Research

The League research provides local leaders information and data resources to help them address current issues and most effectively lead their communities forward.

Resources

HF 2552, passed during the 2022 Legislative Session, converted the previous BPTC into a permanent and automatic rollback reduction on the first…

Property taxes play a significant role in municipal government as the primary funding source for city budgets. Check out a variety of special reports regarding this topic.

City Levy Rates SF 2442 changes the calculation of the Combined General Fund Levy (CGFL), created by the state legislature in 2023,…

HF 718 and SF 2442 Analysis *Important Disclaimer: the HF 718 and SF 2442 analysis on this page is our current “unofficial”…

What is the census data used for? Census data is used annually to distribute more than $1.5 trillion in federal funds. Nearly…

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a tool cities can use to enhance a wide range of development efforts. After establishing a TIF…

Cities that have active Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts must do a range of filings or reports each year, and below are various…

​2021 MFPRSI Update now available. City employees receive retirement benefits from one of two state-sponsored systems. Most city employees (and elected officials…

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 established the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) which provided $350 billion…

Iowa State University Outreach & Extension Partnership

The League partners with the Iowa State University Extension & Outreach’s Community & Economic Development Program (CED). Two staff members share responsibilities between the League and CED, and this partnership brings an abundance of mutual benefits. Some of the collaborative projects are featured below.

City Outstanding Debt Obligation Report

Each city with recorded debt obligation has its own report, and in each report there is a breakdown of their local debt, comparison to a peer group of by population range, and comparison to the statewide average. Once you land on ISU’s webpage, it’s the fourth item on the page.

City Annual Fiscal Conditions Reports

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has released its updated City Annual Fiscal Conditions Reports​ through its Iowa Government Finance Initiative. An important aspect of this program is to provide Iowa cities with the annual fiscal condition and trends reports that track their financial performance over time.

Surveys

Are you curious about public utility rates for water, wastewater and stormwater utilities? Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) recently funded a project to…

We asked our members about the League’s services, check out their responses in our membership survey.

In November 2022, the League surveyed mayors to learn about their perspectives and observations on economic conditions. Many survey questions were open-ended;…

In August 2022, the League conducted a Civility Survey, to help us understand and communicate the current environment and related civility strategies…

Grants

The League received a three-year grant sub-award as a part of the Rural Shrink Smart project, led by Iowa State University and funded by the National Science Foundation. This grant explores small and shrinking rural communities in Iowa that have been able to protect the quality of life and community services for their residents even as they lose population. The League serves as the grant’s “Community Partner.”

Latest Publications

Check out what’s new.

Published April 12, 2024

We asked our members about the League’s services, check out their responses in our membership survey.

Published April 12, 2024

Property taxes play a significant role in municipal government as the primary funding source for city budgets. Check out a variety of special reports regarding this topic.

Published November 7, 2023

This publication is designed to assist cities begin their annual budget process. Learn about revenues, expenditures, legislation and other budget issues.

IOWA League