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Diagonal

Ringgold County · How cities work

$3,400 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.43 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,170 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.91 per $1,000)
$111,167property taxes the city levies, FY27
$440,932city 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.

  • David GrandfieldDiagonal City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lester ElliotDiagonal Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ryan ParrottDiagonal City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Doug RubyDiagonal City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • James A. NorrisDiagonal City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Shon O'KelleyDiagonal 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 Diagonal

Homes and businesses in most of Diagonal pay a combined $40.43 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Ringgold County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.91. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

CombinedCity’s own
0$15$30$45$60’20’22’24’26’27CombinedCity’s own
0$15$30$45$60’20’21’22’23’24’25’26’27CombinedCity’s own
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$47.98$17.26
FY21$43.24$14.48
FY22$30.29$14.79
FY23$29.38$13.23
FY24$41.96$14.66
FY25$31.33$15.12
FY26$41.99$15.00
FY27$40.43$13.91
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$47.98$17.26
FY21$43.24$14.48
FY22$30.29$14.79
FY23$29.38$13.23
FY24$41.96$14.66
FY25$31.33$15.12
FY26$41.99$15.00
FY27$40.43$13.91

Compared with places this size3

Diagonal’s city property tax rate of $13.91 per $1,000 is the 65th highest of 200 Iowa cities with 220–500 people. The middle of the group is $12.48.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Humeston: $14.80Ladora: $14.74Bagley: $14.63Gilmore City: $14.60Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Breda: $9.80Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Rowley: $8.31Fostoria: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Diagonal: $13.91$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 200
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Elliott$21.61328
4Oxford Junction$20.84424
5Earling$20.47394
6Fort Atkinson$19.19300
7Salem$19.15380
8Cumberland$18.42248
9Massena$18.23352
10Elma$17.82493
11Callender$17.78361
12Casey$17.72387
13Vail$17.66383
14Ringsted$17.65346
15Emerson$17.54401
16Thompson$17.25478
17Ashton$17.17434
18Pierson$17.12335
19Burt$17.10404
20Pisgah$17.09248
21Latimer$16.96477
22Lohrville$16.95366
23Lakota$16.84261
24Marble Rock$16.78258
25Auburn$16.65253
26Mccallsburg$16.58356
27Whittemore$16.54478
28Irwin$16.46320
29Titonka$16.45491
30Lewis$16.25358
31Corwith$16.22259
32Deep River$16.18243
33Waucoma$16.17235
34Duncombe$16.10374
35Bayard$16.05402
36Scranton$16.01496
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Peterson$15.27321
40Russell$15.18475
41Arlington$14.98415
42Riverton$14.94243
43Marathon$14.89221
44Maynard$14.85466
45Plainfield$14.84392
46Ryan$14.84348
47Otho$14.82417
48Humeston$14.80472
49Ladora$14.74223
50Bagley$14.63230
51Gilmore City$14.60484
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Ocheyedan$14.22424
58Steamboat Rock$14.19261
59Garwin$14.08469
60Farragut$14.07480
61Mystic$14.01318
62Lime Springs$13.95467
63Dow City$13.94477
64Wesley$13.91382
65Diagonal$13.91331
66Bussey$13.83378
67Mondamin$13.82335
68Livermore$13.78382
69Fertile$13.70300
70Stockport$13.68272
71Kellerton$13.60241
72Albion$13.58444
73Quimby$13.58245
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Leland$13.31240
80Ute$13.26326
81New Market$13.25381
82Plymouth$13.21368
83Harcourt$13.21257
84Bennett$13.16330
85Ridgeway$13.10261
86Farmersburg$13.09264
87Little Rock$13.03447
88Lehigh$12.97395
89Menlo$12.92347
90Templeton$12.91337
91Silver City$12.87244
92Martelle$12.83250
93Malcom$12.82257
94Galva$12.68416
95Martensdale$12.63413
96Blencoe$12.57223
97Williams$12.57299
98Maurice$12.56271
99Norway$12.53463
100Clearfield$12.50277
101Kensett$12.47256
102Mccausland$12.45314
103Spillville$12.40371
104Modale$12.34284
105Mingo$12.31314
106Brandon$12.29331
107Blakesburg$12.21273
108Cushing$12.18225
109Bonaparte$12.17357
110Macedonia$12.12266
111Hawkeye$12.11429
112Kiron$12.03262
113Colesburg$11.97379
114Liscomb$11.96292
115New Providence$11.88233
116Thornton$11.86394
117Runnells$11.79467
118Allerton$11.72432
119Atalissa$11.71287
120Cantril$11.69224
121Kelley$11.69312
122Orient$11.66363
123Ellsworth$11.57495
124Cincinnati$11.57280
125Delta$11.52257
126Terril$11.48310
127Westside$11.45283
128Holland$11.37261
129Churdan$11.31359
130Mallard$11.28255
131Miles$11.28400
132Renwick$11.16228
133Milton$10.98395
134New Vienna$10.91384
135Letts$10.91358
136Goose Lake$10.89250
137Birmingham$10.87371
138Charlotte$10.86386
139Yale$10.85265
140Batavia$10.77434
141Hornick$10.74255
142Riverdale$10.67385
143Bode$10.64304
144Union$10.58378
145Cleghorn$10.49235
146Calamus$10.47348
147Lovilia$10.46456
148Danbury$10.43315
149Lytton$10.38274
150Stacyville$10.36436
151Rhodes$10.36269
152Dedham$10.28221
153Deloit$10.28246
154Protivin$10.28264
155Andrew$10.22374
156Royal$10.20379
157Bronson$10.14294
158Rudd$10.13339
159La Motte$10.09235
160Defiance$10.05248
161Floyd$10.02297
162Panama$9.85234
163Breda$9.80492
164Lynnville$9.68382
165Salix$9.63303
166Luxemburg$9.58240
167Farnhamville$9.18364
168Middletown$9.16365
169Alleman$9.12439
170Lester$8.94309
171Harvey$8.71242
172Rowley$8.31264
173Fostoria$8.10229
174Lost Nation$8.10425
175Low Moor$8.10242
176Bertram$8.10267
177Grandview$8.10431
178Nichols$8.10317
179Luana$7.98303
180Lockridge$7.92245
181Delhi$7.81438
182Klemme$7.74429
183Pulaski$7.58259
184Beacon$7.56434
185Sheldahl$7.56312
186Fredonia$7.55227
187Worthington$7.50374
188Harpers Ferry$7.49273
189Marquette$7.08434
190Columbus City$6.94385
191Donahue$6.83336
192Libertyville$6.60278
193Keswick$6.49238
194Crawfordsville$6.44278
195Holy Cross$5.91348
196Conesville$5.86350
197University Park$5.27476
198Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
199Wahpeton$3.19337
200West Okoboji$2.92311

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$61,23255%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$21,50719%
  • Debt Service Levy$21,35219%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$6,3546%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Diagonal’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 42¢ of every dollar42¢General Government: 33¢ of every dollar33¢Public Works: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 6¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 5¢ 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 198 Iowa cities closest in size (220–500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (198)
Business Type / Enterprise42¢39¢
General Government33¢16¢
Public Works15¢20¢
Public Safety6¢9¢
Debt Service5¢3¢
Everything else<1¢8¢

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$200,50045%
  • General Government$183,54042%
  • Public Safety$31,0007%
  • Debt Service$21,8425%
  • Culture and Recreation$4,0501%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($197,440 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$71,736$20,976
Public Safety$25,500$23,110
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$116,600$103,515
Debt Service$21,842$21,842
Culture and Recreation$4,000$2,433
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$47,398$0
Business Type / Enterprise$158,440$85,885

What it spent each year

FY24 left out4

$594,262
’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’25

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? 5

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: $36,878 in FY25, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

In today's dollarsActual dollars
$30,000$37,500$45,000$52,500$60,000’19’21’23’25Today's $Actual
$30,000$37,500$45,000$52,500$60,000’19’20’21’22’23’24’25Today's $Actual
Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$35,632$35,733$36,679$36,878
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$2,132–––

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.

$61,322
$0
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$11,358
    FY24$61,322
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$11,358
    FY24$61,322
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−9%$32,180 → $36,878, up 15% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% 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 69% since FY20 while prices rose 24%, so it buys 37% more.

    $44,327
    ’20’21’22’23’24’25

    Federal grants, for comparison: $23,699 in FY23.

    Elections

    Most recent: November 4, 2025

    Ballot measures · 1

    Passed Yes 87.9% (29) · No 12.1% (4)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

    City · 2

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Diagonal; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress6

    Tom Shipley (Sen. 9)Devon Wood (Rep. 17)

    U.S. House:District 3

    Ringgold CountyDiagonal schools