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Local taxes › Scott County › Riverdale

City

Riverdale

Scott County · How cities work

$2,520 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($29.91 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$900 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.67 per $1,000)
$921,932property taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.5Mcity 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.

  • Anthony HeddlestenRiverdale Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Vincent JurgenaRiverdale City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Zakary KohlmeyerRiverdale City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Beth Anne HalseyRiverdale City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Stephanie HarveyRiverdale City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Steven Russell TownsendRiverdale 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 Riverdale

Homes and businesses in most of Riverdale pay a combined $30.02 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, $10.67. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.04$9.39
FY21$30.46$9.40
FY22$27.00$6.03
FY23$26.26$5.64
FY24$28.20$8.10
FY25$30.51$9.89
FY26$29.41$9.98
FY27$29.91$10.67
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.04$9.39
FY21$30.46$9.40
FY22$27.00$6.03
FY23$26.26$5.64
FY24$28.20$8.10
FY25$30.51$9.89
FY26$29.41$9.98
FY27$29.91$10.67

Compared with places this size3

Riverdale’s city property tax rate of $10.67 per $1,000 is the 52nd lowest of 187 Iowa cities with 260–570 people. The middle of the group is $12.67.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Massena: $18.23Swea City: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Malcom: $12.82Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Clearfield: $12.50Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Richland: $10.82Batavia: $10.77Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13Floyd: $10.02Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Ainsworth: $8.62Rowley: $8.31Gilman: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Crawfordsville: $6.44New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Riverdale: $10.67$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 187
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Fort Atkinson$19.19300
9Salem$19.15380
10Massena$18.23352
11Swea City$18.04545
12Elma$17.82493
13Callender$17.78361
14Casey$17.72387
15Dows$17.70509
16New Hartford$17.69555
17Vail$17.66383
18Ringsted$17.65346
19Emerson$17.54401
20Thompson$17.25478
21Ashton$17.17434
22Pierson$17.12335
23Burt$17.10404
24Latimer$16.96477
25Lohrville$16.95366
26Lakota$16.84261
27Marble Rock$16.78258
28Mccallsburg$16.58356
29Whittemore$16.54478
30Irwin$16.46320
31Titonka$16.45491
32Early$16.35571
33Truro$16.34515
34Lewis$16.25358
35Corwith$16.22259
36Duncombe$16.10374
37Bayard$16.05402
38Scranton$16.01496
39Granville$16.00302
40Minburn$15.75317
41Peterson$15.27321
42Russell$15.18475
43Zearing$14.99508
44Arlington$14.98415
45Maynard$14.85466
46Plainfield$14.84392
47Ryan$14.84348
48Otho$14.82417
49Wyoming$14.81526
50Humeston$14.80472
51Gilmore City$14.60484
52Sabula$14.38498
53Garrison$14.38345
54Halbur$14.37268
55Lorimor$14.36377
56Collins$14.32503
57Clermont$14.30571
58Kimballton$14.27281
59Ocheyedan$14.22424
60Steamboat Rock$14.19261
61Garwin$14.08469
62Farragut$14.07480
63Mystic$14.01318
64Lime Springs$13.95467
65Dow City$13.94477
66Wesley$13.91382
67Diagonal$13.91331
68Bussey$13.83378
69Mondamin$13.82335
70Livermore$13.78382
71Fertile$13.70300
72Stockport$13.68272
73Albion$13.58444
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Ute$13.26326
80New Market$13.25381
81Plymouth$13.21368
82Harcourt$13.21257
83Bennett$13.16330
84Ridgeway$13.10261
85Farmersburg$13.09264
86Anthon$13.05534
87Little Rock$13.03447
88Lehigh$12.97395
89Menlo$12.92347
90Templeton$12.91337
91Malcom$12.82257
92Delmar$12.68541
93Galva$12.68416
94Badger$12.67540
95Martensdale$12.63413
96Williams$12.57299
97Maurice$12.56271
98Norway$12.53463
99Everly$12.51570
100Clearfield$12.50277
101Mccausland$12.45314
102Spillville$12.40371
103Modale$12.34284
104Mingo$12.31314
105Brandon$12.29331
106Blakesburg$12.21273
107Bonaparte$12.17357
108Macedonia$12.12266
109Hawkeye$12.11429
110Kiron$12.03262
111Colesburg$11.97379
112Liscomb$11.96292
113Thornton$11.86394
114Runnells$11.79467
115Allerton$11.72432
116Atalissa$11.71287
117Kelley$11.69312
118Orient$11.66363
119Ellsworth$11.57495
120Cincinnati$11.57280
121Delta$11.52257
122Terril$11.48310
123Westside$11.45283
124Holland$11.37261
125Churdan$11.31359
126Miles$11.28400
127Milton$10.98395
128Ireton$10.93571
129New Vienna$10.91384
130Letts$10.91358
131Birmingham$10.87371
132Charlotte$10.86386
133Yale$10.85265
134Richland$10.82532
135Batavia$10.77434
136Riverdale$10.67385
137Bode$10.64304
138Union$10.58378
139Calamus$10.47348
140Lovilia$10.46456
141Danbury$10.43315
142Lytton$10.38274
143Radcliffe$10.37540
144Stacyville$10.36436
145Rhodes$10.36269
146Protivin$10.28264
147Andrew$10.22374
148Royal$10.20379
149Bronson$10.14294
150Rudd$10.13339
151Floyd$10.02297
152Cumming$9.85527
153Breda$9.80492
154Lynnville$9.68382
155Salix$9.63303
156Farnhamville$9.18364
157Middletown$9.16365
158Alleman$9.12439
159Lester$8.94309
160Ainsworth$8.62511
161Rowley$8.31264
162Gilman$8.10530
163Bertram$8.10267
164Grandview$8.10431
165Lost Nation$8.10425
166Nichols$8.10317
167Luana$7.98303
168Delhi$7.81438
169Klemme$7.74429
170Pulaski$7.58259
171Beacon$7.56434
172Sheldahl$7.56312
173Worthington$7.50374
174Harpers Ferry$7.49273
175Marquette$7.08434
176Columbus City$6.94385
177Donahue$6.83336
178Libertyville$6.60278
179Crawfordsville$6.44278
180New Virginia$5.97499
181Holy Cross$5.91348
182Conesville$5.86350
183University Park$5.27476
184Orleans$4.13503
185Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
186Wahpeton$3.19337
187West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Riverdale’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 $4.96 · FY24 $7.43 · FY25 $7.21 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $2.57 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.78 · $67,101
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.75 · $64,127
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$0.68 · $57,873
  • Debt Service Levy$0.36 · $38,351

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$19.4M of taxable value in Riverdale is in TIF districts’ increment (18% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $307,028 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$33,778
$28,439

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 $199,859 of the city’s own.

  • Pleasant Valley schools$173,804
  • Scott County$115,066
YearTIF revenue
FY16$16,516
FY17$677
FY18$11,003
FY21$3,488
FY22$33,778
FY23$28,439
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$16,516
FY17$677
FY18$11,003
FY21$3,488
FY22$33,778
FY23$28,439

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$694,48075%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$67,1017%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$64,1277%
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$57,8736%
  • Debt Service Levy$38,3514%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Riverdale’s budget goes, FY26

General Government: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Community and Economic Development: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Public Works: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Business Type / Enterprise: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Capital Projects: 7¢ of every dollarEverything else: 15¢ of every dollar15¢

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 186 Iowa cities closest in size (260–570 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (186)
General Government24¢15¢
Community and Economic Development24¢1¢
Public Works21¢19¢
Business Type / Enterprise10¢40¢
Capital Projects7¢4¢
Everything else15¢21¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$1.8M52%
  • Community and Economic Development$615,53117%
  • General Government$506,33814%
  • Public Works$286,5528%
  • Culture and Recreation$188,5605%
  • Public Safety$47,7751%
  • Debt Service$40,7761%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($178,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$186,721$179,437
Public Safety$114,325$98,644
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$208,106$379,283
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$133,062$117,165
Community and Economic Development$174,920$8,678
Capital Projects$265,000$200,403
Business Type / Enterprise$258,053$171,630

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$2.0M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Riverdale owes

$39,435 at June 30, 2026: $104 per resident. 700th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.7M
$39,435
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$39,435$104
2025$114,157$301
2024$183,887$485
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$75,000$198
2020$380,000$1,003
2019$675,000$1,781
2018$960,000$2,533
2017$1.5M$3,997
2016$1.5M$3,997
2015$1.9M$5,004
2014$2.2M$5,842
2013$2.5M$6,666
2012$2.7M$7,124
2011$2.0M$5,277
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$39,435$104
2025$114,157$301
2024$183,887$485
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$75,000$198
2020$380,000$1,003
2019$675,000$1,781
2018$960,000$2,533
2017$1.5M$3,997
2016$1.5M$3,997
2015$1.9M$5,004
2014$2.2M$5,842
2013$2.5M$6,666
2012$2.7M$7,124
2011$2.0M$5,277
2010$0$0

Down 98% since 2011.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $39,435, under 1% of the limit of about $7.8M (5% of $155.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationSanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Phase III Project2026$39,435

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. Riverdale’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF), released Friday, September 18, 2026, by a CPA firm.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

13 earlier reports for Riverdale

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: $79,062 in FY25, up 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$55,515$48,401$53,534$53,825
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$22,322$19,133$25,237

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.

$8,172
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$7,419
    FY24$8,172
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$7,419
    FY24$8,172
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−18%$52,320 → $53,825, up 3% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 18% 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 33% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% more.

    $176,592
    $155,198

    Federal grants, for comparison: $750 in FY24.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    Community college new jobs training: 6 contracts since 2005 worth $13.4M, for 1,251 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)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 Riverdale; 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.

    • Riverdale City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Steven Russell Townsend, Beth Anne Halsey, Stephanie Harvey
    • Riverdale Mayor
      Now held by Anthony Heddlesten

    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

    Scott Webster (Sen. 47)Gary M. Mohr (Rep. 93)

    U.S. House:District 1

    Scott CountyBettendorf schoolsPleasant Valley schools