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Local taxes › Woodbury County › Salix

City

Salix

Woodbury County · How cities work

$2,480 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($29.39 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$810 a yearof that goes to the city ($9.63 per $1,000)
$117,803property taxes the city levies, FY27
$250,761city 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.

  • Brenda Smith HansenSalix City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Emily ClaytonSalix City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Gene MonkSalix City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kevin NelsonSalix Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Denise BurkhartSalix City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Nick BlackSalix 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 Salix

Homes and businesses in most of Salix pay a combined $29.39 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Woodbury County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $9.63. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$27.80$8.37
FY21$27.59$8.37
FY22$27.18$8.37
FY23$27.08$8.37
FY24$29.62$10.89
FY25$29.58$10.58
FY26$30.01$10.29
FY27$29.39$9.63
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$27.80$8.37
FY21$27.59$8.37
FY22$27.18$8.37
FY23$27.08$8.37
FY24$29.62$10.89
FY25$29.58$10.58
FY26$30.01$10.29
FY27$29.39$9.63

Compared with places this size3

Salix’s city property tax rate of $9.63 per $1,000 is the 41st lowest of 199 Iowa cities with 200–450 people. The middle of the group is $12.21.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Irwin: $16.46Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Linden: $15.62Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Ladora: $14.74Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Clutier: $13.03Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Joice: $11.72Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Frederika: $10.99Milton: $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: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Rowley: $8.31Fostoria: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Rickardsville: $2.27Salix: $9.63$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 199
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Oxford Junction$20.84424
7Earling$20.47394
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Fort Atkinson$19.19300
11Salem$19.15380
12Cumberland$18.42248
13Massena$18.23352
14Callender$17.78361
15Casey$17.72387
16Vail$17.66383
17Ringsted$17.65346
18Emerson$17.54401
19Ashton$17.17434
20Pierson$17.12335
21Burt$17.10404
22Pisgah$17.09248
23Lohrville$16.95366
24Lakota$16.84261
25Marble Rock$16.78258
26Auburn$16.65253
27Mccallsburg$16.58356
28Irwin$16.46320
29Lewis$16.25358
30Corwith$16.22259
31Deep River$16.18243
32Waucoma$16.17235
33Duncombe$16.10374
34Bayard$16.05402
35Granville$16.00302
36Minburn$15.75317
37Linden$15.62206
38Peterson$15.27321
39Greeley$15.23216
40Arlington$14.98415
41Riverton$14.94243
42Marathon$14.89221
43Plainfield$14.84392
44Ryan$14.84348
45Otho$14.82417
46Ladora$14.74223
47Bagley$14.63230
48Garrison$14.38345
49Halbur$14.37268
50Lorimor$14.36377
51Crystal Lake$14.36243
52Kimballton$14.27281
53Ocheyedan$14.22424
54Steamboat Rock$14.19261
55Mystic$14.01318
56Wesley$13.91382
57Diagonal$13.91331
58Bussey$13.83378
59Mondamin$13.82335
60Livermore$13.78382
61Fertile$13.70300
62Stockport$13.68272
63Kellerton$13.60241
64Albion$13.58444
65Quimby$13.58245
66Lamont$13.57429
67New Albin$13.55435
68Meservey$13.43212
69Persia$13.41292
70Lawler$13.39392
71Lacona$13.38336
72Leland$13.31240
73Ute$13.26326
74New Market$13.25381
75Plymouth$13.21368
76Harcourt$13.21257
77Bennett$13.16330
78Ridgeway$13.10261
79Farmersburg$13.09264
80Clutier$13.03209
81Little Rock$13.03447
82Lehigh$12.97395
83Menlo$12.92347
84Templeton$12.91337
85Silver City$12.87244
86Martelle$12.83250
87Malcom$12.82257
88Galva$12.68416
89Martensdale$12.63413
90Blencoe$12.57223
91Williams$12.57299
92Maurice$12.56271
93Clearfield$12.50277
94Kensett$12.47256
95Mccausland$12.45314
96Spillville$12.40371
97Modale$12.34284
98Mingo$12.31314
99Brandon$12.29331
100Blakesburg$12.21273
101Cushing$12.18225
102Bonaparte$12.17357
103Macedonia$12.12266
104Hawkeye$12.11429
105Paton$12.09217
106Kiron$12.03262
107Colesburg$11.97379
108Liscomb$11.96292
109New Providence$11.88233
110Thornton$11.86394
111Joice$11.72206
112Allerton$11.72432
113Atalissa$11.71287
114Cantril$11.69224
115Kelley$11.69312
116Orient$11.66363
117Cincinnati$11.57280
118Delta$11.52257
119Terril$11.48310
120Westside$11.45283
121Holland$11.37261
122Churdan$11.31359
123Mallard$11.28255
124Miles$11.28400
125Renwick$11.16228
126Frederika$10.99206
127Milton$10.98395
128New Vienna$10.91384
129Letts$10.91358
130Goose Lake$10.89250
131Birmingham$10.87371
132Charlotte$10.86386
133Yale$10.85265
134Batavia$10.77434
135Hornick$10.74255
136Riverdale$10.67385
137Bode$10.64304
138Union$10.58378
139Cleghorn$10.49235
140Calamus$10.47348
141Danbury$10.43315
142Lytton$10.38274
143Stacyville$10.36436
144Rhodes$10.36269
145Dedham$10.28221
146Deloit$10.28246
147Protivin$10.28264
148Andrew$10.22374
149Royal$10.20379
150Bronson$10.14294
151Rudd$10.13339
152La Motte$10.09235
153Defiance$10.05248
154Floyd$10.02297
155Panama$9.85234
156Grafton$9.83212
157Lynnville$9.68382
158Ionia$9.65220
159Salix$9.63303
160Luxemburg$9.58240
161Rippey$9.42217
162Farnhamville$9.18364
163Middletown$9.16365
164Alleman$9.12439
165Dixon$9.03204
166Lester$8.94309
167Harvey$8.71242
168Washta$8.65206
169Rowley$8.31264
170Fostoria$8.10229
171Lost Nation$8.10425
172Low Moor$8.10242
173Bertram$8.10267
174Grandview$8.10431
175Nichols$8.10317
176Laurel$8.10214
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
187Alvord$7.41216
188Marquette$7.08434
189Columbus City$6.94385
190Donahue$6.83336
191Libertyville$6.60278
192Keswick$6.49238
193Crawfordsville$6.44278
194Holy Cross$5.91348
195Conesville$5.86350
196Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
197Wahpeton$3.19337
198West Okoboji$2.92311
199Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Salix’s general levy is $7.81 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 below the limit.4 699 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.21 · FY26 $8.05 · FY27 $7.81 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $1.82 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.01 · $11,840
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.81 · $9,512

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2,730 of taxable value in Salix is in TIF districts’ increment (0% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6

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$91,48081%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$11,84010%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$9,5128%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Salix’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 39¢ of every dollar39¢Capital Projects: 20¢ of every dollar20¢General Government: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Works: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Debt Service: 5¢ of every dollarEverything else: 2¢ 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 197 Iowa cities closest in size (200–450 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (197)
Business Type / Enterprise39¢38¢
Capital Projects20¢3¢
General Government19¢17¢
Public Works16¢20¢
Debt Service5¢3¢
Everything else2¢8¢

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.

  • General Government$113,79445%
  • Public Works$98,12239%
  • Debt Service$29,91312%
  • Culture and Recreation$8,6323%
  • Community and Economic Development$3000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($228,146 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$103,940$111,106
Public Safety$0$0
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$79,070$82,517
Debt Service$5,032$5,031
Culture and Recreation$10,250$10,265
Community and Economic Development$500$0
Capital Projects$57,769$67,786
Business Type / Enterprise$168,475$154,083

What it spent each year

FY24 left out7

$695,960

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Salix owes

$856,031 at June 30, 2026: $2,902 per resident. 293rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).8

$1.5M
$856,031
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$856,031$2,902
2025$912,062$3,092
2024$785,093$2,661
2023$822,124$2,787
2022$858,155$2,909
2021$893,186$3,028
2020$1.1M$3,584
2019$1.2M$3,903
2018$1.2M$4,230
2017$1.3M$4,399
2016$1.5M$5,023
2015$890,058$3,017
2014$980,390$3,323
2013$1.1M$3,601
2012$1.1M$3,885
2011$49,607$168
2010$274,877$932
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$856,031$2,902
2025$912,062$3,092
2024$785,093$2,661
2023$822,124$2,787
2022$858,155$2,909
2021$893,186$3,028
2020$1.1M$3,584
2019$1.2M$3,903
2018$1.2M$4,230
2017$1.3M$4,399
2016$1.5M$5,023
2015$890,058$3,017
2014$980,390$3,323
2013$1.1M$3,601
2012$1.1M$3,885
2011$49,607$168
2010$274,877$932

Up 211% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Salix’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 Monday, February 12, 2024, by a CPA firm.

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: $31,761 in FY25, down 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 31% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$32,663$30,787$31,564$31,736
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––$630$25

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.

$2,534
  • State grants$2,534100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,145
FY20$2,170
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$2,291
FY24$2,025
FY25$2,534
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$2,145
FY20$2,170
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$2,291
FY24$2,025
FY25$2,534

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−30%$36,062 → $31,736, down 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 30% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−95%$441 → $25, down 94% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 95% 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 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less.

$57,904
$55,514

Federal grants, for comparison: $13,541 in FY25.

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

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Salix; 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.

  • Salix City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Denise Burkhart, Nick Black

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

Kevin Alons (Sen. 7)Jacob Bossman (Rep. 14)

U.S. House:District 4

Woodbury CountyWestwood schools