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Local taxes › Story County › Colo

City

Colo

Story County · How cities work

$3,190 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.93 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,440 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.14 per $1,000)
$545,701property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.1Mcity 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.

  • Avery KingColo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Joshua VaughnColo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kate ThompsonColo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Zach ImlerColo City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Coltin AdamsColo City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jeff BrinkmanColo Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Martin NicholasColo 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 Colo

Homes and businesses in most of Colo pay a combined $37.93 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, $17.14. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.40$12.37
FY21$33.05$13.22
FY22$34.00$13.78
FY23$32.48$12.69
FY24$40.10$19.47
FY25$38.06$17.52
FY26$38.25$17.62
FY27$37.93$17.14
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.40$12.37
FY21$33.05$13.22
FY22$34.00$13.78
FY23$32.48$12.69
FY24$40.10$19.47
FY25$38.06$17.52
FY26$38.25$17.62
FY27$37.93$17.14

Compared with places this size3

Colo’s city property tax rate of $17.14 per $1,000 is the 22nd highest of 186 Iowa cities with 570–1,300 people. The middle of the group is $12.89.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Colo: $17.14$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 186
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Allison$19.06937
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Greene$17.91971
15Alden$17.90738
16Lansing$17.67959
17Strawberry Point$17.581,141
18Rockwell$17.541,044
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Gowrie$17.17943
22Colo$17.14856
23Mapleton$16.901,114
24George$16.891,106
25Fayette$16.851,193
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Bancroft$16.52677
32Eldon$16.42788
33Early$16.35571
34Aplington$16.341,088
35Panora$16.141,096
36Mechanicsville$16.12974
37Armstrong$15.87847
38Ruthven$15.84710
39Minden$15.77581
40Walker$15.74671
41Shell Rock$15.521,265
42Newell$15.49850
43Riceville$15.31807
44Neola$15.30917
45Sidney$15.191,048
46Gilbertville$15.15792
47Stanwood$15.12612
48Stratford$15.03688
49Griswold$15.01975
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Tripoli$14.991,208
52Hopkinton$14.79622
53Essex$14.76721
54Dunlap$14.561,030
55Garnavillo$14.52751
56Maxwell$14.50862
57Coon Rapids$14.491,258
58Clermont$14.30571
59Moulton$14.25596
60Mcgregor$14.20725
61Olin$14.19652
62Primghar$14.18893
63Sheffield$14.161,123
64Elgin$14.05676
65Ossian$13.88777
66Alton$13.871,248
67Redfield$13.73719
68Victor$13.72852
69Edgewood$13.64908
70Sioux Rapids$13.63722
71Donnellson$13.63859
72Gladbrook$13.58775
73Clarksville$13.531,238
74Rockford$13.52722
75Janesville$13.431,052
76Glidden$13.431,140
77Calmar$13.391,100
78Boyden$13.39694
79Baxter$13.32983
80Manly$13.291,233
81Anita$13.28953
82Van Horne$13.27768
83Conrad$13.231,098
84Springville$13.221,161
85Keota$13.21888
86Shellsburg$13.20987
87De Soto$13.18937
88Quasqueton$13.12587
89Farmington$13.10583
90Treynor$13.031,104
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Coggon$12.99691
93Earlville$12.90713
94Brighton$12.88592
95Danville$12.87910
96Underwood$12.85973
97New Sharon$12.801,249
98Malvern$12.791,056
99Montrose$12.78734
100Goldfield$12.73617
101Wellsburg$12.68709
102Buffalo$12.681,163
103Stanton$12.62664
104Hospers$12.58703
105Hazleton$12.48711
106West Point$12.39903
107Hinton$12.38959
108Preston$12.38940
109Alburnett$12.30672
110Hubbard$12.30837
111Moravia$12.27625
112Hedrick$12.22717
113Carson$12.22772
114Wheatland$12.18765
115Schaller$12.14702
116Winfield$12.041,006
117Elkhart$12.001,079
118Afton$11.96864
119Lowden$11.93767
120Tabor$11.88983
121Albert City$11.88627
122Aurelia$11.84970
123Merrill$11.64713
124Morning Sun$11.50702
125Battle Creek$11.49683
126Wall Lake$11.43739
127West Bend$11.42770
128Dakota City$11.39764
129Marcus$11.311,069
130Dunkerton$11.30840
131Sutherland$11.25628
132Arcadia$11.23588
133Whiting$11.21725
134Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
135Shelby$11.17730
136University Heights$11.121,188
137Blairstown$11.04705
138Manilla$11.01756
139Hamburg$10.95863
140Clarence$10.94991
141Ireton$10.93571
142Fontanelle$10.88684
143Grand Mound$10.78608
144Cambridge$10.53844
145Swisher$10.39909
146Schleswig$10.39820
147Melbourne$10.38771
148Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
149Fredericksburg$10.27983
150Lake Park$10.251,155
151Ventura$10.22701
152Inwood$10.22962
153Milo$10.20762
154Hartford$10.16729
155Central City$10.011,254
156What Cheer$10.01595
157Newhall$9.99887
158Graettinger$9.81810
159Doon$9.78640
160Long Grove$9.59849
161Lake View$9.391,120
162Paullina$9.21979
163Fairbank$9.001,133
164Winthrop$8.94814
165Crescent$8.72626
166Keosauqua$8.58944
167Grand Junction$8.57715
168Princeton$8.24917
169Kellogg$8.10597
170Lakeside$8.10695
171Riverside$8.021,063
172Agency$7.94623
173Hills$7.94911
174Fremont$7.86688
175Larchwood$7.52954
176North English$7.491,030
177Sloan$7.491,078
178Sully$7.41891
179Fruitland$7.21928
180Lawton$7.10949
181Wayland$7.07935
182Raymond$6.85754
183Keystone$6.80616
184Shueyville$6.79725
185Arnolds Park$4.951,214
186Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Colo’s general levy is $7.71 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.39 below the limit.4 729 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $7.38 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.23 · FY26 $8.23 · FY27 $7.71 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.43 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$5.22 · $177,446
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.73 · $84,050
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.48 · $45,486

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$3.2M of taxable value in Colo is in TIF districts’ increment (9% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $145,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$270,201
$153,665

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 $38,263 of the city’s own.

  • Colo-Nesco schools$30,561
  • Story County$13,535
YearTIF revenue
FY16$79,905
FY17$270,201
FY19$142,924
FY20$141,707
FY21$153,665
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$79,905
FY17$270,201
FY19$142,924
FY20$141,707
FY21$153,665

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$237,31944%
  • Debt Service Levy$177,44633%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$84,05015%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$45,4868%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Colo’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 27¢ of every dollar27¢Debt Service: 18¢ of every dollar18¢General Government: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Culture and Recreation: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢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 185 Iowa cities closest in size (570–1,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (185)
Business Type / Enterprise27¢40¢
Debt Service18¢6¢
General Government16¢9¢
Culture and Recreation15¢9¢
Public Safety14¢10¢
Everything else10¢18¢

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.

  • Culture and Recreation$285,64225%
  • General Government$248,27522%
  • Debt Service$232,36020%
  • Public Safety$202,28518%
  • Public Works$158,95014%
  • Community and Economic Development$7,1001%
  • Health and Social Services$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($444,997 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$171,716$176,632
Public Safety$222,102$179,452
Health and Social Services$1,289$750
General Government$261,723$197,557
Debt Service$146,170$0
Culture and Recreation$197,777$230,410
Community and Economic Development$5,100$317,759
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$375,201$385,193

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$1.6M
$1.5M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Colo owes

$361,113 at June 30, 2026: $427 per resident. 650th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$1.9M
$361,113
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$361,113$427
2025$510,045$604
2024$975,304$1,154
2023$1.7M$2,022
2022$1.7M$2,022
2021$1.7M$2,022
2020$1.7M$2,022
2019$1.7M$2,022
2018$1.7M$2,022
2017$1.7M$2,022
2016$1.8M$2,188
2015$1.9M$2,222
2014$751,658$890
2013$906,011$1,072
2012$1.1M$1,335
2011$1.3M$1,590
2010$1.4M$1,687
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$361,113$427
2025$510,045$604
2024$975,304$1,154
2023$1.7M$2,022
2022$1.7M$2,022
2021$1.7M$2,022
2020$1.7M$2,022
2019$1.7M$2,022
2018$1.7M$2,022
2017$1.7M$2,022
2016$1.8M$2,188
2015$1.9M$2,222
2014$751,658$890
2013$906,011$1,072
2012$1.1M$1,335
2011$1.3M$1,590
2010$1.4M$1,687

Down 75% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Colo’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Monday, March 30, 2026, by a CPA firm.

13 earlier reports for Colo

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? 12

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: $120,006 in FY25, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$117,580$120,670$119,358$120,006
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$187,599$138,291––

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.

$78,996
$3,137
  • State grants$3,137100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,315
FY20$8,210
FY21$0
FY22$3,330
FY23$78,996
FY24$24,688
FY25$3,137
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$6,315
FY20$8,210
FY21$0
FY22$3,330
FY23$78,996
FY24$24,688
FY25$3,137

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$113,710 → $120,006, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% 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 35% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more.

$150,383
$149,061

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)13.

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 Colo; 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.

  • Colo City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Coltin Adams, Martin Nicholas
  • Colo Mayor
    Now held by Jeff Brinkman

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

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 ballot15.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

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

U.S. House:District 4

Story CountyColo-Nesco schools