Who runs it
The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.
- Jesse LeonardBuffalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Mary MooreBuffalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Rachel Teel-VanderpoolBuffalo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
- Sally RodriguezBuffalo Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
- Sean RomanBuffalo City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
- Trent AdamsBuffalo 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 Buffalo
Homes and businesses in most of Buffalo pay a combined $32.92 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, $12.68. Estimate your bill.
- Davenport schools$12.9839%
- City of Buffalo$12.6839%
- Scott County$5.9318%
- Eastern Iowa Community College$1.043%
- Scott County Assessor$0.22<1%
- Scott County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.06<1%
Rates over time
Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Buffalo pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.
| Year | Combined | City’s own |
|---|---|---|
| FY20 | $32.25 | $9.74 |
| FY21 | $32.32 | $9.74 |
| FY22 | $32.24 | $9.74 |
| FY23 | $31.96 | $9.20 |
| FY24 | $32.28 | $10.10 |
| FY25 | $32.28 | $11.41 |
| FY26 | $33.02 | $12.05 |
| FY27 | $32.92 | $12.68 |
Show the numbers
| Year | Combined | City’s own |
|---|---|---|
| FY20 | $32.25 | $9.74 |
| FY21 | $32.32 | $9.74 |
| FY22 | $32.24 | $9.74 |
| FY23 | $31.96 | $9.20 |
| FY24 | $32.28 | $10.10 |
| FY25 | $32.28 | $11.41 |
| FY26 | $33.02 | $12.05 |
| FY27 | $32.92 | $12.68 |
Compared with places this size3
Buffalo’s city property tax rate of $12.68 per $1,000 is the 57th lowest of 148 Iowa cities with 780–1,700 people. The middle of the group is $13.41.
See all 148
| # | Place | Rate per $1,000 | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elkader | $27.11 | 1,192 |
| 2 | Laurens | $24.16 | 1,253 |
| 3 | Villisca | $19.74 | 1,106 |
| 4 | Traer | $19.56 | 1,547 |
| 5 | Corning | $19.36 | 1,509 |
| 6 | Lake City | $19.32 | 1,656 |
| 7 | Allison | $19.06 | 937 |
| 8 | Corydon | $18.22 | 1,563 |
| 9 | Dysart | $17.95 | 1,266 |
| 10 | Greene | $17.91 | 971 |
| 11 | Lansing | $17.67 | 959 |
| 12 | Strawberry Point | $17.58 | 1,141 |
| 13 | Rockwell | $17.54 | 1,044 |
| 14 | Gowrie | $17.17 | 943 |
| 15 | Colo | $17.14 | 856 |
| 16 | Mapleton | $16.90 | 1,114 |
| 17 | George | $16.89 | 1,106 |
| 18 | Manson | $16.87 | 1,646 |
| 19 | Fayette | $16.85 | 1,193 |
| 20 | Adair | $16.84 | 792 |
| 21 | Eddyville | $16.82 | 965 |
| 22 | Nashua | $16.81 | 1,515 |
| 23 | Ackley | $16.63 | 1,538 |
| 24 | Buffalo Center | $16.58 | 839 |
| 25 | Roland | $16.51 | 1,376 |
| 26 | Eldon | $16.42 | 788 |
| 27 | Monona | $16.41 | 1,462 |
| 28 | Aplington | $16.34 | 1,088 |
| 29 | Panora | $16.14 | 1,096 |
| 30 | Mechanicsville | $16.12 | 974 |
| 31 | Dike | $15.94 | 1,293 |
| 32 | Armstrong | $15.87 | 847 |
| 33 | Holstein | $15.81 | 1,475 |
| 34 | State Center | $15.80 | 1,403 |
| 35 | Pleasantville | $15.80 | 1,696 |
| 36 | Earlham | $15.55 | 1,411 |
| 37 | Shell Rock | $15.52 | 1,265 |
| 38 | Brooklyn | $15.49 | 1,474 |
| 39 | Newell | $15.49 | 850 |
| 40 | Mount Ayr | $15.32 | 1,616 |
| 41 | Riceville | $15.31 | 807 |
| 42 | Neola | $15.30 | 917 |
| 43 | Sidney | $15.19 | 1,048 |
| 44 | Gilbertville | $15.15 | 792 |
| 45 | Logan | $15.05 | 1,351 |
| 46 | Griswold | $15.01 | 975 |
| 47 | Readlyn | $14.99 | 857 |
| 48 | Tripoli | $14.99 | 1,208 |
| 49 | Woodbine | $14.80 | 1,707 |
| 50 | Bedford | $14.66 | 1,474 |
| 51 | Lenox | $14.65 | 1,355 |
| 52 | Manning | $14.62 | 1,390 |
| 53 | Dunlap | $14.56 | 1,030 |
| 54 | Maxwell | $14.50 | 862 |
| 55 | Coon Rapids | $14.49 | 1,258 |
| 56 | Nora Springs | $14.25 | 1,330 |
| 57 | Kingsley | $14.25 | 1,394 |
| 58 | Urbana | $14.20 | 1,635 |
| 59 | Primghar | $14.18 | 893 |
| 60 | Sheffield | $14.16 | 1,123 |
| 61 | Hartley | $14.11 | 1,584 |
| 62 | Woodward | $14.05 | 1,383 |
| 63 | Guthrie Center | $14.04 | 1,579 |
| 64 | Ossian | $13.88 | 777 |
| 65 | Alton | $13.87 | 1,248 |
| 66 | Montezuma | $13.79 | 1,421 |
| 67 | Victor | $13.72 | 852 |
| 68 | Gilbert | $13.71 | 1,397 |
| 69 | Edgewood | $13.64 | 908 |
| 70 | Donnellson | $13.63 | 859 |
| 71 | Clarksville | $13.53 | 1,238 |
| 72 | Avoca | $13.51 | 1,685 |
| 73 | Janesville | $13.43 | 1,052 |
| 74 | Glidden | $13.43 | 1,140 |
| 75 | Calmar | $13.39 | 1,100 |
| 76 | Baxter | $13.32 | 983 |
| 77 | Manly | $13.29 | 1,233 |
| 78 | Anita | $13.28 | 953 |
| 79 | Conrad | $13.23 | 1,098 |
| 80 | Springville | $13.22 | 1,161 |
| 81 | Keota | $13.21 | 888 |
| 82 | Shellsburg | $13.20 | 987 |
| 83 | De Soto | $13.18 | 937 |
| 84 | Treynor | $13.03 | 1,104 |
| 85 | Odebolt | $13.00 | 967 |
| 86 | Akron | $12.93 | 1,545 |
| 87 | Danville | $12.87 | 910 |
| 88 | Underwood | $12.85 | 973 |
| 89 | New Sharon | $12.80 | 1,249 |
| 90 | Slater | $12.79 | 1,626 |
| 91 | Malvern | $12.79 | 1,056 |
| 92 | Buffalo | $12.68 | 1,163 |
| 93 | Sanborn | $12.62 | 1,463 |
| 94 | West Point | $12.39 | 903 |
| 95 | Hinton | $12.38 | 959 |
| 96 | Preston | $12.38 | 940 |
| 97 | Remsen | $12.32 | 1,681 |
| 98 | Hubbard | $12.30 | 837 |
| 99 | Reinbeck | $12.10 | 1,673 |
| 100 | Winfield | $12.04 | 1,006 |
| 101 | Elkhart | $12.00 | 1,079 |
| 102 | Afton | $11.96 | 864 |
| 103 | Tabor | $11.88 | 983 |
| 104 | Wellman | $11.88 | 1,531 |
| 105 | Aurelia | $11.84 | 970 |
| 106 | Blue Grass | $11.79 | 1,707 |
| 107 | Palo | $11.49 | 1,554 |
| 108 | Prairie City | $11.38 | 1,722 |
| 109 | Marcus | $11.31 | 1,069 |
| 110 | Dunkerton | $11.30 | 840 |
| 111 | Mediapolis | $11.27 | 1,679 |
| 112 | Melcher-Dallas | $11.21 | 1,193 |
| 113 | University Heights | $11.12 | 1,188 |
| 114 | Hamburg | $10.95 | 863 |
| 115 | Clarence | $10.94 | 991 |
| 116 | Farley | $10.91 | 1,723 |
| 117 | Oakland | $10.85 | 1,519 |
| 118 | Moville | $10.67 | 1,707 |
| 119 | Cambridge | $10.53 | 844 |
| 120 | Swisher | $10.39 | 909 |
| 121 | Schleswig | $10.39 | 820 |
| 122 | Elk Run Heights | $10.33 | 1,061 |
| 123 | Walcott | $10.29 | 1,556 |
| 124 | Fredericksburg | $10.27 | 983 |
| 125 | Lake Park | $10.25 | 1,155 |
| 126 | Inwood | $10.22 | 962 |
| 127 | Central City | $10.01 | 1,254 |
| 128 | Newhall | $9.99 | 887 |
| 129 | Graettinger | $9.81 | 810 |
| 130 | Long Grove | $9.59 | 849 |
| 131 | Lake View | $9.39 | 1,120 |
| 132 | Paullina | $9.21 | 979 |
| 133 | Fairbank | $9.00 | 1,133 |
| 134 | Winthrop | $8.94 | 814 |
| 135 | Walford | $8.72 | 1,357 |
| 136 | Keosauqua | $8.58 | 944 |
| 137 | Princeton | $8.24 | 917 |
| 138 | Lone Tree | $8.13 | 1,341 |
| 139 | Riverside | $8.02 | 1,063 |
| 140 | Hills | $7.94 | 911 |
| 141 | Larchwood | $7.52 | 954 |
| 142 | North English | $7.49 | 1,030 |
| 143 | Sloan | $7.49 | 1,078 |
| 144 | Sully | $7.41 | 891 |
| 145 | Fruitland | $7.21 | 928 |
| 146 | Lawton | $7.10 | 949 |
| 147 | Wayland | $7.07 | 935 |
| 148 | Arnolds Park | $4.95 | 1,214 |
The $8.10 limit
Buffalo’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 $8.10 · FY26 $8.02 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)
Outside the limit: $4.58 more5
- Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.41 · $219,586
- Debt Service Levy$1.53 · $139,050
- Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.64 · $58,604
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 Buffalo’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 147 Iowa cities closest in size (780–1,700 people).
| Where it goes | Of each dollar | Cities this size (147) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Type / Enterprise | 36¢ | 40¢ |
| Public Safety | 26¢ | 10¢ |
| Public Works | 21¢ | 13¢ |
| Debt Service | 8¢ | 6¢ |
| General Government | 5¢ | 8¢ |
| Everything else | 4¢ | 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.
The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.2M in FY26), so this total is low.
Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
| Function | Budget | Spent |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works | $542,282 | $560,813 |
| Public Safety | $649,831 | $1.4M |
| Health and Social Services | $0 | $0 |
| General Government | $144,589 | $117,844 |
| Debt Service | $27,000 | $185,032 |
| Culture and Recreation | $252,352 | $300,393 |
| Community and Economic Development | $9,000 | $153,130 |
| Capital Projects | $0 | $0 |
| Business Type / Enterprise | $969,710 | $1.2M |
What it spent each year
FY24 left out6
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? 7
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: $192,694 in FY25, down 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 29% less. Grants are below.
Show the numbers
| Source | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Use Tax (streets) | $164,907 | $161,831 | $166,113 | $167,015 |
| Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”) | $47,855 | $40,909 | $3,458 | $25,679 |
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 | $11,062 |
| FY20 | $7,598 |
| FY21 | $153,719 |
| FY22 | $13,806 |
| FY23 | $34,552 |
| FY24 | $1,975 |
| FY25 | $12,087 |
Show the numbers
| Year | Grants and projects |
|---|---|
| FY19 | $11,062 |
| FY20 | $7,598 |
| FY21 | $153,719 |
| FY22 | $13,806 |
| FY23 | $34,552 |
| FY24 | $1,975 |
| FY25 | $12,087 |
Has it kept up with prices?
Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.
- Road Use Tax (streets)−19%$164,066 → $167,015, up 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less
- Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−60%$51,579 → $25,679, down 50% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 60% 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 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more.
Federal grants, for comparison: $11,920 in FY25.
Elections
Most recent: November 4, 2025
City · 2
3 seats: the top 3 win.
- Mary Moore Winner14235.8%
- Jesse Leonard Winner9924.9%
- Rachel Teel-Vanderpool Winner8822.2%
- Dusty Chaplin 6817.1%
- Sally Rodriguez Winner10467.1%
- Dave Stickrod 5132.9%
Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Buffalo; official results are on each county auditor’s site.
Related places
At the Statehouse and in Congress8
Cindy Winckler (Sen. 49)Monica Kurth (Rep. 98)
U.S. House:District 1