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Local taxes › Warren County › Lacona

City

Lacona

Warren County · How cities work

$3,010 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.74 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,130 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.38 per $1,000)
$117,350property taxes the city levies, FY27
$325,090city 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.

  • Camilia Cammy WardLacona City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Larrie WilliamsLacona Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rob MyersLacona City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Julie StanleyLacona City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Larrie WilliamsLacona City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Lela BalesLacona 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 Lacona

Homes and businesses in most of Lacona pay a combined $35.74 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, $13.38. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.48$12.76
FY21$35.46$13.94
FY22$34.88$13.83
FY23$34.31$13.84
FY24$36.45$14.48
FY25$36.12$13.62
FY26$36.04$13.62
FY27$35.74$13.38
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.48$12.76
FY21$35.46$13.94
FY22$34.88$13.83
FY23$34.31$13.84
FY24$36.45$14.48
FY25$36.12$13.62
FY26$36.04$13.62
FY27$35.74$13.38

Compared with places this size3

Lacona’s city property tax rate of $13.38 per $1,000 is the 78th highest of 200 Iowa cities with 220–500 people. The middle of the group is $12.46.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Humeston: $14.80Bagley: $14.63Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Collins: $14.32Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Breda: $9.80Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Rowley: $8.31Fostoria: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Lacona: $13.38$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 200
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Elliott$21.61328
4Oxford Junction$20.84424
5Earling$20.47394
6Fort Atkinson$19.19300
7Salem$19.15380
8Cumberland$18.42248
9Massena$18.23352
10Elma$17.82493
11Callender$17.78361
12Casey$17.72387
13Vail$17.66383
14Ringsted$17.65346
15Emerson$17.54401
16Thompson$17.25478
17Ashton$17.17434
18Pierson$17.12335
19Burt$17.10404
20Pisgah$17.09248
21Latimer$16.96477
22Lohrville$16.95366
23Lakota$16.84261
24Marble Rock$16.78258
25Auburn$16.65253
26Mccallsburg$16.58356
27Whittemore$16.54478
28Irwin$16.46320
29Titonka$16.45491
30Lewis$16.25358
31Corwith$16.22259
32Deep River$16.18243
33Waucoma$16.17235
34Duncombe$16.10374
35Bayard$16.05402
36Scranton$16.01496
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Peterson$15.27321
40Russell$15.18475
41Arlington$14.98415
42Riverton$14.94243
43Maynard$14.85466
44Plainfield$14.84392
45Ryan$14.84348
46Otho$14.82417
47Humeston$14.80472
48Bagley$14.63230
49Gilmore City$14.60484
50Sabula$14.38498
51Garrison$14.38345
52Halbur$14.37268
53Lorimor$14.36377
54Crystal Lake$14.36243
55Collins$14.32503
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Ocheyedan$14.22424
58Steamboat Rock$14.19261
59Garwin$14.08469
60Farragut$14.07480
61Mystic$14.01318
62Lime Springs$13.95467
63Dow City$13.94477
64Wesley$13.91382
65Diagonal$13.91331
66Bussey$13.83378
67Mondamin$13.82335
68Livermore$13.78382
69Fertile$13.70300
70Stockport$13.68272
71Kellerton$13.60241
72Albion$13.58444
73Quimby$13.58245
74Lamont$13.57429
75New Albin$13.55435
76Persia$13.41292
77Lawler$13.39392
78Lacona$13.38336
79Leland$13.31240
80Ute$13.26326
81New Market$13.25381
82Plymouth$13.21368
83Harcourt$13.21257
84Bennett$13.16330
85Ridgeway$13.10261
86Farmersburg$13.09264
87Little Rock$13.03447
88Lehigh$12.97395
89Menlo$12.92347
90Templeton$12.91337
91Silver City$12.87244
92Martelle$12.83250
93Malcom$12.82257
94Galva$12.68416
95Martensdale$12.63413
96Williams$12.57299
97Maurice$12.56271
98Norway$12.53463
99Clearfield$12.50277
100Kensett$12.47256
101Mccausland$12.45314
102Spillville$12.40371
103Modale$12.34284
104Mingo$12.31314
105Brandon$12.29331
106Blakesburg$12.21273
107Cushing$12.18225
108Bonaparte$12.17357
109Macedonia$12.12266
110Hawkeye$12.11429
111Kiron$12.03262
112Colesburg$11.97379
113Liscomb$11.96292
114New Providence$11.88233
115Thornton$11.86394
116Runnells$11.79467
117Allerton$11.72432
118Atalissa$11.71287
119Cantril$11.69224
120Kelley$11.69312
121Orient$11.66363
122Ellsworth$11.57495
123Cincinnati$11.57280
124Delta$11.52257
125Terril$11.48310
126Westside$11.45283
127Holland$11.37261
128Churdan$11.31359
129Mallard$11.28255
130Miles$11.28400
131Renwick$11.16228
132Milton$10.98395
133New Vienna$10.91384
134Letts$10.91358
135Goose Lake$10.89250
136Birmingham$10.87371
137Charlotte$10.86386
138Yale$10.85265
139Batavia$10.77434
140Hornick$10.74255
141Riverdale$10.67385
142Bode$10.64304
143Union$10.58378
144Cleghorn$10.49235
145Calamus$10.47348
146Lovilia$10.46456
147Danbury$10.43315
148Lytton$10.38274
149Stacyville$10.36436
150Rhodes$10.36269
151Deloit$10.28246
152Protivin$10.28264
153Andrew$10.22374
154Royal$10.20379
155Bronson$10.14294
156Rudd$10.13339
157La Motte$10.09235
158Defiance$10.05248
159Floyd$10.02297
160Panama$9.85234
161Breda$9.80492
162Lynnville$9.68382
163Salix$9.63303
164Luxemburg$9.58240
165Farnhamville$9.18364
166Middletown$9.16365
167Alleman$9.12439
168Lester$8.94309
169Harvey$8.71242
170Rowley$8.31264
171Fostoria$8.10229
172Lost Nation$8.10425
173Low Moor$8.10242
174Bertram$8.10267
175Grandview$8.10431
176Nichols$8.10317
177Luana$7.98303
178Lockridge$7.92245
179Delhi$7.81438
180Klemme$7.74429
181Pulaski$7.58259
182Beacon$7.56434
183Sheldahl$7.56312
184Fredonia$7.55227
185Worthington$7.50374
186Harpers Ferry$7.49273
187Marquette$7.08434
188Columbus City$6.94385
189Donahue$6.83336
190Libertyville$6.60278
191Keswick$6.49238
192Crawfordsville$6.44278
193New Virginia$5.97499
194Holy Cross$5.91348
195Conesville$5.86350
196University Park$5.27476
197Orleans$4.13503
198Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
199Wahpeton$3.19337
200West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Lacona’s general levy is $7.95 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.15 below the limit.4 469 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.19 · FY26 $8.19 · FY27 $7.95 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.43 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.92 · $34,331
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.51 · $13,257

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$69,65359%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$34,33129%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$13,25711%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Lacona’s budget goes, FY26

Public Works: 42¢ of every dollar42¢Business Type / Enterprise: 25¢ of every dollar25¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Culture and Recreation: 10¢ of every dollar10¢General Government: 10¢ of every dollar10¢

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 198 Iowa cities closest in size (220–500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (198)
Public Works42¢20¢
Business Type / Enterprise25¢39¢
Public Safety14¢9¢
Culture and Recreation10¢8¢
General Government10¢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.

  • Public Works$151,15046%
  • Public Safety$62,44519%
  • Culture and Recreation$58,38018%
  • General Government$53,11516%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($103,291 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$170,970$84,440
Public Safety$45,150$62,090
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$54,170$36,097
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$52,010$49,284
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$1,085
Business Type / Enterprise$103,291$118,092

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$441,347
$440,253

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Lacona owes

No debt at June 30, 2026.7

$100,116
$0
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$3,951$11
2023$12,576$36
2022$21,753$63
2021$45,727$133
2020$45,727$133
2019$45,727$133
2018$79,308$230
2017$79,308$230
2016$79,308$230
2015$79,308$230
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$100,116$290
2010$100,116$290
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$0$0
2025$0$0
2024$3,951$11
2023$12,576$36
2022$21,753$63
2021$45,727$133
2020$45,727$133
2019$45,727$133
2018$79,308$230
2017$79,308$230
2016$79,308$230
2015$79,308$230
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$100,116$290
2010$100,116$290

Down 100% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $698,460 (5% of $14.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Lacona’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Friday, March 31, 2023 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Friday, March 31, 2023 (PDF), released Thursday, August 10, 2023, by the Auditor of State.

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: $37,682 in FY25, up 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$52,442$32,644$37,478$37,682
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$404–––

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.

$29,250
$24,315
  • State grants$24,315100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$26,316
FY23$26,316
FY24$29,250
FY25$24,315
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$26,316
FY23$26,316
FY24$29,250
FY25$24,315

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$35,793 → $37,682, up 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% 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 87% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 49% more.

$78,318
$58,012

Federal grants, for comparison: $25,714 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 286 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

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Lacona; 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.

  • Lacona City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Julie Stanley, Lela Bales, Larrie Williams
  • Lacona Mayor To Fill a Vacancy
    Now held by Jolene Schurman

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

Senate District 11 (vacant)Brooke Boden (Rep. 21)

U.S. House:District 1

Warren CountySoutheast Warren schools