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Local taxes › Warren County › Norwalk

City

Norwalk

Warren County · How cities work

$3,240 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.45 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,250 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.89 per $1,000)
$14.1Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$38.5Mcity 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.

  • Andrew BoerjanNorwalk City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kelsey PorterNorwalk City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tom PhillipsNorwalk Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ed KuhlNorwalk City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • George MeineckeNorwalk City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jason BrownNorwalk 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 Norwalk

Homes and businesses in most of Norwalk pay a combined $38.38 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, $14.89. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$42.38$15.41
FY21$42.28$15.20
FY22$41.93$15.14
FY23$41.19$15.11
FY24$40.86$14.88
FY25$40.62$14.88
FY26$39.69$14.89
FY27$38.45$14.89
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$42.38$15.41
FY21$42.28$15.20
FY22$41.93$15.14
FY23$41.19$15.11
FY24$40.86$14.88
FY25$40.62$14.88
FY26$39.69$14.89
FY27$38.45$14.89

Compared with places this size3

Norwalk’s city property tax rate of $14.89 per $1,000 is the 5th highest of 15 Iowa cities with 11,000–23,000 people. The middle of the group is $13.33.

Waverly: $17.53Newton: $17.10Storm Lake: $15.17Boone: $15.13Oskaloosa: $14.47Spencer: $13.84Indianola: $13.33Pleasant Hill: $12.10North Liberty: $11.84Le Mars: $11.18Pella: $10.75Altoona: $10.75Grimes: $10.70Clive: $9.92Norwalk: $14.89$9.92 lowest$17.53 highestmiddle
See all 15
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Waverly$17.5310,576
2Newton$17.1015,709
3Storm Lake$15.1711,627
4Boone$15.1312,461
5Norwalk$14.8915,396
6Oskaloosa$14.4711,575
7Spencer$13.8411,418
8Indianola$13.3316,297
9Pleasant Hill$12.1011,942
10North Liberty$11.8421,904
11Le Mars$11.1810,674
12Pella$10.7510,965
13Altoona$10.7522,598
14Grimes$10.7017,266
15Clive$9.9219,508

The $8.10 limit

Norwalk’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.4 824 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.41 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.48 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$3.57 · $3.8M
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.48 · $3.2M
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.43 · $387,933

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$158.8M of taxable value in Norwalk is in TIF districts’ increment (15% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $2.2M in TIF revenue for FY25.

$6.5M

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 $1.8M of the city’s own.

  • Norwalk schools$961,087
  • Warren County$782,447
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.9M
FY17$2.4M
FY18$3.5M
FY19$3.2M
FY20$4.2M
FY21$4.5M
FY22$5.9M
FY23$6.5M
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1.9M
FY17$2.4M
FY18$3.5M
FY19$3.2M
FY20$4.2M
FY21$4.5M
FY22$5.9M
FY23$6.5M

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$6.7M48%
  • Debt Service Levy$3.8M27%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.2M22%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$387,9333%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Norwalk’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 32¢ of every dollar32¢Capital Projects: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Public Safety: 14¢ of every dollar14¢Debt Service: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Everything else: 12¢ of every dollar12¢

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 14 Iowa cities closest in size (11,000–23,000 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (14)
Business Type / Enterprise32¢35¢
Capital Projects22¢26¢
Public Safety14¢13¢
Debt Service12¢8¢
Public Works7¢6¢
Everything else12¢14¢

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$10.1M26%
  • Public Safety$7.9M21%
  • Debt Service$7.6M20%
  • Public Works$3.9M10%
  • Community and Economic Development$3.5M9%
  • Culture and Recreation$3.3M9%
  • General Government$2.1M5%
  • Health and Social Services$46,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($17.0M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$3.0M$3.0M
Public Safety$5.7M$5.8M
Health and Social Services$34,000$28,104
General Government$1.2M$1.2M
Debt Service$4.6M$5.2M
Culture and Recreation$2.0M$2.0M
Community and Economic Development$3.0M$3.3M
Capital Projects$16.9M$10.5M
Business Type / Enterprise$12.2M$7.1M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$51.6M

Norwalk’s own budget documents

The adopted budgets, resolutions and hearing notices the city posts, often weeks before the state publishes the figures. The city’s finance page

11 older

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Norwalk owes

$61.7M at June 30, 2026: $4,817 per resident. 140th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$61.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$61.7M$4,817
2025$52.5M$4,105
2024$45.0M$3,519
2023$49.1M$3,836
2022$34.0M$2,658
2021$31.3M$2,449
2020$34.6M$2,703
2019$29.9M$2,334
2018$22.8M$1,782
2017$22.3M$1,741
2016$17.9M$1,398
2015$18.5M$1,445
2014$15.6M$1,221
2013$16.7M$1,306
2012$21.0M$1,641
2011$19.9M$1,551
2010$13.1M$1,022
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$61.7M$4,817
2025$52.5M$4,105
2024$45.0M$3,519
2023$49.1M$3,836
2022$34.0M$2,658
2021$31.3M$2,449
2020$34.6M$2,703
2019$29.9M$2,334
2018$22.8M$1,782
2017$22.3M$1,741
2016$17.9M$1,398
2015$18.5M$1,445
2014$15.6M$1,221
2013$16.7M$1,306
2012$21.0M$1,641
2011$19.9M$1,551
2010$13.1M$1,022

Up 372% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $50.7M, 55% of the limit of about $91.6M (5% of $1.83B, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

15 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General Obligation2022A-Street, water, sewer, stormwater infrastructure; Fieldhouse & paved trails.2042$15.8M
General Obligation2024A-Streets improvements/equipment, Fieldhouse, Public Safety HVAC and Hwy Beautification2039$9.6M
General Obligation2026A-Sewer Infrastructure and PW Plow Trucks2041$6.5M
Revenue BondsCIWW-FS-91-26-DWSRF-012 Central Iowa Water Works Buy-In2045$5.7M
General Obligation2021A-Streets, Trails, Fire Truck, Stormwater Detention and asphalt overlays.2041$4.8M
General Obligation2017A Street Improvements, Storm water Detention and Fire Truck2032$3.1M
General Obligation2020A-Street & Traffic Signal Imp/Parks & Rec Imp/Storm water Imp2031$3.0M
Revenue Bonds2018C Water Improvements-Feeder Main2038$2.9M
General Obligation2016 Swimming Pool Improvements. Current Refunding 2008A and Series 2014 Sewer Notes. Advance Refunding 2010A, 2010B, 2010D.2030$2.9M
General Obligation2015A: Wakonda & Holly & trail2034$1.9M
General Obligation2024B-Economic Development Grant2044$1.6M
Revenue Bonds2025B-Water Tower Project FS-91-24-DWSRF-082046$1.4M
General Obligation2018A Street/Park Improvements and EMS/Street equipment.2029$1.1M
Revenue Bonds2020B Water System Improvements2034$930,000
General Obligation2017B G.O. Delaware Infrastructure2027$225,000

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. Norwalk’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 Wednesday, December 17, 2025, by a CPA firm.

16 earlier reports for Norwalk

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: $2.1M in FY25, up 67% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$1.7M$1.8M$1.8M$1.9M
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$188,992$151,208$190,900$157,735

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.

$1.2M
$362,889
  • Iowa DOT projects$215,82659%
  • State grants$107,03629%
  • Other$40,02711%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$550,635
FY20$292,500
FY21$172,298
FY22$114,127
FY23$323,706
FY24$1.2M
FY25$362,889
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$550,635
FY20$292,500
FY21$172,298
FY22$114,127
FY23$323,706
FY24$1.2M
FY25$362,889

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)+32%$1.2M → $1.9M, up 65% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 32% more
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+62%$77,518 → $157,735, up 103% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 62% 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 92% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 53% more.

$1.8M

Federal grants, for comparison: $141,332 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

3 businesses have state awards in NORWALK: $8.7M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 389 jobs. Closed projects promised 203 jobs; 67 were there at the end.14

  • M.G. Waldbaum Co dba Michael Foods Egg Products Co.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Under contract: Building · 186 jobs required
    $4.3M
  • M.G. Waldbaum Co dba Michael Foods Egg Products Co.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY18 · Closed: Met its contract · 168 jobs required, 32 at the end
    $3.9M
  • Windsor Window Company & Evergreen Investments Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Met its contract · 35 jobs required, 35 at the end
    $537K

Community college new jobs training: 5 contracts since 2004 worth $1.2M, for 210 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)15.

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 Norwalk; 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.

  • Norwalk City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Jason Brown, George Meinecke, Ed Kuhl

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

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 ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Senate District 11 (vacant)Samantha Fett (Rep. 22)

U.S. House:District 1

Warren CountyDes Moines Independent schoolsNorwalk schools