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Des Moines

Polk County · How cities work

$3,600 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($42.72 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,400 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.61 per $1,000)
$173.0Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$547.6Mcity 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.

  • Josh MandelbaumDes Moines City Council Ward 3 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael SimonsonDes Moines City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rob X. BarronDes Moines City Council Ward 1 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Carl VossDes Moines City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Connie BoesenDes Moines Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joe GattoDes Moines City Council Ward 4 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Linda WestergaardDes Moines City Council Ward 2 · 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 Des Moines

Homes and businesses in most of Des Moines pay a combined $43.74 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Polk County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.61. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$47.22$16.64
FY21$47.07$16.61
FY22$44.24$16.61
FY23$43.21$16.61
FY24$43.97$16.61
FY25$42.45$16.61
FY26$43.14$16.61
FY27$44.15$16.61
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$47.22$16.64
FY21$47.07$16.61
FY22$44.24$16.61
FY23$43.21$16.61
FY24$43.97$16.61
FY25$42.45$16.61
FY26$43.14$16.61
FY27$44.15$16.61

Compared with places this size3

Des Moines’s city property tax rate of $16.61 per $1,000 is the 3rd highest of 9 Iowa cities with 67,000–213,000 people. The middle of the group is $15.51.

Waterloo: $21.77Cedar Rapids: $16.66Davenport: $16.58Sioux City: $15.51Iowa City: $15.43West Des Moines: $10.80Ames: $10.27Ankeny: $9.90Des Moines: $16.61$9.90 lowest$21.77 highestmiddle
See all 9
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Waterloo$21.7767,477
2Cedar Rapids$16.66137,904
3Des Moines$16.61213,096
4Davenport$16.58100,938
5Sioux City$15.5186,875
6Iowa City$15.4376,710
7West Des Moines$10.8073,664
8Ames$10.2769,026
9Ankeny$9.9076,727

The $8.10 limit

Des Moines’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 647 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.94 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.75 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$5.26 · $53.3M
  • Debt Service Levy$2.86 · $32.0M
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.63 · $6.3M

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$1.05B of taxable value in Des Moines is in TIF districts’ increment (9% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $55.5M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$42.1M

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 $14.5M of the city’s own.

  • Polk County$6.3M
  • Saydel schools$70,364
YearTIF revenue
FY16$27.9M
FY17$27.9M
FY18$30.3M
FY19$35.8M
FY20$34.9M
FY21$40.4M
FY22$36.3M
FY23$42.1M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$27.9M
FY17$27.9M
FY18$30.3M
FY19$35.8M
FY20$34.9M
FY21$40.4M
FY22$36.3M
FY23$42.1M

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$79.6M47%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$53.3M31%
  • Debt Service Levy$32.0M19%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$6.3M4%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Des Moines’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Public Safety: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Business Type / Enterprise: 20¢ of every dollar20¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Community and Economic Development: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 16¢ of every dollar16¢

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 8 Iowa cities closest in size (67,000–213,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (8)
Capital Projects24¢19¢
Public Safety21¢14¢
Business Type / Enterprise20¢40¢
Debt Service11¢8¢
Community and Economic Development6¢4¢
Everything else16¢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.

  • Public Safety$156.7M29%
  • Capital Projects$135.7M25%
  • Debt Service$82.7M15%
  • Community and Economic Development$47.6M9%
  • General Government$44.6M8%
  • Public Works$36.6M7%
  • Culture and Recreation$30.9M6%
  • Health and Social Services$12.8M2%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($148.1M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$33.5M$37.7M
Public Safety$133.0M$140.0M
Health and Social Services$11.8M$15.4M
General Government$81.3M$47.7M
Debt Service$70.7M$68.6M
Culture and Recreation$26.1M$30.3M
Community and Economic Development$46.1M$32.0M
Capital Projects$175.1M$101.7M
Business Type / Enterprise$145.2M$168.9M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$946.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Des Moines owes

$805.7M at June 30, 2026: $3,762 per resident. 206th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$807.5M
$805.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$805.7M$3,762
2025$807.5M$3,771
2024$793.5M$3,706
2023$721.8M$3,371
2022$677.5M$3,164
2021$637.1M$2,975
2020$534.1M$2,494
2019$512.0M$2,391
2018$457.4M$2,136
2017$460.4M$2,150
2016$435.8M$2,035
2015$450.4M$2,103
2014$464.2M$2,168
2013$424.8M$1,984
2012$438.4M$2,047
2011$498.3M$2,327
2010$490.3M$2,290
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$805.7M$3,762
2025$807.5M$3,771
2024$793.5M$3,706
2023$721.8M$3,371
2022$677.5M$3,164
2021$637.1M$2,975
2020$534.1M$2,494
2019$512.0M$2,391
2018$457.4M$2,136
2017$460.4M$2,150
2016$435.8M$2,035
2015$450.4M$2,103
2014$464.2M$2,168
2013$424.8M$1,984
2012$438.4M$2,047
2011$498.3M$2,327
2010$490.3M$2,290

Up 64% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $574.8M, 61% of the limit of about $937.7M (5% of $18.75B, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

39 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2021F GO Series2041$66.2M
General Obligation2025A2045$60.4M
General Obligation2023A GO funding capital projects2043$58.2M
General Obligation2022A capital projects2042$55.5M
General Obligation2020D capital projects2040$55.1M
LoansCapital Loan Note purchase of 1200 Locust - Series 2023C2038$46.3M
General Obligation2024A Series - Cap Improv2044$44.6M
General Obligation2019A refund 2011A and capital project program2039$41.3M
General Obligation2018B capital projects2038$30.6M
Revenue Bonds2018C Stormwater capital projects2038$30.6M
General Obligation2021B Urban Renewal Capital Loan Notes for urban renewal projects2034$28.3M
General Obligation2017A Series Capital projects2037$25.4M
General Obligation2016A capital projects2036$24.2M
General Obligation2021A Refunding Cap Loan Notes refund 2013A and 2013B2033$23.6M
Revenue Bonds2021H Stormwater2041$22.3M
Revenue Bonds2023B stormwater capital projects2043$20.3M
Revenue Bonds2022B Stormwater capital projects2042$16.7M
Revenue Bonds2020F Stormwater capital projects2040$16.4M
Capital Leases/Lease to PurchaseParking ramp E 1st and Grand2037$16.0M
General Obligation2015A capital projects and refunding 2005E bonds2035$15.8M
General Obligation2020A refund 2012A, 2012B, and 2012E2032$13.5M
Revenue BondsSRF C1198R Sanitary Sewer 2021D2042$12.5M
General Obligation2016B refunding2030$10.0M
General Obligation2017B Series - Urban renewal convention center hotel2037$7.8M
Revenue BondsSRF C0948R Sanitary capital projects2040$7.2M
Revenue BondsSRF C0949R Storm capital projects2040$6.8M
Revenue BondsSRF C1295R Sanitary Sewer 2022C2043$6.2M
General Obligation2024B Series - Gen Oblig2029$6.0M
General Obligation2025B2030$4.9M
Revenue BondsSRF C0946R Sanitary capital projects2039$4.5M
Revenue BondsSRF C0947R Storm capital projects2039$4.5M
Revenue BondsSRF C1076R Stormwater CS-1920858-01 2020C2041$4.0M
Revenue BondsSRF C1077R Sanitary Sewer CS-1920858-01 20B2041$4.0M
General Obligation2015B Refunding 2008D and 2008E bonds2028$3.4M
Revenue Bonds2016D refunding2030$3.2M
Revenue BondsSRF C1199R Sanitary Sewer 2021C2042$2.6M
Revenue BondsSRF C1200R Storm 2021E2041$2.6M
LoansHUD - Section 1082027$2.3M
Revenue Bonds2016C capital projects2031$1.9M

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. Des Moines’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

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: $35.9M in FY25, up 36% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$28.7M$29.8M$30.1M$30.5M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$5.5M$4.8M$5.9M$5.4M

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.

$14.7M
$7.6M
  • Iowa DOT projects$6.1M80%
  • CEBA grants$652,7499%
  • Shared Liqour License$288,9334%
  • Governor Traffic Safety$269,5644%
  • State grants$218,8683%
  • State Library$99,2901%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$10.2M
FY20$14.7M
FY21$12.4M
FY22$11.5M
FY23$12.1M
FY24$7.3M
FY25$7.6M
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$10.2M
FY20$14.7M
FY21$12.4M
FY22$11.5M
FY23$12.1M
FY24$7.3M
FY25$7.6M

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−8%$26.4M → $30.5M, up 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% 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 45% since FY20 while prices rose 24%, so it buys 17% more.

$72.5M
$59.8M

Federal grants, for comparison: $54.9M in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

7 businesses have state awards in DES MOINES: $3.9M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 575 jobs. Closed projects promised 173 jobs; 173 were there at the end.14

  • OpenLoop Health, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Under contract: Building · 400 jobs required
    $500K
  • Electrical Power Products, Inc. and Electro Management Corp
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY21 · Under contract: Keeping the jobs · 2 jobs required, 2 reported
    $245K
  • Fidelity & Guaranty Life Business Services, Inc and Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Closed: Met its contract · 60 jobs required, 60 at the end
    $227K
  • Helena Industries, Inc. and Marubeni America Corporation
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Closed: Met its contract · 25 jobs required, 25 at the end
    $1.1M
  • NeXT1, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Not going ahead: Declined or withdrawn · 23 jobs required
    $200K
  • The Printer, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Closed: Met its contract · 15 jobs required, 15 at the end
    $672K
  • Meredith Corporation
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 41 jobs required
    $460K
  • Accordia Life & Annuity Company and Global Atlantic Financial Company
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Paid some back · 71 jobs required, 71 at the end
    $775K

and 2 more on economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 110 contracts since 2004 worth $59.7M, for 6,574 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)15.

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 · 3

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Des Moines; 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.

  • Des Moines City Council At-Large
    Now held by Carl Voss
  • Des Moines City Council Ward 2
    Now held by Linda Westergaard
  • Des Moines City Council Ward 4
    Now held by Joe Gatto
  • Des Moines Mayor
    Now held by Connie Boesen

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

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