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Local taxes › Story County › Slater

City

Slater

Story County · How cities work

$3,250 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.61 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,080 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.79 per $1,000)
$1.2Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.3Mcity 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.

  • A.J. StrumpferSlater City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Julie J. WeeksSlater City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Russ TerhaarSlater City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Taylor ChristensenSlater Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Taylor ChristensenSlater Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Craig ConleySlater City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joel NewmanSlater City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • YesSlater Publice Measure TR · 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 Slater

Homes and businesses in most of Slater pay a combined $38.60 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, $12.79. Estimate your bill.

  • Ballard schools$19.0049%
  • City of Slater$12.7933%
  • Story County$4.3411%
  • Story County Hospital$1.083%
  • Des Moines Area Community College$0.812%
  • Story County Assessor$0.471%
  • Story County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.11<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.22$14.34
FY21$40.70$13.99
FY22$40.60$13.90
FY23$39.92$13.64
FY24$39.46$13.52
FY25$38.57$12.82
FY26$38.05$12.63
FY27$38.60$12.79
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$41.22$14.34
FY21$40.70$13.99
FY22$40.60$13.90
FY23$39.92$13.64
FY24$39.46$13.52
FY25$38.57$12.82
FY26$38.05$12.63
FY27$38.60$12.79

Compared with places this size3

Slater’s city property tax rate of $12.79 per $1,000 is the 38th lowest of 119 Iowa cities with 1,100–2,400 people. The middle of the group is $14.15.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Belmond: $19.86Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Aplington: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Panora: $16.14Marengo: $16.10Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Arnolds Park: $4.95Slater: $12.79$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 119
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Traer$19.561,547
9Corning$19.361,509
10Lake City$19.321,656
11Corydon$18.221,563
12Toledo$18.212,372
13La Porte City$18.082,267
14Dysart$17.951,266
15Britt$17.722,001
16Strawberry Point$17.581,141
17Mapleton$16.901,114
18George$16.891,106
19Manson$16.871,646
20Fayette$16.851,193
21Nashua$16.811,515
22Ackley$16.631,538
23West Union$16.602,435
24Audubon$16.522,008
25Roland$16.511,376
26Monona$16.411,462
27Belle Plaine$16.342,335
28Aplington$16.341,088
29Colfax$16.252,305
30Durant$16.241,798
31Lamoni$16.152,072
32Panora$16.141,096
33Marengo$16.102,415
34Dike$15.941,293
35Holstein$15.811,475
36State Center$15.801,403
37Pleasantville$15.801,696
38Postville$15.682,418
39Earlham$15.551,411
40Shell Rock$15.521,265
41Brooklyn$15.491,474
42Stuart$15.481,887
43Mount Ayr$15.321,616
44Granger$15.222,095
45Sigourney$15.201,974
46Guttenberg$15.191,804
47Logan$15.051,351
48Tripoli$14.991,208
49Sumner$14.832,032
50Woodbine$14.801,707
51Bedford$14.661,474
52Lenox$14.651,355
53Manning$14.621,390
54Van Meter$14.601,840
55Coon Rapids$14.491,258
56Nora Springs$14.251,330
57Kingsley$14.251,394
58Urbana$14.201,635
59Sheffield$14.161,123
60Parkersburg$14.151,986
61Hartley$14.111,584
62Ida Grove$14.101,988
63Woodward$14.051,383
64Guthrie Center$14.041,579
65Alton$13.871,248
66Lake Mills$13.822,077
67Montezuma$13.791,421
68Gilbert$13.711,397
69Clarksville$13.531,238
70Avoca$13.511,685
71Glidden$13.431,140
72Calmar$13.391,100
73Wapello$13.292,026
74Manly$13.291,233
75Conrad$13.231,098
76Springville$13.221,161
77Greenfield$13.131,988
78Treynor$13.031,104
79Akron$12.931,545
80Leon$12.931,779
81New Sharon$12.801,249
82Slater$12.791,626
83Buffalo$12.681,163
84Bellevue$12.672,321
85Sanborn$12.621,463
86New London$12.561,853
87Lisbon$12.502,238
88Dallas Center$12.421,993
89Remsen$12.321,681
90Monroe$12.282,021
91Denver$12.271,955
92Alta$12.132,039
93Reinbeck$12.101,673
94Atkins$11.992,168
95Wellman$11.881,531
96Blue Grass$11.791,707
97Columbus Junction$11.711,794
98Cascade$11.642,396
99Palo$11.491,554
100Prairie City$11.381,722
101Northwood$11.282,047
102Mediapolis$11.271,679
103Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
104University Heights$11.121,188
105Ely$11.082,371
106Ogden$10.991,970
107Farley$10.911,723
108Oakland$10.851,519
109Moville$10.671,707
110Walcott$10.291,556
111Lake Park$10.251,155
112Central City$10.011,254
113Peosta$9.822,195
114Epworth$9.422,042
115Lake View$9.391,120
116Fairbank$9.001,133
117Walford$8.721,357
118Lone Tree$8.131,341
119Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Slater’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 647 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.93 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.86 · $292,708
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.06 · $99,374
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.01 · $94,405

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$8.6M of taxable value in Slater is in TIF districts’ increment (10% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6

$134,574
$74,584

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 $85,797 of the city’s own.

  • Ballard schools$72,957
  • Story County$36,427
YearTIF revenue
FY16$73,001
FY17$77,415
FY18$72,187
FY19$85,306
FY20$134,574
FY21$38,871
FY22$50,701
FY23$74,584
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$73,001
FY17$77,415
FY18$72,187
FY19$85,306
FY20$134,574
FY21$38,871
FY22$50,701
FY23$74,584

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$737,16460%
  • Debt Service Levy$292,70824%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$99,3748%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$94,4058%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Slater’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 37¢ of every dollar37¢Culture and Recreation: 17¢ of every dollar17¢General Government: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Public Safety: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Debt Service: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 13¢ of every dollar13¢

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 118 Iowa cities closest in size (1,100–2,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (118)
Business Type / Enterprise37¢41¢
Culture and Recreation17¢8¢
General Government14¢6¢
Public Safety10¢11¢
Debt Service8¢6¢
Everything else13¢28¢

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$770,26533%
  • General Government$478,03721%
  • Public Works$343,95115%
  • Debt Service$294,40013%
  • Community and Economic Development$232,71210%
  • Public Safety$204,7369%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.3M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$306,400$237,056
Public Safety$250,158$189,990
Health and Social Services$7,500$7,705
General Government$183,350$260,564
Debt Service$293,200$293,800
Culture and Recreation$756,339$537,038
Community and Economic Development$38,300$167,660
Capital Projects$0$4,838
Business Type / Enterprise$1.3M$3.5M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$7.9M
$5.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Slater owes

$7.5M at June 30, 2026: $4,848 per resident. 137th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$10.1M
$7.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.5M$4,848
2025$8.8M$5,689
2024$9.5M$6,130
2023$10.1M$6,547
2022$7.1M$4,591
2021$3.1M$2,005
2020$3.5M$2,249
2019$3.9M$2,511
2018$4.2M$2,696
2017$511,000$331
2016$881,000$571
2015$1.2M$806
2014$1.9M$1,237
2013$2.2M$1,441
2012$2.6M$1,686
2011$3.0M$1,924
2010$3.4M$2,188
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.5M$4,848
2025$8.8M$5,689
2024$9.5M$6,130
2023$10.1M$6,547
2022$7.1M$4,591
2021$3.1M$2,005
2020$3.5M$2,249
2019$3.9M$2,511
2018$4.2M$2,696
2017$511,000$331
2016$881,000$571
2015$1.2M$806
2014$1.9M$1,237
2013$2.2M$1,441
2012$2.6M$1,686
2011$3.0M$1,924
2010$3.4M$2,188

Up 122% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Slater’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 Friday, May 8, 2026, by a CPA firm.

4 earlier reports for Slater

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: $219,136 in FY25, down 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$211,948$212,333$217,953$219,136
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$24,036$19,229––

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.

$65,803
$46,621
  • State grants$26,62157%
  • Iowa Department of Natural Resources$20,00043%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$17,442
FY20$4,653
FY21$65,803
FY22$6,383
FY23$45,021
FY24$5,314
FY25$46,621
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$17,442
FY20$4,653
FY21$65,803
FY22$6,383
FY23$45,021
FY24$5,314
FY25$46,621

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−9%$192,358 → $219,136, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% 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 37% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more.

$286,484
$283,965

Federal grants, for comparison: $609,002 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2020 worth $70K, for 9 pledged jobs.

Awards 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

Ballot measures · 2

Results not in yet

Passes with more yes votes than no.

Failed Yes 32.9% (203) · No 67.1% (414)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 4

2 more →

3 seats: the top 3 win.

2 more →

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Slater; 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.

  • Slater City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Craig Conley, Joel Newman
  • Slater Mayor
    Now held by Taylor Christensen
  • Slater Publice Measure TR
    Now held by Yes

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

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure TQNovember 4, 2025

    Results not in yet

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

  • Public Measure TQNovember 4, 2025

    Failed Yes 32.9% (203) · No 67.1% (414)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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

Jesse Green (Sen. 24)Chad Behn (Rep. 48)

U.S. House:District 4

Story CountyBallard schools