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Local taxes › Scott County › Blue Grass

City

Blue Grass

Scott County · How cities work

$2,700 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($32.02 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$990 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.79 per $1,000)
$1.2Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.4Mcity 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.

  • Bradley SchutteBlue Grass Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Cheryl SmithBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike HermannBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bradley SchutteBlue Grass Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Robert W BlokBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Robert W BlokBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Schuyler Dean Bowman JrBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Schuyler Dean Bowman JrBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Timothy J BrandenburgBlue Grass City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Timothy J BrandenburgBlue Grass 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 Blue Grass

Homes and businesses in most of Blue Grass pay a combined $32.02 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Scott County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.79. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.03$11.52
FY21$34.43$11.86
FY22$34.26$11.76
FY23$33.91$11.15
FY24$34.07$11.89
FY25$32.44$11.57
FY26$32.66$11.69
FY27$32.02$11.79
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.03$11.52
FY21$34.43$11.86
FY22$34.26$11.76
FY23$33.91$11.15
FY24$34.07$11.89
FY25$32.44$11.57
FY26$32.66$11.69
FY27$32.02$11.79

Compared with places this size3

Blue Grass’s city property tax rate of $11.79 per $1,000 is the 23rd lowest of 110 Iowa cities with 1,100–2,500 people. The middle of the group is $14.13.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Belmond: $19.86Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Glidden: $13.43Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Arnolds Park: $4.95Blue Grass: $11.79$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 110
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sac City$19.691,992
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Britt$17.722,001
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Manson$16.871,646
17Fayette$16.851,193
18Nashua$16.811,515
19Ackley$16.631,538
20West Union$16.602,435
21Audubon$16.522,008
22Roland$16.511,376
23Monona$16.411,462
24Belle Plaine$16.342,335
25Colfax$16.252,305
26Durant$16.241,798
27Lamoni$16.152,072
28Marengo$16.102,415
29Dike$15.941,293
30Holstein$15.811,475
31State Center$15.801,403
32Pleasantville$15.801,696
33Postville$15.682,418
34Earlham$15.551,411
35Shell Rock$15.521,265
36Brooklyn$15.491,474
37Stuart$15.481,887
38Mount Ayr$15.321,616
39Granger$15.222,095
40Sigourney$15.201,974
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Logan$15.051,351
43Tripoli$14.991,208
44Sumner$14.832,032
45Woodbine$14.801,707
46Bedford$14.661,474
47Lenox$14.651,355
48Manning$14.621,390
49Van Meter$14.601,840
50Coon Rapids$14.491,258
51Jesup$14.312,541
52Nora Springs$14.251,330
53Kingsley$14.251,394
54Urbana$14.201,635
55Parkersburg$14.151,986
56Hartley$14.111,584
57Ida Grove$14.101,988
58Woodward$14.051,383
59Guthrie Center$14.041,579
60Alton$13.871,248
61Lake Mills$13.822,077
62Montezuma$13.791,421
63Gilbert$13.711,397
64Clarksville$13.531,238
65Avoca$13.511,685
66Glidden$13.431,140
67Wapello$13.292,026
68Manly$13.291,233
69Springville$13.221,161
70Greenfield$13.131,988
71Akron$12.931,545
72Leon$12.931,779
73New Sharon$12.801,249
74Slater$12.791,626
75Buffalo$12.681,163
76Bellevue$12.672,321
77Sanborn$12.621,463
78New London$12.561,853
79Lisbon$12.502,238
80Dallas Center$12.421,993
81Remsen$12.321,681
82Monroe$12.282,021
83Denver$12.271,955
84Alta$12.132,039
85Reinbeck$12.101,673
86Atkins$11.992,168
87Wellman$11.881,531
88Blue Grass$11.791,707
89Hull$11.792,459
90Columbus Junction$11.711,794
91Cascade$11.642,396
92Palo$11.491,554
93Prairie City$11.381,722
94Northwood$11.282,047
95Mediapolis$11.271,679
96Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
97University Heights$11.121,188
98Ely$11.082,371
99Ogden$10.991,970
100Farley$10.911,723
101Oakland$10.851,519
102Moville$10.671,707
103Walcott$10.291,556
104Lake Park$10.251,155
105Central City$10.011,254
106Peosta$9.822,195
107Epworth$9.422,042
108Walford$8.721,357
109Lone Tree$8.131,341
110Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Blue Grass’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: $3.69 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.98 · $302,173
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.71 · $71,485

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.1M of taxable value in Blue Grass is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $85,099 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$716,703
$426,506

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 $25,272 of the city’s own.

  • Davenport schools$21,316
  • Scott County$12,722
YearTIF revenue
FY16$634,658
FY17$621,587
FY18$636,482
FY19$674,625
FY20$689,072
FY21$676,298
FY22$716,703
FY23$426,506
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$634,658
FY17$621,587
FY18$636,482
FY19$674,625
FY20$689,072
FY21$676,298
FY22$716,703
FY23$426,506

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$820,96769%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$302,17325%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$71,4856%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Blue Grass’s budget goes, FY26

Public Safety: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Public Works: 28¢ of every dollar28¢General Government: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Business Type / Enterprise: 7¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 109 Iowa cities closest in size (1,100–2,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (109)
Public Safety31¢11¢
Public Works28¢11¢
General Government19¢6¢
Culture and Recreation12¢8¢
Business Type / Enterprise7¢41¢
Everything else4¢3¢

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$954,77739%
  • Public Safety$726,71530%
  • General Government$395,67216%
  • Culture and Recreation$253,19010%
  • Community and Economic Development$90,4554%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($144,055 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$469,413$659,231
Public Safety$514,705$428,029
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$263,569$275,168
Debt Service$170,950$152,266
Culture and Recreation$94,456$444,688
Community and Economic Development$575,594$121,664
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$384,230$252,669

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$4.5M
$4.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Blue Grass owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.9

$2.7M
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$260,118$156
2021$1.0M$607
2020$1.1M$659
2019$1.3M$792
2018$2.1M$1,267
2017$2.3M$1,374
2016$2.5M$1,473
2015$2.3M$1,356
2014$2.4M$1,420
2013$2.5M$1,485
2012$2.5M$1,523
2011$2.7M$1,591
2010$2.7M$1,608
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$260,118$156
2021$1.0M$607
2020$1.1M$659
2019$1.3M$792
2018$2.1M$1,267
2017$2.3M$1,374
2016$2.5M$1,473
2015$2.3M$1,356
2014$2.4M$1,420
2013$2.5M$1,485
2012$2.5M$1,523
2011$2.7M$1,591
2010$2.7M$1,608

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $10.3M (5% of $205.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances11. Blue Grass’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

13 earlier reports for Blue Grass

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: $284,728 in FY25, up 32% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$224,962$229,260$235,327$236,604
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$26,037$20,829$52,079$48,124

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.

$25,055
$6,056
  • State grants$6,056100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,529
FY20$25,055
FY21$14,381
FY22$4,086
FY23$4,293
FY24$4,295
FY25$6,056
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,529
FY20$25,055
FY21$14,381
FY22$4,086
FY23$4,293
FY24$4,295
FY25$6,056

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)+1%$187,578 → $236,604, up 26% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% more
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+40%$27,489 → $48,124, up 75% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 40% more

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 55% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 23% more.

$329,620

Federal grants, for comparison: $124,179 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award 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)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 · 2

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Blue Grass; 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.

  • Blue Grass City Council At-Large (6 seats)
    Now held by Schuyler Dean Bowman Jr, Timothy J Brandenburg, Robert W Blok, Timothy J Brandenburg, Schuyler Dean Bowman Jr, Robert W Blok
  • Blue Grass Mayor (2 seats)
    Now held by Bradley Schutte, Bradley Schutte

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

Past ballot measures

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

Kerry Gruenhagen (Sen. 41)Bobby Kaufmann (Rep. 82)

U.S. House:District 1

Scott CountyDavenport schools