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Local taxes › Story County › Maxwell

City

Maxwell

Story County · How cities work

$3,150 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.41 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,220 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.50 per $1,000)
$467,059property 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.

  • Dale Higgins Jr.Maxwell Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Joel WestendorfMaxwell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kenneth JansMaxwell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Douglas M. MillerMaxwell City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Steve Gast (W)Maxwell City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Sue PhilpottMaxwell 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 Maxwell

Homes and businesses in most of Maxwell pay a combined $37.41 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, $14.50. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.57$9.37
FY21$34.52$9.66
FY22$37.82$12.93
FY23$37.32$12.88
FY24$36.38$13.12
FY25$36.41$13.09
FY26$36.14$13.19
FY27$37.41$14.50
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.57$9.37
FY21$34.52$9.66
FY22$37.82$12.93
FY23$37.32$12.88
FY24$36.38$13.12
FY25$36.41$13.09
FY26$36.14$13.19
FY27$37.41$14.50

Compared with places this size3

Maxwell’s city property tax rate of $14.50 per $1,000 is the 56th highest of 184 Iowa cities with 580–1,300 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: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $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: $14.52Coon Rapids: $14.49Moulton: $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: $10.94Fontanelle: $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: $3.83Maxwell: $14.50$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 184
#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
33Aplington$16.341,088
34Panora$16.141,096
35Mechanicsville$16.12974
36Dike$15.941,293
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
58Moulton$14.25596
59Mcgregor$14.20725
60Olin$14.19652
61Primghar$14.18893
62Sheffield$14.161,123
63Elgin$14.05676
64Ossian$13.88777
65Alton$13.871,248
66Redfield$13.73719
67Victor$13.72852
68Edgewood$13.64908
69Sioux Rapids$13.63722
70Donnellson$13.63859
71Gladbrook$13.58775
72Clarksville$13.531,238
73Rockford$13.52722
74Janesville$13.431,052
75Glidden$13.431,140
76Calmar$13.391,100
77Boyden$13.39694
78Baxter$13.32983
79Manly$13.291,233
80Anita$13.28953
81Van Horne$13.27768
82Conrad$13.231,098
83Springville$13.221,161
84Keota$13.21888
85Shellsburg$13.20987
86De Soto$13.18937
87Quasqueton$13.12587
88Farmington$13.10583
89Treynor$13.031,104
90Odebolt$13.00967
91Coggon$12.99691
92Earlville$12.90713
93Brighton$12.88592
94Danville$12.87910
95Underwood$12.85973
96New Sharon$12.801,249
97Malvern$12.791,056
98Montrose$12.78734
99Goldfield$12.73617
100Wellsburg$12.68709
101Buffalo$12.681,163
102Stanton$12.62664
103Hospers$12.58703
104Hazleton$12.48711
105West Point$12.39903
106Hinton$12.38959
107Preston$12.38940
108Alburnett$12.30672
109Hubbard$12.30837
110Moravia$12.27625
111Hedrick$12.22717
112Carson$12.22772
113Wheatland$12.18765
114Schaller$12.14702
115Winfield$12.041,006
116Elkhart$12.001,079
117Afton$11.96864
118Lowden$11.93767
119Tabor$11.88983
120Albert City$11.88627
121Aurelia$11.84970
122Merrill$11.64713
123Morning Sun$11.50702
124Battle Creek$11.49683
125Wall Lake$11.43739
126West Bend$11.42770
127Dakota City$11.39764
128Marcus$11.311,069
129Dunkerton$11.30840
130Sutherland$11.25628
131Arcadia$11.23588
132Whiting$11.21725
133Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
134Shelby$11.17730
135University Heights$11.121,188
136Blairstown$11.04705
137Manilla$11.01756
138Hamburg$10.95863
139Clarence$10.94991
140Fontanelle$10.88684
141Grand Mound$10.78608
142Cambridge$10.53844
143Swisher$10.39909
144Schleswig$10.39820
145Melbourne$10.38771
146Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
147Fredericksburg$10.27983
148Lake Park$10.251,155
149Ventura$10.22701
150Inwood$10.22962
151Milo$10.20762
152Hartford$10.16729
153Central City$10.011,254
154What Cheer$10.01595
155Newhall$9.99887
156Graettinger$9.81810
157Doon$9.78640
158Long Grove$9.59849
159Lake View$9.391,120
160Paullina$9.21979
161Fairbank$9.001,133
162Winthrop$8.94814
163Crescent$8.72626
164Keosauqua$8.58944
165Grand Junction$8.57715
166Princeton$8.24917
167Kellogg$8.10597
168Lakeside$8.10695
169Riverside$8.021,063
170Agency$7.94623
171Hills$7.94911
172Fremont$7.86688
173Larchwood$7.52954
174North English$7.491,030
175Sloan$7.491,078
176Sully$7.41891
177Fruitland$7.21928
178Lawton$7.10949
179Wayland$7.07935
180Raymond$6.85754
181Keystone$6.80616
182Shueyville$6.79725
183Arnolds Park$4.951,214
184Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Maxwell’s general levy is $8.21 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.11 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 148 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.21 · FY27 $8.21 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.30 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.73 · $120,068
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.77 · $57,059
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.79 · $25,390

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$263,91957%
  • Debt Service Levy$120,06826%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$57,05912%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$25,3905%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Maxwell’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 38¢ of every dollar38¢Public Works: 14¢ of every dollar14¢General Government: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Public Safety: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything 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 183 Iowa cities closest in size (580–1,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (183)
Business Type / Enterprise38¢40¢
Public Works14¢16¢
General Government14¢9¢
Public Safety11¢10¢
Culture and Recreation8¢9¢
Everything else14¢17¢

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$261,65024%
  • General Government$232,23021%
  • Public Safety$172,77016%
  • Debt Service$121,50011%
  • Culture and Recreation$118,14011%
  • Capital Projects$90,0008%
  • Community and Economic Development$86,0008%
  • Health and Social Services$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($573,670 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$166,596$160,138
Public Safety$178,240$225,922
Health and Social Services$2,480$0
General Government$152,990$157,366
Debt Service$95,680$95,680
Culture and Recreation$116,470$143,755
Community and Economic Development$4,500$479
Capital Projects$5,000$86,626
Business Type / Enterprise$478,430$500,348

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$3.8M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Maxwell owes

$3.4M at June 30, 2026: $3,965 per resident. 187th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$4.4M
$3.4M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.4M$3,965
2025$3.6M$4,200
2024$3.6M$4,137
2023$3.8M$4,374
2022$3.7M$4,329
2021$4.4M$5,141
2020$768,000$894
2019$187,000$218
2018$232,849$271
2017$341,686$398
2016$442,116$515
2015$266,535$310
2014$294,243$343
2013$140,000$163
2012$166,290$194
2011$195,108$227
2010$250,164$291
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$3.4M$3,965
2025$3.6M$4,200
2024$3.6M$4,137
2023$3.8M$4,374
2022$3.7M$4,329
2021$4.4M$5,141
2020$768,000$894
2019$187,000$218
2018$232,849$271
2017$341,686$398
2016$442,116$515
2015$266,535$310
2014$294,243$343
2013$140,000$163
2012$166,290$194
2011$195,108$227
2010$250,164$291

Up 1262% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Maxwell’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, January 21, 2026, by a CPA firm.

6 earlier reports for Maxwell

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? 10

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: $121,992 in FY25, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)–$118,208$121,336$121,992
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$1,133$2,848$10,655–

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.

$124,789
$2,238
  • State grants$2,238100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,182
FY20$1,152
FY21$3,414
FY22$124,789
FY23$79,932
FY24$3,863
FY25$2,238
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,182
FY20$1,152
FY21$3,414
FY22$124,789
FY23$79,932
FY24$3,863
FY25$2,238

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−18%$118,851 → $121,992, 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 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% less.

$151,208
$147,455

Federal grants, for comparison: $238,746 in FY25.

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)11.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Most recent: March 3, 2026

City · 1

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Maxwell; 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.

  • Maxwell City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Douglas M. Miller, Sue Philpott, Steve Gast (W)
  • Maxwell Mayor
    Now held by Dale Higgins Jr.

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

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 ballot13.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress14

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

U.S. House:District 4

Story CountyCollins-Maxwell schools