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Local taxes › Sac County › Auburn

City

Auburn

Sac County · How cities work

$3,080 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.59 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,400 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.65 per $1,000)
$119,291property taxes the city levies, FY27
$490,666city 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.

  • Deb LudwigAuburn City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Linda RathAuburn City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nick MeisterAuburn City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jane BartoAuburn City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Richard HeimAuburn Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Robert TheulenAuburn 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 Auburn

Homes and businesses in most of Auburn pay a combined $36.59 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Sac County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.65. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.71$14.71
FY21$35.30$16.94
FY22$36.15$16.92
FY23$35.34$15.94
FY24$36.48$16.74
FY25$35.63$16.14
FY26$37.54$17.90
FY27$36.59$16.65
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.71$14.71
FY21$35.30$16.94
FY22$36.15$16.92
FY23$35.34$15.94
FY24$36.48$16.74
FY25$35.63$16.14
FY26$37.54$17.90
FY27$36.59$16.65

Compared with places this size3

Auburn’s city property tax rate of $16.65 per $1,000 is the 24th highest of 207 Iowa cities with 170–380 people. The middle of the group is $11.97.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Ringsted: $17.65Pierson: $17.12Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ryan: $14.84Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Donahue: $6.83Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Oakland Acres: $5.88Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Auburn: $16.65$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 207
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Soldier$21.92176
4Coulter$21.80220
5Chelsea$21.61207
6Elliott$21.61328
7Smithland$21.12184
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Coin$19.59171
12Garden Grove$19.20173
13Fort Atkinson$19.19300
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Massena$18.23352
17Callender$17.78361
18Ringsted$17.65346
19Pierson$17.12335
20Pisgah$17.09248
21Lohrville$16.95366
22Lakota$16.84261
23Marble Rock$16.78258
24Auburn$16.65253
25Mccallsburg$16.58356
26Prescott$16.53186
27Irwin$16.46320
28Montour$16.37199
29Lewis$16.25358
30Corwith$16.22259
31Deep River$16.18243
32Waucoma$16.17235
33Duncombe$16.10374
34Granville$16.00302
35Minburn$15.75317
36Little Sioux$15.74170
37Moorhead$15.68186
38Onslow$15.63198
39Linden$15.62206
40Kamrar$15.47178
41Peterson$15.27321
42Greeley$15.23216
43Riverton$14.94243
44Marathon$14.89221
45Ryan$14.84348
46Ladora$14.74223
47Magnolia$14.68194
48Bagley$14.63230
49Davis City$14.45178
50Lucas$14.40176
51Garrison$14.38345
52Halbur$14.37268
53Lorimor$14.36377
54Crystal Lake$14.36243
55Kimballton$14.27281
56Steamboat Rock$14.19261
57Westgate$14.05190
58Mystic$14.01318
59Diagonal$13.91331
60Bussey$13.83378
61Mondamin$13.82335
62Fertile$13.70300
63Stockport$13.68272
64Kellerton$13.60241
65Quimby$13.58245
66Meservey$13.43212
67Persia$13.41292
68Lacona$13.38336
69Leland$13.31240
70Ute$13.26326
71Plymouth$13.21368
72Harcourt$13.21257
73Bennett$13.16330
74Ridgeway$13.10261
75Farmersburg$13.09264
76Portsmouth$13.05187
77Clutier$13.03209
78Menlo$12.92347
79Templeton$12.91337
80Silver City$12.87244
81Patterson$12.84176
82Martelle$12.83250
83Malcom$12.82257
84Blencoe$12.57223
85Williams$12.57299
86Maurice$12.56271
87Clearfield$12.50277
88Kensett$12.47256
89Mccausland$12.45314
90Spillville$12.40371
91Modale$12.34284
92Mingo$12.31314
93Brandon$12.29331
94Blakesburg$12.21273
95Cushing$12.18225
96Bonaparte$12.17357
97Hanlontown$12.17200
98Stout$12.14194
99Macedonia$12.12266
100Paton$12.09217
101Decatur$12.08174
102Kiron$12.03262
103Rembrandt$12.03199
104Colesburg$11.97379
105Liscomb$11.96292
106New Providence$11.88233
107Parnell$11.78190
108Joice$11.72206
109Atalissa$11.71287
110Cantril$11.69224
111Kelley$11.69312
112Orient$11.66363
113Wadena$11.65201
114Cincinnati$11.57280
115Delta$11.52257
116Terril$11.48310
117Westside$11.45283
118College Springs$11.44172
119Holland$11.37261
120Churdan$11.31359
121Mallard$11.28255
122Renwick$11.16228
123Dundee$11.14193
124Randolph$11.08183
125Rake$11.05179
126Frederika$10.99206
127Letts$10.91358
128Goose Lake$10.89250
129Birmingham$10.87371
130Yale$10.85265
131Lambs Grove$10.78174
132Hornick$10.74255
133Woden$10.68183
134Bode$10.64304
135Union$10.58378
136Cleghorn$10.49235
137Calamus$10.47348
138Danbury$10.43315
139Lytton$10.38274
140Stockton$10.37171
141Rhodes$10.36269
142Dedham$10.28221
143Deloit$10.28246
144Protivin$10.28264
145Meriden$10.28175
146Drakesville$10.24170
147Andrew$10.22374
148Royal$10.20379
149Bronson$10.14294
150Hancock$10.13199
151Rudd$10.13339
152La Motte$10.09235
153Melvin$10.05196
154Defiance$10.05248
155Floyd$10.02297
156Barnum$9.96186
157Panama$9.85234
158Grafton$9.83212
159Ionia$9.65220
160Salix$9.63303
161Van Wert$9.62175
162Luxemburg$9.58240
163Rippey$9.42217
164Farnhamville$9.18364
165Elberon$9.16178
166Middletown$9.16365
167Dixon$9.03204
168Lester$8.94309
169Blairsburg$8.93175
170Oakville$8.89198
171Harvey$8.71242
172Washta$8.65206
173Moorland$8.61169
174Ollie$8.44196
175Thor$8.38182
176Rowley$8.31264
177South English$8.27196
178Boxholm$8.11177
179Bertram$8.10267
180Fostoria$8.10229
181Low Moor$8.10242
182Nichols$8.10317
183Laurel$8.10214
184Lineville$8.10194
185Luana$7.98303
186Lockridge$7.92245
187Grand River$7.86192
188Olds$7.86174
189Pulaski$7.58259
190Sheldahl$7.56312
191Fredonia$7.55227
192Worthington$7.50374
193Harpers Ferry$7.49273
194Alvord$7.41216
195Donahue$6.83336
196Packwood$6.77186
197Libertyville$6.60278
198Keswick$6.49238
199Crawfordsville$6.44278
200Holy Cross$5.91348
201Oakland Acres$5.88178
202Conesville$5.86350
203Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
204Wahpeton$3.19337
205West Okoboji$2.92311
206Sherrill$2.66176
207Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Auburn’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 532 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.76 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$4.93 · $35,105
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.83 · $27,263

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$211,351 of taxable value in Auburn is in TIF districts’ increment (3% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $27,000 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 $3,519 of the city’s own.

  • Sac County$1,259

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$56,18347%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$35,10530%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$27,26323%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Auburn’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 55¢ of every dollar55¢Culture and Recreation: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢General Government: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Capital Projects: 5¢ of every dollarEverything else: 6¢ 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 205 Iowa cities closest in size (170–380 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (205)
Business Type / Enterprise55¢36¢
Culture and Recreation13¢8¢
Public Works11¢21¢
General Government10¢19¢
Capital Projects5¢3¢
Everything else6¢11¢

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.

  • Culture and Recreation$131,33127%
  • General Government$122,30825%
  • Public Works$95,32719%
  • Community and Economic Development$60,80012%
  • Capital Projects$50,20010%
  • Public Safety$29,2006%
  • Health and Social Services$1,5000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($502,717 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$108,403$80,556
Public Safety$40,483$26,151
Health and Social Services$1,000$1,045
General Government$87,231$133,627
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$89,802$81,924
Community and Economic Development$5,840$72,014
Capital Projects$84,056$551,893
Business Type / Enterprise$490,914$581,942

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$1.5M
$1.1M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Auburn owes

$439,000 at June 30, 2026: $1,657 per resident. 432nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$578,000
$439,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$439,000$1,657
2025$494,665$1,867
2024$493,000$1,860
2023$508,212$1,918
2022$550,000$2,075
2021$578,000$2,181
2020$80,000$302
2019$11,844$45
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$64,000$242
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$439,000$1,657
2025$494,665$1,867
2024$493,000$1,860
2023$508,212$1,918
2022$550,000$2,075
2021$578,000$2,181
2020$80,000$302
2019$11,844$45
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$64,000$242

Up 586% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $706,000 (5% of $14.1M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSRF - New Well #62040$242,000
Revenue BondsLagoon Improvement Loan2040$197,000

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. Auburn’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, March 31, 2019 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, March 31, 2019 (PDF), released Friday, November 22, 2019, by a CPA firm.

1 earlier report for Auburn

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: $37,635 in FY25, down 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 28% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$38,053$36,469$37,432$37,635
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$472$1,973––

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.

$199,045
$96,192
  • State grants$96,192100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,823
FY20$2,403
FY21$944
FY22$199,045
FY23$1,304
FY24$9,886
FY25$96,192
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,823
FY20$2,403
FY21$944
FY22$199,045
FY23$1,304
FY24$9,886
FY25$96,192

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−28%$41,598 → $37,635, down 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 28% 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 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less.

$35,107
$32,859

Federal grants, for comparison: $29,531 in FY24.

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)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 · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

2 more →

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Auburn; 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.

  • Auburn City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Jane Barto, Robert Theulen
  • Auburn Mayor
    Now held by Richard Heim

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

Tim Kraayenbrink (Sen. 4)Wendy Larson (Rep. 7)

U.S. House:District 4

Sac CountyEast Sac County schools