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Local taxes › Webster County › Gowrie

City

Gowrie

Webster County · How cities work

$2,980 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.40 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,450 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.17 per $1,000)
$652,410property taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.6Mcity 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.

  • Leon StreitGowrie City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Patrick MonaghanGowrie City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Patti AndersonGowrie City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bruce McCormackGowrie City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Bruce TowneGowrie Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Keith E. StreitGowrie 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 Gowrie

Homes and businesses in most of Gowrie pay a combined $35.40 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Webster County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.17. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.77$17.71
FY21$34.89$17.30
FY22$34.22$17.36
FY23$33.78$16.91
FY24$33.62$16.62
FY25$34.92$17.47
FY26$33.52$15.02
FY27$35.40$17.17
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$34.77$17.71
FY21$34.89$17.30
FY22$34.22$17.36
FY23$33.78$16.91
FY24$33.62$16.62
FY25$34.92$17.47
FY26$33.52$15.02
FY27$35.40$17.17

Compared with places this size3

Gowrie’s city property tax rate of $17.17 per $1,000 is the 19th highest of 176 Iowa cities with 630–1,400 people. The middle of the group is $13.21.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84State Center: $15.80Walker: $15.74Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Fontanelle: $10.88Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Gowrie: $17.17$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 176
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Allison$19.06937
8Seymour$18.78646
9Dexter$18.69631
10Fonda$18.52636
11Kanawha$18.11638
12Dysart$17.951,266
13Greene$17.91971
14Alden$17.90738
15Lansing$17.67959
16Strawberry Point$17.581,141
17Rockwell$17.541,044
18Walnut$17.46728
19Gowrie$17.17943
20Colo$17.14856
21Mapleton$16.901,114
22George$16.891,106
23Fayette$16.851,193
24Adair$16.84792
25Eddyville$16.82965
26Elk Horn$16.78631
27Oxford$16.70715
28Buffalo Center$16.58839
29Bancroft$16.52677
30Roland$16.511,376
31Eldon$16.42788
32Aplington$16.341,088
33Panora$16.141,096
34Mechanicsville$16.12974
35Dike$15.941,293
36Armstrong$15.87847
37Ruthven$15.84710
38State Center$15.801,403
39Walker$15.74671
40Earlham$15.551,411
41Shell Rock$15.521,265
42Newell$15.49850
43Riceville$15.31807
44Neola$15.30917
45Sidney$15.191,048
46Gilbertville$15.15792
47Logan$15.051,351
48Stratford$15.03688
49Griswold$15.01975
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Tripoli$14.991,208
52Essex$14.76721
53Lenox$14.651,355
54Manning$14.621,390
55Dunlap$14.561,030
56Garnavillo$14.52751
57Maxwell$14.50862
58Coon Rapids$14.491,258
59Nora Springs$14.251,330
60Kingsley$14.251,394
61Mcgregor$14.20725
62Olin$14.19652
63Primghar$14.18893
64Sheffield$14.161,123
65Elgin$14.05676
66Woodward$14.051,383
67Ossian$13.88777
68Alton$13.871,248
69Redfield$13.73719
70Victor$13.72852
71Gilbert$13.711,397
72Edgewood$13.64908
73Sioux Rapids$13.63722
74Donnellson$13.63859
75Gladbrook$13.58775
76Clarksville$13.531,238
77Rockford$13.52722
78Janesville$13.431,052
79Glidden$13.431,140
80Calmar$13.391,100
81Boyden$13.39694
82Baxter$13.32983
83Manly$13.291,233
84Anita$13.28953
85Van Horne$13.27768
86Conrad$13.231,098
87Springville$13.221,161
88Keota$13.21888
89Shellsburg$13.20987
90De Soto$13.18937
91Treynor$13.031,104
92Odebolt$13.00967
93Coggon$12.99691
94Earlville$12.90713
95Danville$12.87910
96Underwood$12.85973
97New Sharon$12.801,249
98Malvern$12.791,056
99Montrose$12.78734
100Wellsburg$12.68709
101Buffalo$12.681,163
102Stanton$12.62664
103Hospers$12.58703
104Hazleton$12.48711
105West Point$12.39903
106Hinton$12.38959
107Preston$12.38940
108Alburnett$12.30672
109Hubbard$12.30837
110Hedrick$12.22717
111Carson$12.22772
112Wheatland$12.18765
113Schaller$12.14702
114Winfield$12.041,006
115Elkhart$12.001,079
116Afton$11.96864
117Lowden$11.93767
118Tabor$11.88983
119Aurelia$11.84970
120Merrill$11.64713
121Morning Sun$11.50702
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Wall Lake$11.43739
124West Bend$11.42770
125Dakota City$11.39764
126Marcus$11.311,069
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Whiting$11.21725
129Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
130Shelby$11.17730
131University Heights$11.121,188
132Blairstown$11.04705
133Manilla$11.01756
134Hamburg$10.95863
135Clarence$10.94991
136Fontanelle$10.88684
137Cambridge$10.53844
138Swisher$10.39909
139Schleswig$10.39820
140Melbourne$10.38771
141Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
142Fredericksburg$10.27983
143Lake Park$10.251,155
144Ventura$10.22701
145Inwood$10.22962
146Milo$10.20762
147Hartford$10.16729
148Central City$10.011,254
149Newhall$9.99887
150Graettinger$9.81810
151Doon$9.78640
152Long Grove$9.59849
153Lake View$9.391,120
154Paullina$9.21979
155Fairbank$9.001,133
156Winthrop$8.94814
157Walford$8.721,357
158Keosauqua$8.58944
159Grand Junction$8.57715
160Princeton$8.24917
161Lone Tree$8.131,341
162Lakeside$8.10695
163Riverside$8.021,063
164Hills$7.94911
165Fremont$7.86688
166Larchwood$7.52954
167North English$7.491,030
168Sloan$7.491,078
169Sully$7.41891
170Fruitland$7.21928
171Lawton$7.10949
172Wayland$7.07935
173Raymond$6.85754
174Shueyville$6.79725
175Arnolds Park$4.951,214
176Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Gowrie’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 633 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.05 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.31 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$4.24 · $160,414
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.62 · $99,130
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.40 · $90,800
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.06 · $2,318

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Gowrie’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $86,076 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$23,043
YearTIF revenue
FY18$14,327
FY19$15,116
FY20$14,833
FY21$16,716
FY22$18,465
FY23$23,043
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY18$14,327
FY19$15,116
FY20$14,833
FY21$16,716
FY22$18,465
FY23$23,043

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$297,86546%
  • Debt Service Levy$160,41425%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$99,13015%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$90,80014%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$2,3180%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Gowrie’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 65¢ of every dollar65¢Business Type / Enterprise: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Culture and Recreation: 4¢ of every dollarPublic Works: 3¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 2¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 175 Iowa cities closest in size (630–1,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (175)
Capital Projects65¢9¢
Business Type / Enterprise22¢39¢
Culture and Recreation4¢9¢
Public Works3¢15¢
Public Safety2¢10¢
Everything else4¢17¢

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$1.3M50%
  • Culture and Recreation$344,99013%
  • Public Works$227,5709%
  • Public Safety$220,0388%
  • Debt Service$201,3598%
  • General Government$158,5986%
  • Health and Social Services$95,4204%
  • Community and Economic Development$46,8132%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.9M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$187,946$156,952
Public Safety$223,053$226,761
Health and Social Services$63,742$87,466
General Government$125,550$137,793
Debt Service$155,795$155,528
Culture and Recreation$249,311$311,851
Community and Economic Development$59,334$68,445
Capital Projects$0$130,289
Business Type / Enterprise$6.0M$1.6M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$4.0M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Gowrie owes

$2.4M at June 30, 2026: $2,501 per resident. 326th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$2.4M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.4M$2,501
2025$474,935$499
2024$792,567$833
2023$963,108$1,012
2022$1.1M$1,160
2021$1.5M$1,530
2020$1.5M$1,600
2019$1.8M$1,870
2018$2.0M$2,082
2017$1.7M$1,737
2016$1.3M$1,329
2015$1.4M$1,476
2014$2.0M$2,140
2013$2.2M$2,287
2012$863,000$907
2011$980,000$1,029
2010$974,446$1,024
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.4M$2,501
2025$474,935$499
2024$792,567$833
2023$963,108$1,012
2022$1.1M$1,160
2021$1.5M$1,530
2020$1.5M$1,600
2019$1.8M$1,870
2018$2.0M$2,082
2017$1.7M$1,737
2016$1.3M$1,329
2015$1.4M$1,476
2014$2.0M$2,140
2013$2.2M$2,287
2012$863,000$907
2011$980,000$1,029
2010$974,446$1,024

Up 144% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $1.4M, 40% of the limit of about $3.6M (5% of $71.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

8 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationSeries 2026 Street Project2033$1.4M
LoansNew well, raw watermain, and Water Treatment Plant rehab2065$846,702
LoansElectric under build2030$85,977
General ObligationWiley Loan2028$78,000
General ObligationWiley Land Loan2028$20,000
LoansTIF Internal Advance2027$0
LoansPolice Dept Radios2027$0
LoansInternal TIF loan, Series 20222042$0

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. Gowrie’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Thursday, November 5, 2026, by a CPA firm.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

12 earlier reports for Gowrie

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: $167,010 in FY25, up 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$133,718$131,006$134,473$135,202
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–––$31,808

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.

$26,910
$1,565
  • State grants$1,565100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,575
FY20$1,545
FY21$1,067
FY22$1,600
FY23$1,493
FY24$26,910
FY25$1,565
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,575
FY20$1,545
FY21$1,067
FY22$1,600
FY23$1,493
FY24$26,910
FY25$1,565

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−20%$133,966 → $135,202, up 1% 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 25% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% less.

$187,091
$181,933

Federal grants, for comparison: $353,538 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award 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)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 · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

1 more →

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Gowrie; 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.

  • Gowrie City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Keith E. Streit, Bruce McCormack
  • Gowrie Mayor
    Now held by Bruce Towne

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

Tim Kraayenbrink (Sen. 4)Wendy Larson (Rep. 7)

U.S. House:District 4

Webster CountyPrairie Valley schools