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Local taxes › Scott County › Eldridge

City

Eldridge

Scott County · How cities work

$2,250 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($26.71 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$680 a yearof that goes to the city ($8.13 per $1,000)
$4.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$10.4Mcity 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.

  • Brian DockeryEldridge City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jeff AshcraftEldridge City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Scott CampbellEldridge Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Adrian BlackwellEldridge City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ryan IossiEldridge City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Scott CampbellEldridge 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 Eldridge

Homes and businesses in most of Eldridge pay a combined $26.71 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, $8.13. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.41$6.75
FY21$26.15$6.74
FY22$25.88$7.03
FY23$26.04$7.41
FY24$26.61$7.96
FY25$26.96$7.98
FY26$27.02$8.11
FY27$26.71$8.13
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$26.41$6.75
FY21$26.15$6.74
FY22$25.88$7.03
FY23$26.04$7.41
FY24$26.61$7.96
FY25$26.96$7.98
FY26$27.02$8.11
FY27$26.71$8.13

Compared with places this size3

Eldridge’s city property tax rate of $8.13 per $1,000 is the lowest of 51 Iowa cities with 4,700–10,000 people. The middle of the group is $15.07.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Keokuk: $19.68Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86Fort Madison: $18.84Denison: $18.69Perry: $17.91Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Fairfield: $16.69Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Grinnell: $15.60Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Nevada: $14.58Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Le Claire: $12.64Mount Pleasant: $11.94Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Carroll: $11.25Sioux Center: $11.05Polk City: $11.00Bondurant: $10.82Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13$8.13 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 51
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Keokuk$19.689,462
4Independence$19.016,266
5Iowa Falls$18.864,993
6Fort Madison$18.849,983
7Denison$18.698,302
8Perry$17.918,046
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Knoxville$17.467,440
11Clarinda$17.255,334
12Centerville$16.855,345
13Algona$16.755,341
14Fairfield$16.699,511
15Webster City$16.517,763
16Vinton$16.254,962
17Winterset$16.155,421
18Humboldt$16.004,774
19Anamosa$15.955,845
20Charles City$15.957,081
21Grinnell$15.609,495
22Decorah$15.527,454
23Sheldon$15.335,584
24Estherville$15.275,796
25Washington$15.217,281
26Harlan$15.074,898
27Shenandoah$15.024,878
28Creston$14.997,421
29Manchester$14.965,283
30Cherokee$14.825,186
31Glenwood$14.775,250
32Nevada$14.587,082
33Osceola$14.375,585
34Windsor Heights$14.305,106
35Orange City$14.016,547
36Hiawatha$13.787,347
37Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
38Adel$13.436,763
39Maquoketa$12.856,064
40Le Claire$12.644,776
41Mount Pleasant$11.948,509
42Tiffin$11.806,695
43Huxley$11.684,737
44Carroll$11.2510,125
45Sioux Center$11.058,675
46Polk City$11.006,430
47Bondurant$10.829,511
48Spirit Lake$10.175,548
49Clear Lake$9.857,602
50Asbury$8.326,051
51Eldridge$8.136,967

The $8.10 limit

Eldridge’s general levy is $6.77 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $1.33 below the limit.4 864 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $6.77 · FY24 $7.18 · FY25 $6.97 · FY26 $6.84 · FY27 $6.77 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $1.36 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.74 · $371,080
  • Debt Service Levy$0.62 · $347,982

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$58.5M of taxable value in Eldridge is in TIF districts’ increment (10% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $1.1M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$997,858
$964,412

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 $439,145 of the city’s own.

  • North Scott schools$479,247
  • Scott County$347,011
YearTIF revenue
FY16$755,832
FY17$3,381
FY18$254,563
FY19$347,601
FY20$717,919
FY21$914,804
FY22$997,858
FY23$964,412
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$755,832
FY17$3,381
FY18$254,563
FY19$347,601
FY20$717,919
FY21$914,804
FY22$997,858
FY23$964,412

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$3.4M83%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$371,0809%
  • Debt Service Levy$347,9828%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Eldridge’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 47¢ of every dollar47¢Public Works: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Safety: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Capital Projects: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 10¢ of every dollar10¢

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 50 Iowa cities closest in size (4,700–10,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (50)
Business Type / Enterprise47¢36¢
Public Works18¢8¢
Public Safety9¢13¢
Capital Projects8¢21¢
Debt Service8¢7¢
Everything else10¢15¢

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$3.4M33%
  • Public Safety$2.1M20%
  • Capital Projects$1.5M14%
  • Debt Service$1.3M13%
  • General Government$910,3149%
  • Community and Economic Development$597,6356%
  • Culture and Recreation$547,0835%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($9.9M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$1.8M$1.8M
Public Safety$1.5M$1.6M
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$599,470$576,598
Debt Service$1.3M$1.3M
Culture and Recreation$517,816$461,480
Community and Economic Development$267,802$227,329
Capital Projects$7.9M$5.8M
Business Type / Enterprise$7.9M$9.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$20.8M
$19.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Eldridge owes

$12.5M at June 30, 2026: $1,854 per resident. 405th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$19.0M
$12.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$12.5M$1,854
2025$13.9M$2,066
2024$15.3M$2,275
2023$17.0M$2,526
2022$18.0M$2,683
2021$19.0M$2,829
2020$15.9M$2,371
2019$17.1M$2,535
2018$2.5M$376
2017$3.0M$444
2016$3.5M$528
2015$4.4M$655
2014$5.1M$763
2013$6.7M$998
2012$7.4M$1,095
2011$7.9M$1,176
2010$8.8M$1,312
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$12.5M$1,854
2025$13.9M$2,066
2024$15.3M$2,275
2023$17.0M$2,526
2022$18.0M$2,683
2021$19.0M$2,829
2020$15.9M$2,371
2019$17.1M$2,535
2018$2.5M$376
2017$3.0M$444
2016$3.5M$528
2015$4.4M$655
2014$5.1M$763
2013$6.7M$998
2012$7.4M$1,095
2011$7.9M$1,176
2010$8.8M$1,312

Up 41% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $9.0M, 18% of the limit of about $49.7M (5% of $993.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

4 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationYMCA GO Bond2041$5.0M
General ObligationUrban Renewal Capital Loan Notes funding sewer plant expansion and new sewer piping2032$3.7M
Revenue Bonds2018 Revenue Sewer Capital Loan Notes for expansion of sewer plant and installation of sewer piping2039$3.5M
General Obligation2015 GO Refunding Bonds2027$260,000

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. Eldridge’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 27, 2026, by a CPA firm.

17 earlier reports for Eldridge

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: $977,809 in FY25, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$902,956$929,991$951,006$952,168
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$74,563$9,905$20,098$25,641

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.

$3.0M
$197,984
  • Iowa DOT projects$183,74193%
  • State grants$14,2437%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$332
FY20$0
FY21$944,887
FY22$463,819
FY23$3.0M
FY24$27,836
FY25$197,984
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$332
FY20$0
FY21$944,887
FY22$463,819
FY23$3.0M
FY24$27,836
FY25$197,984

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)+4%$730,029 → $952,168, up 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−72%$73,441 → $25,641, down 65% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 72% 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 65% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 31% more.

$1.4M

Federal grants, for comparison: $872,289 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

2 businesses have state awards in ELDRIDGE: $1.2M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 259 jobs. Closed projects promised 178 jobs; 71 were there at the end.14

  • RILCO
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY24 · Under contract: Building · 81 jobs required
    $135K
  • Lewis Machine & Tool Company
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Met its contract · 178 jobs required, 71 at the end
    $1.1M

Community college new jobs training: 8 contracts since 1997 worth $3.0M, for 525 pledged jobs.

Awards 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)15.

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 Eldridge; 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.

  • Eldridge City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Scott Campbell, Ryan Iossi, Adrian Blackwell

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Scott Webster (Sen. 47)Mike Vondran (Rep. 94)

U.S. House:District 1

Scott CountyNorth Scott schools