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Local taxes › Story County › Collins

City

Collins

Story County · How cities work

$3,130 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.22 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,210 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.32 per $1,000)
$190,967property taxes the city levies, FY27
$726,649city 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.

  • Alex RaineyCollins Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dawnell KennedyCollins City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jerry Courter (WI)Collins City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Stephanie Coughenour (WI)Collins City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Stacy HowellCollins City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Stephanie SmithCollins 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 Collins

Homes and businesses in most of Collins pay a combined $37.22 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Story County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.32. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.31$16.11
FY21$40.62$15.76
FY22$40.65$15.76
FY23$40.14$15.71
FY24$38.97$15.71
FY25$38.68$15.36
FY26$37.33$14.39
FY27$37.22$14.32
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$38.31$16.11
FY21$40.62$15.76
FY22$40.65$15.76
FY23$40.14$15.71
FY24$38.97$15.71
FY25$38.68$15.36
FY26$37.33$14.39
FY27$37.22$14.32

Compared with places this size3

Collins’s city property tax rate of $14.32 per $1,000 is the 64th highest of 191 Iowa cities with 340–750 people. The middle of the group is $12.91.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Massena: $18.23Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Garnavillo: $14.52Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Livermore: $13.78Redfield: $13.73Sioux Rapids: $13.63Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48Spillville: $12.40Alburnett: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Bonaparte: $12.17Schaller: $12.14Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Orient: $11.66Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Fontanelle: $10.88Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Rudd: $10.13What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Grand Junction: $8.57Gilman: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Raymond: $6.85Donahue: $6.83Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Wahpeton: $3.19Collins: $14.32$3.19 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 191
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Charter Oak$21.32521
4Oxford Junction$20.84424
5Earling$20.47394
6Pomeroy$19.60511
7Salem$19.15380
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Massena$18.23352
13Kanawha$18.11638
14Swea City$18.04545
15Alden$17.90738
16Elma$17.82493
17Callender$17.78361
18Casey$17.72387
19Dows$17.70509
20New Hartford$17.69555
21Vail$17.66383
22Ringsted$17.65346
23Emerson$17.54401
24Walnut$17.46728
25Murray$17.44609
26Thompson$17.25478
27Ashton$17.17434
28Burt$17.10404
29Latimer$16.96477
30Lohrville$16.95366
31Elk Horn$16.78631
32Oxford$16.70715
33Mccallsburg$16.58356
34Whittemore$16.54478
35Bancroft$16.52677
36Titonka$16.45491
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Lewis$16.25358
40Duncombe$16.10374
41Bayard$16.05402
42Scranton$16.01496
43Ruthven$15.84710
44Minden$15.77581
45Walker$15.74671
46Russell$15.18475
47Stanwood$15.12612
48Stratford$15.03688
49Zearing$14.99508
50Arlington$14.98415
51Maynard$14.85466
52Plainfield$14.84392
53Ryan$14.84348
54Otho$14.82417
55Wyoming$14.81526
56Humeston$14.80472
57Hopkinton$14.79622
58Essex$14.76721
59Gilmore City$14.60484
60Garnavillo$14.52751
61Sabula$14.38498
62Garrison$14.38345
63Lorimor$14.36377
64Collins$14.32503
65Clermont$14.30571
66Moulton$14.25596
67Ocheyedan$14.22424
68Mcgregor$14.20725
69Olin$14.19652
70Garwin$14.08469
71Farragut$14.07480
72Elgin$14.05676
73Lime Springs$13.95467
74Dow City$13.94477
75Wesley$13.91382
76Bussey$13.83378
77Livermore$13.78382
78Redfield$13.73719
79Sioux Rapids$13.63722
80Albion$13.58444
81Lamont$13.57429
82New Albin$13.55435
83Rockford$13.52722
84Boyden$13.39694
85Lawler$13.39392
86Lacona$13.38336
87New Market$13.25381
88Plymouth$13.21368
89Quasqueton$13.12587
90Farmington$13.10583
91Anthon$13.05534
92Little Rock$13.03447
93Coggon$12.99691
94Lehigh$12.97395
95Menlo$12.92347
96Templeton$12.91337
97Earlville$12.90713
98Brighton$12.88592
99Montrose$12.78734
100Goldfield$12.73617
101Wellsburg$12.68709
102Delmar$12.68541
103Galva$12.68416
104Badger$12.67540
105Martensdale$12.63413
106Stanton$12.62664
107Hospers$12.58703
108Norway$12.53463
109Everly$12.51570
110Hazleton$12.48711
111Spillville$12.40371
112Alburnett$12.30672
113Moravia$12.27625
114Hedrick$12.22717
115Bonaparte$12.17357
116Schaller$12.14702
117Hawkeye$12.11429
118Colesburg$11.97379
119Albert City$11.88627
120Thornton$11.86394
121Runnells$11.79467
122Allerton$11.72432
123Orient$11.66363
124Merrill$11.64713
125Ellsworth$11.57495
126Morning Sun$11.50702
127Battle Creek$11.49683
128Wall Lake$11.43739
129Churdan$11.31359
130Miles$11.28400
131Sutherland$11.25628
132Arcadia$11.23588
133Whiting$11.21725
134Shelby$11.17730
135Blairstown$11.04705
136Milton$10.98395
137Ireton$10.93571
138New Vienna$10.91384
139Letts$10.91358
140Fontanelle$10.88684
141Birmingham$10.87371
142Charlotte$10.86386
143Richland$10.82532
144Grand Mound$10.78608
145Batavia$10.77434
146Riverdale$10.67385
147Union$10.58378
148Calamus$10.47348
149Lovilia$10.46456
150Radcliffe$10.37540
151Stacyville$10.36436
152Ventura$10.22701
153Andrew$10.22374
154Royal$10.20379
155Hartford$10.16729
156Rudd$10.13339
157What Cheer$10.01595
158Cumming$9.85527
159Breda$9.80492
160Doon$9.78640
161Lynnville$9.68382
162Farnhamville$9.18364
163Middletown$9.16365
164Alleman$9.12439
165Crescent$8.72626
166Ainsworth$8.62511
167Grand Junction$8.57715
168Gilman$8.10530
169Grandview$8.10431
170Kellogg$8.10597
171Lakeside$8.10695
172Lost Nation$8.10425
173Agency$7.94623
174Fremont$7.86688
175Delhi$7.81438
176Klemme$7.74429
177Beacon$7.56434
178Worthington$7.50374
179Marquette$7.08434
180Columbus City$6.94385
181Raymond$6.85754
182Donahue$6.83336
183Keystone$6.80616
184Shueyville$6.79725
185New Virginia$5.97499
186Holy Cross$5.91348
187Conesville$5.86350
188University Park$5.27476
189Orleans$4.13503
190Okoboji$3.83729
191Wahpeton$3.19337

The $8.10 limit

Collins’s general levy is $8.13 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.03 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 201 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $6.19 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.41 · $47,551
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.78 · $36,383

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$835,438 of taxable value in Collins is in TIF districts’ increment (6% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $146,856 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$180,007

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 $9,110 of the city’s own.

  • Collins-Maxwell schools$7,967
  • Story County$3,523
YearTIF revenue
FY21$178,457
FY22$156,531
FY23$180,007
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY21$178,457
FY22$156,531
FY23$180,007

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$106,44056%
  • Debt Service Levy$47,55125%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$36,38319%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Collins’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 37¢ of every dollar37¢Capital Projects: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Debt Service: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Works: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 14¢ of every dollar14¢

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 190 Iowa cities closest in size (340–750 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (190)
Business Type / Enterprise37¢40¢
Capital Projects18¢5¢
Debt Service16¢5¢
Public Safety8¢9¢
Public Works6¢19¢
Everything else14¢23¢

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.

  • Debt Service$195,68527%
  • Capital Projects$163,94523%
  • Public Safety$113,79416%
  • General Government$80,93411%
  • Public Works$66,5949%
  • Culture and Recreation$65,3609%
  • Health and Social Services$30,0874%
  • Community and Economic Development$10,2501%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($453,447 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$52,030$77,199
Public Safety$86,006$77,492
Health and Social Services$36,820$34,785
General Government$60,513$61,566
Debt Service$244,877$220,337
Culture and Recreation$47,700$65,797
Community and Economic Development$9,151$1,284
Capital Projects$52,036$339,026
Business Type / Enterprise$390,076$380,285

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$1.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Collins owes

$1.4M at June 30, 2026: $2,913 per resident. 291st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.0M
$1.4M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.4M$2,913
2025$1.6M$3,279
2024$1.9M$3,757
2023$1.6M$3,229
2022$1.9M$3,793
2021$1.7M$3,388
2020$2.0M$3,954
2019$1.8M$3,651
2018$2.0M$3,941
2017$1.6M$3,266
2016$1.7M$3,391
2015$1.7M$3,505
2014$1.9M$3,921
2013$2.0M$4,028
2012$400,000$808
2011$584,500$1,181
2010$606,500$1,225
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.4M$2,913
2025$1.6M$3,279
2024$1.9M$3,757
2023$1.6M$3,229
2022$1.9M$3,793
2021$1.7M$3,388
2020$2.0M$3,954
2019$1.8M$3,651
2018$2.0M$3,941
2017$1.6M$3,266
2016$1.7M$3,391
2015$1.7M$3,505
2014$1.9M$3,921
2013$2.0M$4,028
2012$400,000$808
2011$584,500$1,181
2010$606,500$1,225

Up 138% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $502,000, 34% of the limit of about $1.5M (5% of $29.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT2043$940,000
General ObligationStreet Improvement2029$401,000
General ObligationNew Fire Station; Water Main Replacement due to IDOT Hwy 65 lowering of viaduct.2033$101,000

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. Collins’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 Friday, July 31, 2026, by a CPA firm.

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

3 earlier reports for Collins

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: $66,508 in FY25, up 8% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$63,876$63,869$65,583$65,938
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–––$570

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.

$63,992
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$4,053
    FY22$26,801
    FY23$63,992
    FY24$40,653
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$4,053
    FY22$26,801
    FY23$63,992
    FY24$40,653
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$59,695 → $65,938, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−79%$2,161 → $570, down 74% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 79% 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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

    $90,048
    $88,412

    Federal grants, for comparison: $35,252 in FY23.

    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 · 2

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Collins; 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.

    • Collins City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Stephanie Smith, Stacy Howell
    • Collins Mayor
      Now held by Alex Rainey

    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

    Kara Warme (Sen. 26)Brett Barker (Rep. 51)

    U.S. House:District 4

    Story CountyCollins-Maxwell schools