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Local taxes › Poweshiek County › Searsboro

City

Searsboro

Poweshiek County · How cities work

$2,610 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($30.94 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,140 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.55 per $1,000)
$39,084property taxes the city levies, FY27
$305,400city 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.

  • Chelsea NewmanSearsboro City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Diane AngoveSearsboro City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Garlan EalySearsboro City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Venisa AndersonSearsboro Mayor · elected November 4, 2025

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 Searsboro

Homes and businesses in most of Searsboro pay a combined $30.94 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Poweshiek County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.55. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.31$12.59
FY21$30.22$12.58
FY22$30.23$12.61
FY23$29.43$12.44
FY24$29.26$12.33
FY25$30.26$12.99
FY26$30.39$13.29
FY27$30.94$13.55
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.31$12.59
FY21$30.22$12.58
FY22$30.23$12.61
FY23$29.43$12.44
FY24$29.26$12.33
FY25$30.26$12.99
FY26$30.39$13.29
FY27$30.94$13.55

Compared with places this size3

Searsboro’s city property tax rate of $13.55 per $1,000 is the 37th highest of 159 Iowa cities with 90–190 people. The middle of the group is $10.35.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Soldier: $21.92Smithland: $21.12Stanley: $20.69Coin: $19.59Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Prescott: $16.53Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Westgate: $14.05Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Portsmouth: $13.05Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Clemons: $12.69Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Decatur: $12.08Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Promise City: $11.13Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Masonville: $11.00Somers: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Woden: $10.68Pacific Junction: $10.56Barnes City: $10.44Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Barnum: $9.96Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Thor: $8.38Andover: $8.28Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Carpenter: $8.10Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Morrison: $7.86Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Westwood: $7.67Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Packwood: $6.77Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Sherrill: $2.66Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Searsboro: $13.55$1.78 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 159
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Harris$23.13145
4Whitten$22.6598
5Soldier$21.92176
6Smithland$21.12184
7Stanley$20.6986
8Coin$19.59171
9Rowan$19.53118
10Chester$19.30134
11Bouton$19.25125
12Ricketts$19.22105
13Garden Grove$19.20173
14Hastings$18.95157
15Swaledale$18.62136
16Derby$18.1389
17Hillsboro$17.68158
18Bristow$17.39139
19Woolstock$17.26141
20Prescott$16.53186
21Monmouth$16.41129
22Blockton$16.37123
23Geneva$16.25137
24Waterville$16.25112
25Little Sioux$15.74170
26Moorhead$15.68186
27Woodburn$15.59133
28Kamrar$15.47178
29Goodell$15.16139
30Marne$15.03109
31Baldwin$14.9199
32Davis City$14.45178
33Lucas$14.40176
34Westgate$14.05190
35Palmer$13.89137
36Ayrshire$13.55128
37Searsboro$13.55129
38Ferguson$13.5398
39Lanesboro$13.53112
40Calumet$13.16144
41Portsmouth$13.05187
42Delaware$12.86139
43Patterson$12.84176
44Clemons$12.69135
45Millersburg$12.40135
46Aurora$12.40165
47Bridgewater$12.29145
48Arion$12.1499
49Webb$12.10139
50Decatur$12.08174
51Shambaugh$11.98161
52Lone Rock$11.92143
53East Peru$11.89119
54Henderson$11.85140
55Parnell$11.78190
56Reasnor$11.76157
57Morley$11.7494
58Ledyard$11.74118
59Toronto$11.68101
60Exline$11.60157
61Beaman$11.54155
62College Springs$11.44172
63Melrose$11.27110
64Linn Grove$11.15155
65Dundee$11.14193
66Promise City$11.1391
67Randolph$11.08183
68Leighton$11.07153
69Rake$11.05179
70Masonville$11.0098
71Somers$10.99121
72Havelock$10.95127
73Alexander$10.90165
74Lambs Grove$10.78174
75Wallingford$10.75154
76Woden$10.68183
77Pacific Junction$10.5699
78Barnes City$10.44152
79Stockton$10.37171
80Randall$10.35156
81Meriden$10.28175
82Drakesville$10.24170
83North Washington$10.23107
84Dawson$10.19110
85Barnum$9.96186
86Hartwick$9.9091
87Clare$9.81133
88Tingley$9.81146
89Rutland$9.65116
90Van Wert$9.62175
91Rock Falls$9.61143
92Kirkville$9.59159
93Superior$9.58127
94Webster$9.5594
95Martinsburg$9.49109
96Larrabee$9.41116
97Hamilton$9.35125
98Wiota$9.3291
99Floris$9.29119
100Mitchell$9.22118
101Westphalia$9.18133
102Elberon$9.16178
103Blairsburg$8.93175
104Prairieburg$8.91156
105Welton$8.86124
106Archer$8.84116
107Luther$8.83147
108Fraser$8.81107
109Macksburg$8.81103
110Moorland$8.61169
111Pilot Mound$8.54155
112Thor$8.38182
113Andover$8.28106
114Thurman$8.26162
115Boxholm$8.11177
116Carpenter$8.1092
117Rome$8.10112
118Westfield$8.10121
119Vincent$8.09125
120Morrison$7.86101
121Mount Auburn$7.86162
122Haverhill$7.86164
123Oyens$7.8688
124Grand River$7.86192
125Olds$7.86174
126Castalia$7.86141
127Dickens$7.86146
128Rose Hill$7.86156
129West Chester$7.82147
130Cromwell$7.81104
131Mcclelland$7.79147
132Arispe$7.7195
133Luzerne$7.69111
134Lidderdale$7.68162
135Westwood$7.6796
136Bernard$7.56117
137Braddyville$7.49142
138Franklin$7.31133
139Spragueville$7.2092
140Weldon$7.18134
141Brunsville$6.95128
142Zwingle$6.9386
143Packwood$6.77186
144Houghton$6.73129
145Williamson$6.72126
146Lincoln$6.32119
147Gravity$6.18149
148Ackworth$5.90117
149Oakland Acres$5.88178
150Springbrook$5.79145
151Maysville$5.77155
152Harper$5.29117
153Panorama Park$4.62142
154Keomah Village$3.15107
155Mcintire$2.78115
156Sherrill$2.66176
157Centralia$2.41117
158New Liberty$2.27141
159North Buena Vista$1.78107

The $8.10 limit

Searsboro’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 $8.10 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.45 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$4.77 · $13,506
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.68 · $1,929

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$22,94960%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$13,50635%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1,9295%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Searsboro’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 91¢ of every dollar91¢General Government: 5¢ of every dollarBusiness Type / Enterprise: 3¢ of every dollarCommunity and Economic Development: <1¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: <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 159 Iowa cities closest in size (90–190 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (159)
Public Works91¢26¢
General Government5¢25¢
Business Type / Enterprise3¢25¢
Community and Economic Development<1¢1¢
Public Safety<1¢10¢

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$238,10078%
  • General Government$62,70021%
  • Public Safety$2,6001%
  • Community and Economic Development$2,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($35,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$52,400$31,471
Public Safety$9,200$2,941
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$50,780$40,274
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$0$0
Community and Economic Development$300$375
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$25,600$6,574

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$113,961
$111,154

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Searsboro owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.7

$89,862
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$6,587$51
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$13,000$101
2013$38,417$298
2012$52,747$409
2011$71,497$554
2010$89,862$697
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$6,587$51
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$13,000$101
2013$38,417$298
2012$52,747$409
2011$71,497$554
2010$89,862$697

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $282,057 (5% of $5.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Searsboro’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Friday, June 30, 2023 (PDF), released Friday, April 26, 2024, by the Auditor of State.

2 earlier reports for Searsboro

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? 11

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: $17,253 in FY25, down 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 24% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$17,345$16,725$17,160$17,253

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.

$30,717
  • Iowa DOT projects$30,717100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$0
FY24$21
FY25$30,717
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$0
FY24$21
FY25$30,717

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−24%$18,116 → $17,253, down 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 24% 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 19% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% less.

$20,976
$19,087

Federal grants, for comparison: $10,990 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award 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)12.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Most recent: November 4, 2025

Ballot measures · 1

Passed Yes 70.6% (12) · No 29.4% (5)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 3

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Searsboro; 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.

  • Searsboro City Council At-Large
  • Searsboro Mayor
    Now held by Venisa Anderson

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure SNNovember 4, 2025

    Passed Yes 70.6% (12) · No 29.4% (5)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

Annette Sweeney (Sen. 27)Dean Fisher (Rep. 53)

U.S. House:District 2

Poweshiek CountyLynnville-Sully schools