
111Schaller$12.14702
112Winfield$12.041,006
113Elkhart$12.001,079
114Afton$11.96864
115Lowden$11.93767
116Tabor$11.88983
117Albert City$11.88627
118Aurelia$11.84970
119Merrill$11.64713
120Morning Sun$11.50702
121Battle Creek$11.49683
122Wall Lake$11.43739
123West Bend$11.42770
124Dakota City$11.39764
125Marcus$11.311,069
126Dunkerton$11.30840
127Sutherland$11.25628
128Arcadia$11.23588
129Whiting$11.21725
130Shelby$11.17730
131Blairstown$11.04705
132Manilla$11.01756
133Hamburg$10.95863
134Clarence$10.94991
135Ireton$10.93571
136Fontanelle$10.88684
137Richland$10.82532
138Grand Mound$10.78608
139Cambridge$10.53844
140Swisher$10.39909
141Schleswig$10.39820
142Melbourne$10.38771
143Radcliffe$10.37540
144Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
145Fredericksburg$10.27983
146Lake Park$10.251,155
147Ventura$10.22701
148Inwood$10.22962
149Milo$10.20762
150Hartford$10.16729
151What Cheer$10.01595
152Newhall$9.99887
153Cumming$9.85527
154Graettinger$9.81810
155Doon$9.78640
156Long Grove$9.59849
157Lake View$9.391,120
158Paullina$9.21979
159Fairbank$9.001,133
160Winthrop$8.94814
161Crescent$8.72626
162Keosauqua$8.58944
163Grand Junction$8.57715
164Princeton$8.24917
165Gilman$8.10530
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

West Bend’s general levy is $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, at the limit.4 247 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.71 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.32 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.03 · $90,498
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.30 · $57,974

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$3.7M of taxable value in West Bend is in TIF districts’ increment (8% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $106,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$135,510
$110,994

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 $42,225 of the city’s own.

  • West Bend-Mallard schools$23,184
  • Kossuth County$17,150
  • Palo Alto County$3,280
YearTIF revenue
FY16$64,292
FY17$135,510
FY18$123,373
FY19$128,137
FY20$95,030
FY21$101,124
FY22$109,941
FY23$110,994
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$64,292
FY17$135,510
FY18$123,373
FY19$128,137
FY20$95,030
FY21$101,124
FY22$109,941
FY23$110,994

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$361,72671%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$90,49818%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$57,97411%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of West Bend’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 81¢ of every dollar81¢Public Works: 6¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 4¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 4¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 2¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 181 Iowa cities closest in size (520–1,200 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (181)
Business Type / Enterprise81¢40¢
Public Works6¢16¢
Culture and Recreation4¢9¢
Public Safety4¢9¢
Debt Service2¢6¢
Everything else4¢12¢

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$365,46530%
  • Culture and Recreation$346,91028%
  • Public Safety$271,52522%
  • General Government$88,7807%
  • Debt Service$81,6757%
  • Community and Economic Development$64,4605%
  • Health and Social Services$5,5500%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($5.0M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$575,520$234,583
Public Safety$172,490$229,939
Health and Social Services$5,000$5,277
General Government$69,380$86,958
Debt Service$36,000$36,000
Culture and Recreation$410,675$268,711
Community and Economic Development$1.2M$1.0M
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$4.0M$3.9M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$5.8M
$5.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What West Bend owes

$950,000 at June 30, 2026: $1,201 per resident. 510th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.1M
$950,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$950,000$1,201
2025$1.1M$1,411
2024$1.3M$1,614
2023$1.4M$1,807
2022$804,000$1,016
2021$1.1M$1,351
2020$1.3M$1,666
2019$1.6M$1,979
2018$1.1M$1,438
2017$1.5M$1,852
2016$1.2M$1,509
2015$1.5M$1,877
2014$1.8M$2,231
2013$2.0M$2,581
2012$1.9M$2,367
2011$2.1M$2,619
2010$2.0M$2,589
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$950,000$1,201
2025$1.1M$1,411
2024$1.3M$1,614
2023$1.4M$1,807
2022$804,000$1,016
2021$1.1M$1,351
2020$1.3M$1,666
2019$1.6M$1,979
2018$1.1M$1,438
2017$1.5M$1,852
2016$1.2M$1,509
2015$1.5M$1,877
2014$1.8M$2,231
2013$2.0M$2,581
2012$1.9M$2,367
2011$2.1M$2,619
2010$2.0M$2,589

Down 54% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $530,000, 12% of the limit of about $4.5M (5% of $89.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationGrandview Addition Development2033$530,000
Revenue BondsElectric Distribution System Improvements2032$420,000

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. West Bend’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by a CPA firm.

10 earlier reports for West Bend

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: $148,134 in FY25, up 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$109,193$108,850$111,731$112,337
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$16,209$14,178$36,320$35,797

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.

$25,851
$2,078
  • State grants$1,94894%
  • Other$1306%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,192
FY20$25,851
FY21$2,168
FY22$5,632
FY23$2,088
FY24$1,926
FY25$2,078
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,192
FY20$25,851
FY21$2,168
FY22$5,632
FY23$2,088
FY24$1,926
FY25$2,078

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$101,411 → $112,337, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+71%$16,735 → $35,797, up 114% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 71% 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 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more.

$145,643
$116,268

Federal grants, for comparison: $164,742 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2016 worth $1.4M, for 152 pledged jobs.

Awards 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 · 4

2 seats: the top 2 win.

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for West Bend; 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.

  • West Bend City Council At-Large (6 seats)
    Now held by Brooke Winkelhorst, Linda Thilges, Joseph Montag, Linda Thilges, Brooke Winkelhorst, Joseph Montag
  • West Bend Mayor (2 seats)
    Now held by Kimberly Johnson, Kimberly Johnson

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

David D. Rowley (Sen. 5)John H. Wills (Rep. 10)

U.S. House:District 4

Palo Alto CountyWest Bend-Mallard schools