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Local taxes › Warren County › Carlisle

City

Carlisle

Warren County · How cities work

$3,280 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.98 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,250 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.82 per $1,000)
$3.3Mproperty 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.

  • Daniel CarverCarlisle Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Daniel CarverCarlisle Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rudy CataldoCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rudy CataldoCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tracey McAvoyCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tracey McAvoyCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Andrya CarterCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Beth SauterCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Beth SauterCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Daniel CarverCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Krista BeckCarlisle City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Krista BeckCarlisle 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 Carlisle

Homes and businesses in most of Carlisle pay a combined $38.98 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Warren County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.82. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.71$14.89
FY21$40.84$14.89
FY22$40.65$14.89
FY23$40.35$14.89
FY24$40.46$14.99
FY25$39.98$14.77
FY26$39.91$14.82
FY27$38.98$14.82
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.71$14.89
FY21$40.84$14.89
FY22$40.65$14.89
FY23$40.35$14.89
FY24$40.46$14.99
FY25$39.98$14.77
FY26$39.91$14.82
FY27$38.98$14.82

Compared with places this size3

Carlisle’s city property tax rate of $14.82 per $1,000 is the 27th highest of 58 Iowa cities with 2,900–6,500 people. The middle of the group is $14.77.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Tama: $17.74Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Tipton: $15.54Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Osage: $14.29Orange City: $14.01Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50New Hampton: $13.44Garner: $12.86Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Milford: $12.57Huxley: $11.68Solon: $11.53Williamsburg: $11.11Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17West Burlington: $10.15Robins: $9.68Asbury: $8.32Fairfax: $8.10Evansdale: $8.00Carlisle: $14.82$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 58
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Albia$19.703,579
4Eagle Grove$19.323,615
5Independence$19.016,266
6Iowa Falls$18.864,993
7West Liberty$18.683,724
8Chariton$18.374,278
9Tama$17.742,997
10Clarinda$17.255,334
11Centerville$16.855,345
12Algona$16.755,341
13Vinton$16.254,962
14Winterset$16.155,421
15Cresco$16.133,890
16Humboldt$16.004,774
17Anamosa$15.955,845
18Forest City$15.774,199
19Tipton$15.543,059
20Sheldon$15.335,584
21Estherville$15.275,796
22Harlan$15.074,898
23Shenandoah$15.024,878
24Manchester$14.965,283
25Jefferson$14.884,148
26Hampton$14.864,340
27Carlisle$14.824,381
28Cherokee$14.825,186
29Glenwood$14.775,250
30Waukon$14.763,799
31Monticello$14.494,095
32Osceola$14.375,585
33Windsor Heights$14.305,106
34Osage$14.293,559
35Orange City$14.016,547
36Rock Valley$13.764,024
37Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
38Emmetsburg$13.703,632
39Mount Vernon$13.504,518
40New Hampton$13.443,433
41Garner$12.863,049
42Maquoketa$12.856,064
43Camanche$12.754,536
44Le Claire$12.644,776
45Milford$12.573,258
46Huxley$11.684,737
47Solon$11.533,284
48Williamsburg$11.113,380
49Polk City$11.006,430
50Carter Lake$10.673,752
51Story City$10.393,439
52Dyersville$10.274,559
53Spirit Lake$10.175,548
54West Burlington$10.153,249
55Robins$9.683,362
56Asbury$8.326,051
57Fairfax$8.102,937
58Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Carlisle’s general levy is $7.56 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.54 below the limit.4 784 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.56 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.26 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.49 · $1.1M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.90 · $401,241
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.85 · $178,398
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.02 · $4,956

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$42.4M of taxable value in Carlisle is in TIF districts’ increment (17% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $788,522 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$796,914

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 $437,640 of the city’s own.

  • Carlisle schools$403,600
  • Polk County$202,649
  • Warren County$42,052
YearTIF revenue
FY16$87,855
FY17$97,489
FY18$106,279
FY19$175,665
FY20$57,847
FY21$55,049
FY22$170,456
FY23$796,914
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$87,855
FY17$97,489
FY18$106,279
FY19$175,665
FY20$57,847
FY21$55,049
FY22$170,456
FY23$796,914

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$1.6M48%
  • Debt Service Levy$1.1M34%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$401,24112%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$178,3985%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$4,9560%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Carlisle’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 36¢ of every dollar36¢Public Safety: 20¢ of every dollar20¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Community and Economic Development: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Works: 7¢ of every dollarEverything 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 57 Iowa cities closest in size (2,900–6,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (57)
Business Type / Enterprise36¢37¢
Public Safety20¢13¢
Debt Service11¢8¢
Community and Economic Development8¢3¢
Public Works7¢9¢
Everything else18¢30¢

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$2.4M26%
  • Capital Projects$1.8M20%
  • Debt Service$1.5M16%
  • Community and Economic Development$1.2M13%
  • Public Works$881,43010%
  • Culture and Recreation$823,6349%
  • General Government$625,2477%
  • Health and Social Services$12,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($4.3M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$803,485$855,506
Public Safety$1.9M$2.0M
Health and Social Services$10,000$5,099
General Government$528,613$575,088
Debt Service$1.2M$1.2M
Culture and Recreation$769,129$666,619
Community and Economic Development$771,678$996,260
Capital Projects$7.4M$2.2M
Business Type / Enterprise$4.2M$5.2M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$23.9M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Carlisle owes

$21.7M at June 30, 2026: $5,224 per resident. 116th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$21.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$21.7M$5,224
2025$9.2M$2,205
2024$10.2M$2,462
2023$11.3M$2,715
2022$12.9M$3,109
2021$8.3M$2,005
2020$6.6M$1,591
2019$7.8M$1,879
2018$8.3M$1,999
2017$8.7M$2,094
2016$8.8M$2,110
2015$6.9M$1,663
2014$7.7M$1,849
2013$8.0M$1,931
2012$7.8M$1,880
2011$5.9M$1,424
2010$5.0M$1,207
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$21.7M$5,224
2025$9.2M$2,205
2024$10.2M$2,462
2023$11.3M$2,715
2022$12.9M$3,109
2021$8.3M$2,005
2020$6.6M$1,591
2019$7.8M$1,879
2018$8.3M$1,999
2017$8.7M$2,094
2016$8.8M$2,110
2015$6.9M$1,663
2014$7.7M$1,849
2013$8.0M$1,931
2012$7.8M$1,880
2011$5.9M$1,424
2010$5.0M$1,207

Up 333% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $21.0M, 96% of the limit of about $21.9M (5% of $438.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

12 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2025A Library/Ambulance2045$8.5M
General Obligation2026A Library/School St. P32045$4.5M
General Obligation2021A Ambulance/Land Aquisition/5th and School2037$3.7M
General Obligation2020A SRR/CH/Airpacks FD2036$2.2M
General ObligationSEWER SUBORDINATE NOTES2051$784,762
Revenue BondsSRF Avon Water Project2042$604,000
General ObligationGO CAP LOAN NOTE 2015A2029$380,000
General Obligation2015A2029$290,000
General ObligationGO LOSST 2017A2027$256,100
General Obligation2018A GO BOND SCHOOL STREET/GWB BUILDING2028$220,000
General ObligationGO CAP LOAN NOTE 2016B2027$125,000
Revenue Bonds2017B Water2027$82,080

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. Carlisle’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, March 10, 2026, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Carlisle

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: $692,646 in FY25, up 20% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$567,971$572,463$587,611$590,800
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$67,130$41,612$42,888$101,846

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.

$520,351
$81,506
  • State grants$81,506100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$7,831
FY20$1,621
FY21$4,407
FY22$0
FY23$520,351
FY24$60,418
FY25$81,506
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$7,831
FY20$1,621
FY21$4,407
FY22$0
FY23$520,351
FY24$60,418
FY25$81,506

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−6%$500,724 → $590,800, up 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+6%$76,882 → $101,846, up 32% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% 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 29% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more.

$658,871

Federal grants, for comparison: $28,340 in FY24.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 5 contracts since 2013 worth $984K, for 149 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 · 4

2 seats: the top 2 win.

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Carlisle; 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.

  • Carlisle City Council At-Large (6 seats)
    Now held by Beth Sauter, Krista Beck, Andrya Carter, Daniel Carver, Krista Beck, Beth Sauter

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

Jack Whitver (Sen. 23)Brian K. Lohse (Rep. 45)

U.S. House:District 3

Warren CountyCarlisle schools