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.
- City of Des Moines$16.6138%
- Des Moines Independent schools$16.0537%
- Polk County$6.6115%
- Broadlawns Medical Center$2.466%
- Des Moines$0.952%
- Des Moines Area Community College$0.812%
- Polk County Assessor$0.23<1%
- Polk County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.03<1%
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.
| Year | Combined | City’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
| Year | Combined | City’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.
See all 9
| # | Place | Rate per $1,000 | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo | $21.77 | 67,477 |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | $16.66 | 137,904 |
| 3 | Des Moines | $16.61 | 213,096 |
| 4 | Davenport | $16.58 | 100,938 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $15.51 | 86,875 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $15.43 | 76,710 |
| 7 | West Des Moines | $10.80 | 73,664 |
| 8 | Ames | $10.27 | 69,026 |
| 9 | Ankeny | $9.90 | 76,727 |
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.
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.
| Year | TIF 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
| Year | TIF 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.
Budget and spending
Where each dollar of Des Moines’s budget goes, FY26
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 goes | Of each dollar | Cities this size (8) |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Projects | 24¢ | 19¢ |
| Public Safety | 21¢ | 14¢ |
| Business Type / Enterprise | 20¢ | 40¢ |
| Debt Service | 11¢ | 8¢ |
| Community and Economic Development | 6¢ | 4¢ |
| Everything else | 16¢ | 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.
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
| Function | Budget | Spent |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Des Moines’s own budget documents
The adopted budgets, resolutions and hearing notices the city posts, often weeks before the state publishes the figures. The city’s finance page
- FY2027 Adopted CIP BudgetBudget
- FY2027 Adopted Operating BudgetBudget
- FY2026 Adopted Operating BudgetBudget
- FY25 Adopted Operating Budget.pdfBudget
- FY24 Adopted Operating Budget.pdfBudget
- FY23 Adopted Operating Budget.pdfBudget
6 older
- FY2023 Hearing and Adoption of Resolution Establishing Total Maximum Property Tax Dollars Certified for Levy.pdfResolution
- FY22 Adopted Operating Budget.pdfBudget
- FY2021 Capital Budget Memo.pdfBudget
- FY2021 Capital Improvement Budget Handout.pdfBudget
- FY21 Operating Budget Memo.pdfBudget
- FY21 Recommended Operating Budget.pdfBudget
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
| June 30 | Owed | Per 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 30 | Owed | Per 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
| Kind | For | Paid off by | Owed |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Obligation | 2021F GO Series | 2041 | $66.2M |
| General Obligation | 2025A | 2045 | $60.4M |
| General Obligation | 2023A GO funding capital projects | 2043 | $58.2M |
| General Obligation | 2022A capital projects | 2042 | $55.5M |
| General Obligation | 2020D capital projects | 2040 | $55.1M |
| Loans | Capital Loan Note purchase of 1200 Locust - Series 2023C | 2038 | $46.3M |
| General Obligation | 2024A Series - Cap Improv | 2044 | $44.6M |
| General Obligation | 2019A refund 2011A and capital project program | 2039 | $41.3M |
| General Obligation | 2018B capital projects | 2038 | $30.6M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2018C Stormwater capital projects | 2038 | $30.6M |
| General Obligation | 2021B Urban Renewal Capital Loan Notes for urban renewal projects | 2034 | $28.3M |
| General Obligation | 2017A Series Capital projects | 2037 | $25.4M |
| General Obligation | 2016A capital projects | 2036 | $24.2M |
| General Obligation | 2021A Refunding Cap Loan Notes refund 2013A and 2013B | 2033 | $23.6M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2021H Stormwater | 2041 | $22.3M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2023B stormwater capital projects | 2043 | $20.3M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2022B Stormwater capital projects | 2042 | $16.7M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2020F Stormwater capital projects | 2040 | $16.4M |
| Capital Leases/Lease to Purchase | Parking ramp E 1st and Grand | 2037 | $16.0M |
| General Obligation | 2015A capital projects and refunding 2005E bonds | 2035 | $15.8M |
| General Obligation | 2020A refund 2012A, 2012B, and 2012E | 2032 | $13.5M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1198R Sanitary Sewer 2021D | 2042 | $12.5M |
| General Obligation | 2016B refunding | 2030 | $10.0M |
| General Obligation | 2017B Series - Urban renewal convention center hotel | 2037 | $7.8M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C0948R Sanitary capital projects | 2040 | $7.2M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C0949R Storm capital projects | 2040 | $6.8M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1295R Sanitary Sewer 2022C | 2043 | $6.2M |
| General Obligation | 2024B Series - Gen Oblig | 2029 | $6.0M |
| General Obligation | 2025B | 2030 | $4.9M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C0946R Sanitary capital projects | 2039 | $4.5M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C0947R Storm capital projects | 2039 | $4.5M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1076R Stormwater CS-1920858-01 2020C | 2041 | $4.0M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1077R Sanitary Sewer CS-1920858-01 20B | 2041 | $4.0M |
| General Obligation | 2015B Refunding 2008D and 2008E bonds | 2028 | $3.4M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2016D refunding | 2030 | $3.2M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1199R Sanitary Sewer 2021C | 2042 | $2.6M |
| Revenue Bonds | SRF C1200R Storm 2021E | 2041 | $2.6M |
| Loans | HUD - Section 108 | 2027 | $2.3M |
| Revenue Bonds | 2016C capital projects | 2031 | $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).
Audits12
The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Friday, July 11, 2025, by a CPA firm.
16 earlier reports for Des Moines
- Financial Statement, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023Wednesday, April 3, 2024
- Financial Statement, period ending Thursday, June 30, 2022Wednesday, October 25, 2023
- Financial Statement, period ending Wednesday, June 30, 2021Wednesday, October 18, 2023
- Financial Statement, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2020Friday, July 9, 2021
- Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019Thursday, May 7, 2020
- Financial Statement, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018Monday, February 4, 2019
- Special Investigation/Fraud, period ending Monday, July 9, 2018Thursday, July 12, 2018
- Financial Statement, period ending Friday, June 30, 2017Monday, February 19, 2018
- Financial Statement, period ending Thursday, June 30, 2016Thursday, April 20, 2017
- Financial Statement, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2015Monday, March 7, 2016
- Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2014Friday, March 27, 2015
- Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2013Wednesday, January 29, 2014
- Financial Statement, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2012Friday, February 15, 2013
- Financial Statement, period ending Thursday, June 30, 2011Wednesday, March 7, 2012
- Financial Statement, period ending Wednesday, June 30, 2010Thursday, February 3, 2011
- Financial Statement, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2009Thursday, March 18, 2010
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
| Source | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Year | Grants 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
| Year | Grants 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.
Federal grants, for comparison: $54.9M in FY25.
Business awards
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 CorpHigh 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 CompanyHigh Quality Jobs Program · FY20 · Closed: Met its contract · 60 jobs required, 60 at the end$227K
- Helena Industries, Inc. and Marubeni America CorporationHigh 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 CorporationHigh Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Not going ahead: Contract ended · 41 jobs required$460K
- Accordia Life & Annuity Company and Global Atlantic Financial CompanyHigh 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.
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
- Michael Simonson Winner14,30952.3%
- Endi Montalvo-Martinez 13,05247.7%
- Rob X. Barron Winner5,11162.0%
- CeCe Ibson 2,55931.0%
- Dudley Muhammad 5807.0%
- Josh Mandelbaum Unopposed9,449100.0%
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-LargeNow held by Carl Voss
- Des Moines City Council Ward 2Now held by Linda Westergaard
- Des Moines City Council Ward 4Now held by Joe Gatto
- Des Moines MayorNow 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.
Related places
At the Statehouse and in Congress18
Janet Petersen (Sen. 18, 54%)Tony Bisignano (Sen. 15, 32%)Mike Pike (Sen. 20, 9%)Izaah Knox (Sen. 17, 6%)Austin Baeth (Rep. 36, 50%)Dr. Megan L. Srinivas (Rep. 30, 16%)Brian Meyer (Rep. 29, 16%)Bill Gustoff (Rep. 40, 7%)Sean Bagniewski (Rep. 35, 3%)Ruth Ann Gaines (Rep. 33, 3%)Rob Johnson (Rep. 34, 2%)
U.S. House:District 3