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Local taxes › Tama County › Garwin

City

Garwin

Tama County · How cities work

$3,410 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.51 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,190 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.08 per $1,000)
$120,565property taxes the city levies, FY27
$290,564city 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.

  • C. Ryan CollinsGarwin City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Matthew DeamGarwin Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Darcy McCubbinGarwin City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Levio SimcoxGarwin 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 Garwin

Homes and businesses in most of Garwin pay a combined $40.51 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Tama County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.08. Estimate your bill.

  • Gmg schools$15.9539%
  • City of Garwin$14.0835%
  • Tama County$8.2020%
  • Iowa Valley Community College$1.704%
  • Tama County Assessor$0.35<1%
  • Tama County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.24<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.68$11.92
FY21$32.71$11.13
FY22$33.00$11.44
FY23$32.78$11.44
FY24$32.83$11.48
FY25$36.05$13.57
FY26$39.45$13.03
FY27$40.51$14.08
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.68$11.92
FY21$32.71$11.13
FY22$33.00$11.44
FY23$32.78$11.44
FY24$32.83$11.48
FY25$36.05$13.57
FY26$39.45$13.03
FY27$40.51$14.08

Compared with places this size3

Garwin’s city property tax rate of $14.08 per $1,000 is the 68th highest of 181 Iowa cities with 310–700 people. The middle of the group is $13.05.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter 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: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Minden: $15.77Minburn: $15.75Walker: $15.74Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Olin: $14.19Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Brighton: $12.88Goldfield: $12.73Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Mingo: $12.31Alburnett: $12.30Brandon: $12.29Moravia: $12.27Bonaparte: $12.17Schaller: $12.14Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Milton: $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: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Rudd: $10.13What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Gilman: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Keystone: $6.80New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Wahpeton: $3.19Garwin: $14.08$3.19 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 181
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Salem$19.15380
9Dumont$19.04614
10Seymour$18.78646
11Dexter$18.69631
12Fonda$18.52636
13Massena$18.23352
14Kanawha$18.11638
15Swea City$18.04545
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
24Murray$17.44609
25Thompson$17.25478
26Ashton$17.17434
27Pierson$17.12335
28Burt$17.10404
29Latimer$16.96477
30Lohrville$16.95366
31Elk Horn$16.78631
32Mccallsburg$16.58356
33Whittemore$16.54478
34Bancroft$16.52677
35Irwin$16.46320
36Titonka$16.45491
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Lewis$16.25358
40Duncombe$16.10374
41Bayard$16.05402
42Scranton$16.01496
43Minden$15.77581
44Minburn$15.75317
45Walker$15.74671
46Peterson$15.27321
47Russell$15.18475
48Stanwood$15.12612
49Stratford$15.03688
50Zearing$14.99508
51Arlington$14.98415
52Maynard$14.85466
53Plainfield$14.84392
54Ryan$14.84348
55Otho$14.82417
56Wyoming$14.81526
57Humeston$14.80472
58Hopkinton$14.79622
59Gilmore City$14.60484
60Sabula$14.38498
61Garrison$14.38345
62Lorimor$14.36377
63Collins$14.32503
64Clermont$14.30571
65Moulton$14.25596
66Ocheyedan$14.22424
67Olin$14.19652
68Garwin$14.08469
69Farragut$14.07480
70Elgin$14.05676
71Mystic$14.01318
72Lime Springs$13.95467
73Dow City$13.94477
74Wesley$13.91382
75Diagonal$13.91331
76Bussey$13.83378
77Mondamin$13.82335
78Livermore$13.78382
79Albion$13.58444
80Lamont$13.57429
81New Albin$13.55435
82Boyden$13.39694
83Lawler$13.39392
84Lacona$13.38336
85Ute$13.26326
86New Market$13.25381
87Plymouth$13.21368
88Bennett$13.16330
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
97Brighton$12.88592
98Goldfield$12.73617
99Delmar$12.68541
100Galva$12.68416
101Badger$12.67540
102Martensdale$12.63413
103Stanton$12.62664
104Hospers$12.58703
105Norway$12.53463
106Everly$12.51570
107Mccausland$12.45314
108Spillville$12.40371
109Mingo$12.31314
110Alburnett$12.30672
111Brandon$12.29331
112Moravia$12.27625
113Bonaparte$12.17357
114Schaller$12.14702
115Hawkeye$12.11429
116Colesburg$11.97379
117Albert City$11.88627
118Thornton$11.86394
119Runnells$11.79467
120Allerton$11.72432
121Orient$11.66363
122Ellsworth$11.57495
123Morning Sun$11.50702
124Battle Creek$11.49683
125Churdan$11.31359
126Miles$11.28400
127Sutherland$11.25628
128Arcadia$11.23588
129Milton$10.98395
130Ireton$10.93571
131New Vienna$10.91384
132Letts$10.91358
133Fontanelle$10.88684
134Birmingham$10.87371
135Charlotte$10.86386
136Richland$10.82532
137Grand Mound$10.78608
138Batavia$10.77434
139Riverdale$10.67385
140Union$10.58378
141Calamus$10.47348
142Lovilia$10.46456
143Danbury$10.43315
144Radcliffe$10.37540
145Stacyville$10.36436
146Ventura$10.22701
147Andrew$10.22374
148Royal$10.20379
149Rudd$10.13339
150What Cheer$10.01595
151Cumming$9.85527
152Breda$9.80492
153Doon$9.78640
154Lynnville$9.68382
155Farnhamville$9.18364
156Middletown$9.16365
157Alleman$9.12439
158Crescent$8.72626
159Ainsworth$8.62511
160Gilman$8.10530
161Grandview$8.10431
162Kellogg$8.10597
163Lakeside$8.10695
164Lost Nation$8.10425
165Nichols$8.10317
166Agency$7.94623
167Fremont$7.86688
168Delhi$7.81438
169Klemme$7.74429
170Beacon$7.56434
171Worthington$7.50374
172Marquette$7.08434
173Columbus City$6.94385
174Donahue$6.83336
175Keystone$6.80616
176New Virginia$5.97499
177Holy Cross$5.91348
178Conesville$5.86350
179University Park$5.27476
180Orleans$4.13503
181Wahpeton$3.19337

The $8.10 limit

Garwin’s general levy is $8.51 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.41 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 27 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.51 · FY26 $8.51 · FY27 $8.51 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.57 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$4.55 · $38,384
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.02 · $8,636

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$71,76960%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$38,38432%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$8,6367%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Garwin’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 40¢ of every dollar40¢Public Safety: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Works: 17¢ of every dollar17¢General Government: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Culture and Recreation: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: <1¢ of every dollar

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 180 Iowa cities closest in size (310–700 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (180)
Business Type / Enterprise40¢41¢
Public Safety18¢9¢
Public Works17¢18¢
General Government14¢14¢
Culture and Recreation11¢9¢
Everything else<1¢2¢

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 Safety$109,21438%
  • General Government$62,25021%
  • Public Works$62,00021%
  • Culture and Recreation$57,10020%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($205,549 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$78,827$52,173
Public Safety$79,380$87,284
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$72,576$68,409
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$39,837$57,643
Community and Economic Development$19,200$200
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$506,266$372,081

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.1M
$591,388

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Garwin owes

$899,000 at June 30, 2026: $1,869 per resident. 402nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.1M
$899,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$899,000$1,869
2025$950,000$1,975
2024$1.0M$2,150
2023$1.1M$2,349
2022$618,712$1,286
2021$634,257$1,319
2020$653,709$1,359
2019$664,699$1,382
2018$652,566$1,357
2017$691,752$1,438
2016$656,318$1,364
2015$677,905$1,409
2014$671,000$1,395
2013$767,000$1,595
2012$700,000$1,455
2011$746,076$1,551
2010$746,076$1,551
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$899,000$1,869
2025$950,000$1,975
2024$1.0M$2,150
2023$1.1M$2,349
2022$618,712$1,286
2021$634,257$1,319
2020$653,709$1,359
2019$664,699$1,382
2018$652,566$1,357
2017$691,752$1,438
2016$656,318$1,364
2015$677,905$1,409
2014$671,000$1,395
2013$767,000$1,595
2012$700,000$1,455
2011$746,076$1,551
2010$746,076$1,551

Up 20% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $1.1M (5% of $21.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bondswater main replacement2041$470,000
Revenue Bondssewer main repairs2040$429,000

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 balances9. Garwin’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2019 (PDF), released Friday, April 10, 2020, by the Auditor of State.

1 earlier report for Garwin

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? 11

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: $68,215 in FY25, up 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$67,637$66,191$49,842$68,215
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$147–––

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.

$2,239
$452
  • State grants$452100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,239
FY20$509
FY21$509
FY22$435
FY23$455
FY24$460
FY25$452
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,239
FY20$509
FY21$509
FY22$435
FY23$455
FY24$460
FY25$452

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−20%$68,081 → $68,215, up 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% 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 24% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% less.

$57,759
$46,036

Federal grants, for comparison: $36,857 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)12.

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

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Garwin; 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.

  • Garwin City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Darcy McCubbin, Levio Simcox
  • Garwin Mayor
    Now held by Matthew Deam

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

Annette Sweeney (Sen. 27)Dean Fisher (Rep. 53)

U.S. House:District 2

Tama CountyGmg schools