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Local taxes › Tama County › Tama

City

Tama

Tama County · How cities work

$3,630 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($43.09 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,490 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.74 per $1,000)
$1.4Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$9.2Mcity 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.

  • Chris SmithTama City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kristy EisentragerTama City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brian HanusTama Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Danny Robinson Jr.Tama City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Larry ThomasTama City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michelle JiminezTama 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 Tama

Homes and businesses in most of Tama pay a combined $43.09 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, $17.74. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$43.79$19.28
FY21$43.92$19.27
FY22$43.41$19.04
FY23$42.51$19.00
FY24$41.43$18.02
FY25$42.88$18.32
FY26$45.13$19.71
FY27$43.09$17.74
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$43.79$19.28
FY21$43.92$19.27
FY22$43.41$19.04
FY23$42.51$19.00
FY24$41.43$18.02
FY25$42.88$18.32
FY26$45.13$19.71
FY27$43.09$17.74

Compared with places this size3

Tama’s city property tax rate of $17.74 per $1,000 is the 12th highest of 70 Iowa cities with 2,000–4,400 people. The middle of the group is $14.40.

Eldora: $26.87Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Lamoni: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Forest City: $15.77Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Granger: $15.22Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Sumner: $14.83Carlisle: $14.82Waukon: $14.76Rock Rapids: $14.57Monticello: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Lake Mills: $13.82Rock Valley: $13.76Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Hawarden: $13.02Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57Lisbon: $12.50Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Northwood: $11.28Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Tama: $17.74$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 70
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Rockwell City$20.742,185
3Bloomfield$20.412,773
4Belmond$19.862,405
5Sibley$19.772,787
6Albia$19.703,579
7Eagle Grove$19.323,615
8West Liberty$18.683,724
9Chariton$18.374,278
10Toledo$18.212,372
11La Porte City$18.082,267
12Tama$17.742,997
13Clarion$17.742,751
14Britt$17.722,001
15Missouri Valley$17.682,638
16Madrid$16.932,824
17West Union$16.602,435
18Audubon$16.522,008
19Grundy Center$16.362,821
20Belle Plaine$16.342,335
21Colfax$16.252,305
22Lamoni$16.152,072
23Cresco$16.133,890
24Marengo$16.102,415
25Forest City$15.774,199
26Postville$15.682,418
27Tipton$15.543,059
28Granger$15.222,095
29Jefferson$14.884,148
30Hampton$14.864,340
31Sumner$14.832,032
32Carlisle$14.824,381
33Waukon$14.763,799
34Rock Rapids$14.572,709
35Monticello$14.494,095
36Jesup$14.312,541
37Osage$14.293,559
38Lake Mills$13.822,077
39Rock Valley$13.764,024
40Emmetsburg$13.703,632
41Wilton$13.622,914
42New Hampton$13.443,433
43Wapello$13.292,026
44Hudson$13.192,916
45Center Point$13.192,578
46Hawarden$13.022,630
47Garner$12.863,049
48Bellevue$12.672,321
49Milford$12.573,258
50Lisbon$12.502,238
51Onawa$12.322,795
52Monroe$12.282,021
53Alta$12.132,039
54Atkins$11.992,168
55Hull$11.792,459
56Cascade$11.642,396
57West Branch$11.632,876
58Mitchellville$11.542,686
59Solon$11.533,284
60Northwood$11.282,047
61Williamsburg$11.113,380
62Ely$11.082,371
63Carter Lake$10.673,752
64Story City$10.393,439
65Kalona$10.372,762
66West Burlington$10.153,249
67Peosta$9.822,195
68Robins$9.683,362
69Epworth$9.422,042
70Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Tama’s general levy is $7.94 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 below the limit.4 504 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.34 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.94 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.80 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$6.36 · $492,363
  • Debt Service Levy$2.81 · $231,283
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.63 · $49,039

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.0M of taxable value in Tama is in TIF districts’ increment (3% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $124,448 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$203,625
$153,683

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 $29,394 of the city’s own.

  • South Tama schools$23,767
  • Tama County$15,458
YearTIF revenue
FY16$7,807
FY17$186,813
FY18$203,625
FY19$186,034
FY20$172,763
FY21$156,919
FY22$168,329
FY23$153,683
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$7,807
FY17$186,813
FY18$203,625
FY19$186,034
FY20$172,763
FY21$156,919
FY22$168,329
FY23$153,683

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$614,34844%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$492,36335%
  • Debt Service Levy$231,28317%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$49,0394%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Tama’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 41¢ of every dollar41¢Public Safety: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Business Type / Enterprise: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Works: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Culture and Recreation: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 7¢ of every dollar7¢

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 69 Iowa cities closest in size (2,000–4,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (69)
Capital Projects41¢15¢
Public Safety19¢13¢
Business Type / Enterprise19¢38¢
Public Works9¢10¢
Culture and Recreation4¢8¢
Everything else7¢16¢

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.

  • Capital Projects$5.2M57%
  • Public Safety$1.9M21%
  • Public Works$909,91110%
  • Culture and Recreation$532,4386%
  • Debt Service$335,5404%
  • General Government$173,9102%
  • Community and Economic Development$105,0001%
  • Health and Social Services$15,3370%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.0M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$988,176$813,385
Public Safety$1.2M$1.4M
Health and Social Services$12,500$4,023
General Government$160,238$217,172
Debt Service$175,190$2.1M
Culture and Recreation$356,933$308,018
Community and Economic Development$111,300$83,674
Capital Projects$530,000$2.1M
Business Type / Enterprise$1.1M$1.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$8.2M
$6.9M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Tama owes

$2.1M at June 30, 2026: $675 per resident. 611th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$4.5M
$2.1M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.1M$675
2025$1.4M$458
2024$1.6M$518
2023$1.8M$588
2022$4.0M$1,288
2021$4.5M$1,452
2020$3.0M$963
2019$3.4M$1,102
2018$3.9M$1,239
2017$3.0M$959
2016$3.4M$1,097
2015$2.5M$796
2014$2.4M$779
2013$2.8M$884
2012$3.1M$989
2011$3.4M$1,071
2010$3.7M$1,196
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.1M$675
2025$1.4M$458
2024$1.6M$518
2023$1.8M$588
2022$4.0M$1,288
2021$4.5M$1,452
2020$3.0M$963
2019$3.4M$1,102
2018$3.9M$1,239
2017$3.0M$959
2016$3.4M$1,097
2015$2.5M$796
2014$2.4M$779
2013$2.8M$884
2012$3.1M$989
2011$3.4M$1,071
2010$3.7M$1,196

Down 44% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $1.5M, 20% of the limit of about $7.2M (5% of $144.9M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

4 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligationfire truck purchase Library repairs Culvert Replacement2040$869,000
General Obligation5th Street Improvements2032$600,000
Revenue BondsSewer Improvements 20152035$452,000
Revenue BondsWater Revenue Bond new aerolater and building for unit2030$192,000

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. Tama’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Tuesday, August 5, 2025, by a CPA firm.

15 earlier reports for Tama

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: $501,305 in FY25, up 35% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$426,363$430,723$442,121$452,709
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$13,481$7,644$8,733$48,596

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.

$176,499
  • State grants$176,499100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$27,484
FY20$79,650
FY21$99,345
FY22$68,994
FY23$72,006
FY24$70,823
FY25$176,499
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$27,484
FY20$79,650
FY21$99,345
FY22$68,994
FY23$72,006
FY24$70,823
FY25$176,499

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−3%$371,667 → $452,709, up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+11161%$344 → $48,596, up 14027% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11161% 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 32% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% more.

$370,261
$281,918

Federal grants, for comparison: $16,657 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

  • Iowa Premium, LLC
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Not going ahead: Declined or withdrawn · 396 jobs required
    $14.1M

Community college new jobs training: 2 contracts since 2003 worth $6.0M, for 947 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)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 · 1

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Tama; 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.

  • Tama City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Larry Thomas, Danny Robinson Jr., Michelle Jiminez
  • Tama Mayor
    Now held by Brian Hanus

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

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

U.S. House:District 2

Tama CountySouth Tama schoolsSouth Tama County schools