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Local taxes › Story County › Roland

City

Roland

Story County · How cities work

$3,170 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.64 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,390 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.51 per $1,000)
$843,451property taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.0Mcity 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.

  • Douglas SargentRoland City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kurtis BowerRoland Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Riley LarsonRoland City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Aaron BurresRoland City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Curtis R. KentnerRoland City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jonathan C. D. KepleyRoland 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 Roland

Homes and businesses in most of Roland pay a combined $37.64 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, $16.51. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.66$14.66
FY21$35.08$14.46
FY22$34.89$14.42
FY23$35.10$14.30
FY24$35.03$14.26
FY25$36.95$16.10
FY26$37.18$16.38
FY27$37.64$16.51
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.66$14.66
FY21$35.08$14.46
FY22$34.89$14.42
FY23$35.10$14.30
FY24$35.03$14.26
FY25$36.95$16.10
FY26$37.18$16.38
FY27$37.64$16.51

Compared with places this size3

Roland’s city property tax rate of $16.51 per $1,000 is the 26th highest of 139 Iowa cities with 930–2,000 people. The middle of the group is $13.43.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Britt: $17.72Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Gowrie: $17.17Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Audubon: $16.52Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Durant: $16.24Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Dunlap: $14.56Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Dallas Center: $12.42Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ogden: $10.99Clarence: $10.94Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Inwood: $10.22Central City: $10.01Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Arnolds Park: $4.95Roland: $16.51$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 139
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Villisca$19.741,106
5Sac City$19.691,992
6Traer$19.561,547
7Corning$19.361,509
8Lake City$19.321,656
9Allison$19.06937
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Dysart$17.951,266
12Greene$17.91971
13Britt$17.722,001
14Lansing$17.67959
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Rockwell$17.541,044
17Gowrie$17.17943
18Mapleton$16.901,114
19George$16.891,106
20Manson$16.871,646
21Fayette$16.851,193
22Eddyville$16.82965
23Nashua$16.811,515
24Ackley$16.631,538
25Audubon$16.522,008
26Roland$16.511,376
27Monona$16.411,462
28Aplington$16.341,088
29Durant$16.241,798
30Panora$16.141,096
31Mechanicsville$16.12974
32Dike$15.941,293
33Holstein$15.811,475
34State Center$15.801,403
35Pleasantville$15.801,696
36Earlham$15.551,411
37Shell Rock$15.521,265
38Brooklyn$15.491,474
39Stuart$15.481,887
40Mount Ayr$15.321,616
41Sigourney$15.201,974
42Guttenberg$15.191,804
43Sidney$15.191,048
44Logan$15.051,351
45Griswold$15.01975
46Tripoli$14.991,208
47Sumner$14.832,032
48Woodbine$14.801,707
49Bedford$14.661,474
50Lenox$14.651,355
51Manning$14.621,390
52Van Meter$14.601,840
53Dunlap$14.561,030
54Coon Rapids$14.491,258
55Nora Springs$14.251,330
56Kingsley$14.251,394
57Urbana$14.201,635
58Sheffield$14.161,123
59Parkersburg$14.151,986
60Hartley$14.111,584
61Ida Grove$14.101,988
62Woodward$14.051,383
63Guthrie Center$14.041,579
64Alton$13.871,248
65Montezuma$13.791,421
66Gilbert$13.711,397
67Clarksville$13.531,238
68Avoca$13.511,685
69Janesville$13.431,052
70Glidden$13.431,140
71Calmar$13.391,100
72Baxter$13.32983
73Wapello$13.292,026
74Manly$13.291,233
75Anita$13.28953
76Conrad$13.231,098
77Springville$13.221,161
78Shellsburg$13.20987
79De Soto$13.18937
80Greenfield$13.131,988
81Treynor$13.031,104
82Odebolt$13.00967
83Akron$12.931,545
84Leon$12.931,779
85Underwood$12.85973
86New Sharon$12.801,249
87Slater$12.791,626
88Malvern$12.791,056
89Buffalo$12.681,163
90Sanborn$12.621,463
91New London$12.561,853
92Dallas Center$12.421,993
93Hinton$12.38959
94Preston$12.38940
95Remsen$12.321,681
96Monroe$12.282,021
97Denver$12.271,955
98Alta$12.132,039
99Reinbeck$12.101,673
100Winfield$12.041,006
101Elkhart$12.001,079
102Tabor$11.88983
103Wellman$11.881,531
104Aurelia$11.84970
105Blue Grass$11.791,707
106Columbus Junction$11.711,794
107Palo$11.491,554
108Prairie City$11.381,722
109Marcus$11.311,069
110Northwood$11.282,047
111Mediapolis$11.271,679
112Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
113University Heights$11.121,188
114Ogden$10.991,970
115Clarence$10.94991
116Farley$10.911,723
117Oakland$10.851,519
118Moville$10.671,707
119Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
120Walcott$10.291,556
121Fredericksburg$10.27983
122Lake Park$10.251,155
123Inwood$10.22962
124Central City$10.011,254
125Epworth$9.422,042
126Lake View$9.391,120
127Paullina$9.21979
128Fairbank$9.001,133
129Walford$8.721,357
130Keosauqua$8.58944
131Lone Tree$8.131,341
132Riverside$8.021,063
133Larchwood$7.52954
134North English$7.491,030
135Sloan$7.491,078
136Fruitland$7.21928
137Lawton$7.10949
138Wayland$7.07935
139Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Roland’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 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.10 · FY26 $8.02 · FY27 $8.10 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.41 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.64 · $244,707
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.04 · $102,424
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.73 · $87,161

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.4M of taxable value in Roland is in TIF districts’ increment (5% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $60,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$63,792
$63,396

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 $28,793 of the city’s own.

  • Roland-Story schools$25,804
  • Story County$10,229
YearTIF revenue
FY21$62,594
FY22$63,792
FY23$63,396
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY21$62,594
FY22$63,792
FY23$63,396

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$407,44248%
  • Debt Service Levy$244,70729%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$102,42412%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$87,16110%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Roland’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 29¢ of every dollar29¢Public Works: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Capital Projects: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Debt Service: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Everything else: 18¢ of every dollar18¢

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 138 Iowa cities closest in size (930–2,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (138)
Business Type / Enterprise29¢40¢
Public Works17¢13¢
Capital Projects12¢13¢
Debt Service12¢6¢
Culture and Recreation12¢8¢
Everything else18¢20¢

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$484,47324%
  • Capital Projects$407,00020%
  • Debt Service$308,78215%
  • General Government$303,93315%
  • Culture and Recreation$283,01514%
  • Public Safety$200,78710%
  • Community and Economic Development$25,0001%
  • Health and Social Services$7,0760%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($747,383 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$274,336$269,124
Public Safety$269,842$288,750
Health and Social Services$1,360$10,050
General Government$168,953$175,452
Debt Service$242,206$242,241
Culture and Recreation$243,399$253,399
Community and Economic Development$26,550$44,500
Capital Projects$1.2M$635,896
Business Type / Enterprise$976,155$955,915

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$4.7M
$4.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Roland owes

$5.6M at June 30, 2026: $4,089 per resident. 170th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$7.9M
$5.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.6M$4,089
2025$6.1M$4,477
2024$6.7M$4,892
2023$7.2M$5,259
2022$7.1M$5,182
2021$7.5M$5,492
2020$7.9M$5,813
2019$3.1M$2,258
2018$1.7M$1,249
2017$691,215$508
2016$558,652$410
2015$215,000$158
2014$250,000$184
2013$285,000$209
2012$315,000$231
2011$340,000$250
2010$40,000$29
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$5.6M$4,089
2025$6.1M$4,477
2024$6.7M$4,892
2023$7.2M$5,259
2022$7.1M$5,182
2021$7.5M$5,492
2020$7.9M$5,813
2019$3.1M$2,258
2018$1.7M$1,249
2017$691,215$508
2016$558,652$410
2015$215,000$158
2014$250,000$184
2013$285,000$209
2012$315,000$231
2011$340,000$250
2010$40,000$29

Up 13823% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $1.8M, 33% of the limit of about $5.4M (5% of $108.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsLAGOON CO958R2039$2.8M
General ObligationSWIMMING POOL BOND2038$1.3M
Revenue BondsSAMSON STREET SEWER PROJECT - CO819-R2037$621,000
General ObligationPurchasing of New City Hall building and Remodeling of that building.2034$455,000
Revenue BondsLIFT STATION-CO724R2036$325,000

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. Roland’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 Tuesday, March 31, 2026, by a CPA firm.

13 earlier reports for Roland

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: $198,556 in FY25, up 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$186,329$187,427$192,386$193,430
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$8,202$8,585$6,150$5,126

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.

$5.2M
$745,372
  • State grants$745,372100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.5M
FY20$5.2M
FY21$470,703
FY22$285,714
FY23$556,011
FY24$172,474
FY25$745,372
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1.5M
FY20$5.2M
FY21$470,703
FY22$285,714
FY23$556,011
FY24$172,474
FY25$745,372

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−7%$165,874 → $193,430, up 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+0%$4,071 → $5,126, up 26% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% more

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.

$322,605
$234,107

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2005 worth $108K, for 73 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 Roland; 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.

  • Roland City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Curtis R. Kentner, Jonathan C. D. Kepley, Aaron Burres
  • Roland Mayor
    Now held by Kurtis Bower

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

Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Shannon Latham (Rep. 55)

U.S. House:District 4

Story CountyRoland-Story schools