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Local taxes › Wright County › Clarion

City

Clarion

Wright County · How cities work

$3,390 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($40.20 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,490 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.74 per $1,000)
$1.7Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$4.5Mcity 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.

  • Daniel HennigarClarion City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dave FlurerClarion City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Elmarie NelClarion City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nick McOlloughClarion City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Rod HeidenClarion Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael EnnisClarion City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Shayne Edward HennigarClarion 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 Clarion

Homes and businesses in most of Clarion pay a combined $40.20 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Wright County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.74. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$39.36$17.90
FY21$40.31$17.90
FY22$41.05$17.76
FY23$41.63$18.94
FY24$41.53$18.57
FY25$41.13$18.05
FY26$40.39$17.76
FY27$40.20$17.74
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$39.36$17.90
FY21$40.31$17.90
FY22$41.05$17.76
FY23$41.63$18.94
FY24$41.53$18.57
FY25$41.13$18.05
FY26$40.39$17.76
FY27$40.20$17.74

Compared with places this size3

Clarion’s city property tax rate of $17.74 per $1,000 is the 14th highest of 77 Iowa cities with 1,800–4,100 people. The middle of the group is $14.10.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Albia: $19.70Sac City: $19.69Eagle Grove: $19.32West Liberty: $18.68Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Tama: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Lamoni: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Marengo: $16.10Postville: $15.68Tipton: $15.54Stuart: $15.48Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Sumner: $14.83Waukon: $14.76Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Monticello: $14.49Jesup: $14.31Osage: $14.29Parkersburg: $14.15Ida Grove: $14.10Lake Mills: $13.82Rock Valley: $13.76Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62New Hampton: $13.44Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Garner: $12.86Bellevue: $12.67Milford: $12.57New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Atkins: $11.99Hull: $11.79Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Solon: $11.53Northwood: $11.28Williamsburg: $11.11Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Kalona: $10.37West Burlington: $10.15Peosta: $9.82Robins: $9.68Epworth: $9.42Fairfax: $8.10Clarion: $17.74$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 77
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Albia$19.703,579
8Sac City$19.691,992
9Eagle Grove$19.323,615
10West Liberty$18.683,724
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Tama$17.742,997
14Clarion$17.742,751
15Britt$17.722,001
16Missouri Valley$17.682,638
17Madrid$16.932,824
18West Union$16.602,435
19Audubon$16.522,008
20Grundy Center$16.362,821
21Belle Plaine$16.342,335
22Colfax$16.252,305
23Lamoni$16.152,072
24Cresco$16.133,890
25Marengo$16.102,415
26Postville$15.682,418
27Tipton$15.543,059
28Stuart$15.481,887
29Granger$15.222,095
30Sigourney$15.201,974
31Sumner$14.832,032
32Waukon$14.763,799
33Van Meter$14.601,840
34Rock Rapids$14.572,709
35Monticello$14.494,095
36Jesup$14.312,541
37Osage$14.293,559
38Parkersburg$14.151,986
39Ida Grove$14.101,988
40Lake Mills$13.822,077
41Rock Valley$13.764,024
42Emmetsburg$13.703,632
43Wilton$13.622,914
44New Hampton$13.443,433
45Wapello$13.292,026
46Hudson$13.192,916
47Center Point$13.192,578
48Greenfield$13.131,988
49Hawarden$13.022,630
50Garner$12.863,049
51Bellevue$12.672,321
52Milford$12.573,258
53New London$12.561,853
54Lisbon$12.502,238
55Dallas Center$12.421,993
56Onawa$12.322,795
57Monroe$12.282,021
58Denver$12.271,955
59Alta$12.132,039
60Atkins$11.992,168
61Hull$11.792,459
62Cascade$11.642,396
63West Branch$11.632,876
64Mitchellville$11.542,686
65Solon$11.533,284
66Northwood$11.282,047
67Williamsburg$11.113,380
68Ely$11.082,371
69Ogden$10.991,970
70Carter Lake$10.673,752
71Story City$10.393,439
72Kalona$10.372,762
73West Burlington$10.153,249
74Peosta$9.822,195
75Robins$9.683,362
76Epworth$9.422,042
77Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Clarion’s general levy is $7.97 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.13 below the limit.4 462 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.97 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $9.77 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$5.86 · $552,208
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.41 · $132,933
  • Debt Service Levy$1.27 · $141,737
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$1.16 · $109,284
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$0.07 · $6,410

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$20.3M of taxable value in Clarion is in TIF districts’ increment (17% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $643,850 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$548,131
$467,473

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 $334,727 of the city’s own.

  • Wright County$135,801
YearTIF revenue
FY16$548,131
FY17$441,767
FY18$543,263
FY19$496,257
FY20$439,730
FY21$412,855
FY22$401,507
FY23$467,473
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$548,131
FY17$441,767
FY18$543,263
FY19$496,257
FY20$439,730
FY21$412,855
FY22$401,507
FY23$467,473

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$750,43444%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$552,20833%
  • Debt Service Levy$141,7378%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$132,9338%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$109,2846%
  • Opr & Maint publicly owned Transit$6,4100%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Clarion’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 67¢ of every dollar67¢Public Safety: 9¢ of every dollar9¢General Government: 6¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 4¢ of every dollarPublic Works: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 9¢ of every dollar9¢

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 76 Iowa cities closest in size (1,800–4,100 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (76)
Business Type / Enterprise67¢38¢
Public Safety9¢12¢
General Government6¢5¢
Debt Service4¢8¢
Public Works4¢10¢
Everything else9¢27¢

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$1.5M32%
  • General Government$817,90918%
  • Public Works$592,26013%
  • Debt Service$572,60613%
  • Culture and Recreation$528,43212%
  • Community and Economic Development$289,5936%
  • Capital Projects$266,5006%
  • Health and Social Services$24,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($9.7M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$545,271$556,640
Public Safety$1.0M$1.0M
Health and Social Services$5,200$0
General Government$767,230$747,269
Debt Service$647,010$828,490
Culture and Recreation$480,656$561,312
Community and Economic Development$240,578$55,732
Capital Projects$3.2M$3.0M
Business Type / Enterprise$10.0M$2.8M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$13.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Clarion owes

$21.6M at June 30, 2026: $7,702 per resident. 44th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$22.2M
$21.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$21.6M$7,702
2025$22.2M$7,883
2024$18.2M$6,480
2023$12.8M$4,550
2022$10.1M$3,585
2021$10.8M$3,851
2020$10.5M$3,753
2019$10.6M$3,777
2018$11.1M$3,962
2017$11.2M$3,974
2016$10.4M$3,685
2015$5.7M$2,035
2014$6.5M$2,316
2013$4.6M$1,638
2012$4.4M$1,569
2011$5.1M$1,808
2010$5.7M$2,030
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$21.6M$7,702
2025$22.2M$7,883
2024$18.2M$6,480
2023$12.8M$4,550
2022$10.1M$3,585
2021$10.8M$3,851
2020$10.5M$3,753
2019$10.6M$3,777
2018$11.1M$3,962
2017$11.2M$3,974
2016$10.4M$3,685
2015$5.7M$2,035
2014$6.5M$2,316
2013$4.6M$1,638
2012$4.4M$1,569
2011$5.1M$1,808
2010$5.7M$2,030

Up 279% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $3.0M, 31% of the limit of about $9.7M (5% of $194.4M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

9 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue Bonds2024A WTP Water Revenue Loan Agreement & Note2063$7.5M
Revenue Bonds2024B WTP Water Revenue Loan Agreement & Note2063$4.9M
Revenue Bonds2015 Wastewater Treatment Plant Construction2046$4.7M
General Obligation2014B GO Annual Approp Corp purpose bonds2032$1.2M
General Obligation2022A Taxable GO Urban Renewal Bonds Daycare2040$1.2M
Revenue Bonds2020-2 Water Rev Bond, (Water Main)2050$874,000
Revenue Bonds2020-1 Water Rev, (Well)2050$697,000
General Obligation2022B GO Corporate Purpose Bonds Aspen DR2033$454,000
General Obligation2009A Build America Bonds Ambulance/Police Building2028$130,000

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. Clarion’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, December 2, 2025, by a CPA firm.

17 earlier reports for Clarion

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: $40,924 in FY25, down 89% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 91% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)–$386,687––
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$57,294$49,109$40,924

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.

$460,523
$306,830
  • Other$200,37665%
  • State grants$106,45435%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$4,295
FY20$8,663
FY21$1,175
FY22$5,455
FY23$460,523
FY24$95,823
FY25$306,830
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$4,295
FY20$8,663
FY21$1,175
FY22$5,455
FY23$460,523
FY24$95,823
FY25$306,830

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 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 18% less.

$429,970
$422,957

Federal grants, for comparison: $476,074 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

Community college new jobs training: 3 contracts since 2006 worth $1.1M, for 139 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 · 3

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Clarion; 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.

  • Clarion City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Michael Ennis, Shayne Edward Hennigar

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

Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Mark I. Thompson (Rep. 56)

U.S. House:District 4

Wright CountyClarion-Goldfield schoolsClarion-Goldfield-Dows (Clarion-Goldfield) schools