Voters in this year’s city-school elections will determine the fate of 56 bond proposals that would raise a total of $1.7 billion to build or renovate public facilities like schools, fire stations, swimming pools and libraries. That calculation comes from the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. The group asked Iowa’s 99 county auditors for information about this year’s city-state elections.
Eleven of this year’s bonding proposals are the same or similar to previous plans which got majority support from local voters, but missed the required 60 percent approval in the 2023 or 2024 elections. The largest bonding proposals are for schools and athletic facilities in the Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and West Des Moines School Districts. See the list of 56 bonding proposals on Iowa’s 2025 General Election ballots below.
In addition, voters in a few counties will also decide whether to raise local property taxes to finance ambulance services. Bruce Musgrave is EMS director in Calhoun County, where voters are considering an EMS tax. “This would guarantee that when you pick up the phone and call 911, that you would get an ambulance service to be available and respond to you and to your needs,” Musgrave said. “The statement that we are sharing right now: ‘The day that you need an ambulance, it will be too late to vote for one.'”
Calhoun County has five ambulances operating today, but Musgrave said the one that serves the Manson area is 27 years old. “The average life expectancy of an ambulance is 8-10 years,” he said. “Not to mention, it is of the older age, so we can’t do certain updates to the ambulance to stay current.”
Musgrave said besides equipment, Calhoun County’s EMS agencies would be able to use the funds raised to recruit and retain staff. “Cost — that’s been a big driver for people that can’t afford to go to school, so we’d be able to help with that,” Musgrave said, “and therefore that would allow us to have more personnel, both on the paid and the volunteer side of things.”
In 2022, nearly 59% of Calhoun County voters supported an EMS property tax levy, but it failed because it needed 60% support. Buchanan, Clay and Washington County voters are also deciding whether EMS is an essential service that should directly get a constant slice of local property tax revenue. EMS referendums already have passed in 21 counties.
Here is the list of bonding referendums compiled by Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation:
AGWSR Community School District: $12,765,000 to remodel high school science and family/consumer science classrooms; update HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing; build a multipurpose activities/recess facility; add a bus barn.
Ankeny Community School District: $130,000,000 to build an Innovation Center at Northview Middle School; add an athletic center and fine arts addition at the high school; remodel the high school to increase capacity with more science classrooms; improve baseball/softball fields and Ankeny Stadium.
Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District: $16,300,000 to add secure entrances and remodel buildings with HVAC, electrical, and mechanical upgrades.
Atlantic Community School District: $22,500,000 to add classrooms at elementary and high schools; build a secure entrance, skybridge, and commons; remodel high school areas.
Atlantic Community School District: (Revenue Bond) $18,500,000 to build a new multipurpose indoor practice facility/fieldhouse at the high school.
Bedford Community School District: $11,500,000 to build a competition gym and add a loading dock to the existing K-12 facility.
Belle Plaine Community School District: $7,950,000 to expand elementary with a cafeteria, entrance, and storage areas; add a gym with walking track, weight room, concessions, and related spaces at the secondary building.
Cedar Rapids Community School District: $117,000,000 for renovations and improvements to McKinley, Wilson (convert to elementary), and Roosevelt middle schools, and add Freshman Academy and expand commons and kitchen at Kennedy high school.
Central City Community School District: $7,000,000 for a new secure entrance for the elementary school and remodeling or repairs to elementary, middle, high school, multipurpose, and preschool buildings.
Charles City Community School District: $30,000,000 to reconstruct parts of the high school to meet safety, security, building code, and ADA requirements; complete other renovations.
City of Alta: $12,500,000 to build a new municipal library.
City of Ames: $10,500,000 to build a new fire station to replace the existing Fire Station #2.
City of Bettendorf: $27,000,000 to build a new police station.
City of Camanche: $4,200,000 to expand and renovate the municipal library.
City of Decorah: $1,300,000 to renovate and make structural improvements to the municipal library.
City of Decorah: $18,880,000 to construct or expand municipal buildings for fire, city hall, and/or parks and recreation.City of Greenfield: $1,000,000 to build a new municipal swimming pool.
City of Le Mars: $16,000,000 to build a new municipal firehouse.
City of Monroe: $1,450,000 to build or remodel City Hall and the Police Department.
City of Riverside: $8,000,000 to build a new community center/fitness facility.
Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District: $88,000,000 to add to high school, middle school, and elementary buildings; upgrade safety and security systems; improve playgrounds; renovate Oak View athletic facility; add new building and parking.
Dallas County: $60,300,000 to design and build a new criminal court building.
Des Moines Independent Community School District: $265,000,000 to build and remodel schools across the district to expand career and technical education, add preschool capacity, and reduce class sizes.
Dubuque Community School District: $70,000,000 to build a new middle school (with revenue bonds) and demolish the old one.
East Marshall Community School District: $19,800,000 to add gyms, classrooms, restrooms, district offices, and HVAC improvements to school buildings.
Easton Valley Community School District: $6,950,000 to build a new high school gym and locker room; remodel corridors, restrooms, and other facilities.
Emmetsburg Community School District: $25,620,000 to build a new elementary school (with revenue bonds); demolish part of existing school and improve the remaining portion.
Fairfield Community School District: $39,500,000 to build a new middle school.
Fort Dodge Community School District: $42,040,000 to remodel the senior high school: demolish current weight room and garages; build a new Fine Arts building with restrooms and weight room; update and renovate the pool.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District: $17,300,000 to build a classroom addition to the junior high/high school.
Hinton Community School District: $8,900,000 to add classrooms to the PK-3 elementary school; remodel middle and high school buildings.
I-35 Community School District: $12,800,000 to reconfigure academic spaces; upgrade HVAC, mechanical systems, and exterior; build a new stadium, track, and parking; demolish existing stadium/track; build a new access road for the campus.
IKM-Manning Community School District: $19,800,000 to add classrooms, secure entrances, common areas, HVAC, and track and field improvements to the 4-12 building.
Independence Community School District: $34,710,000 to build additions to East and West Elementary Schools, including demolition and reconstruction.
Iowa Central Community College: $35,000,000 to build new facilities for education and workforce training.
Iowa Western Community College: $55,000,000 to build a new Career and Technical Education facility (automotive/diesel mechanic, CDL, logistics); expand existing buildings for HVAC, plumbing, welding, electrical, and construction technology.
Knoxville Community School District: $12,400,000 to build a new elementary school on the Veterans District site.
Lawton-Bronson Community School District: $13,500,000 to add to the junior high/high school, including auditorium, band/choir room, wrestling room, and classrooms.
Louisa Muscatine Community School District: $8,895,000 to build an addition to the junior/senior high school for a competition gym, locker rooms, and related spaces.
Mediapolis Community School District: $8,550,000 to build a career and technical education center and greenhouse; remodel the practice field and entryway; upgrade parking.
Montezuma Community School District: $6,250,000 to remodel school building (roof, locker rooms, classrooms, restrooms); build new track concessions, restrooms, softball field, and playground.
Murray Community School District: $2,700,000 to build a classroom addition and remodel the existing school with improvements.
North Cedar Community School District: $18,900,000 t build a new gymnasium/auditorium addition; demolish and rebuild part of the elementary school.
Northeast Community School District: $13,500,000 to build and equip new Career and Technical Education spaces at the middle/high school; remodel with HVAC, electrical, fire alarm, restroom, and strength/conditioning upgrades.
Panorama Community School District: $19,600,000 to build a competition gym; add classrooms, secure entrances, and common areas to elementary and secondary schools; upgrade roofing and playgrounds.
Sac County: $12,500,000 to build a new county jail and updated law enforcement facility.
Sergeant Bluff-Lufton Community School District: $37,000,000 to build a new primary school building.
Sigourney Community School District: $9,900,000 to remodel junior/senior high school with HVAC, fire alarm, plumbing, and security upgrades.
South Winneshiek Community School District: $13,000,000 to add classrooms, cafeteria, modern library/learning center, and competition gym to high school (with revenue bonds); remove older part of school; convert weight room to STEAM classroom; add new main entrance.
Southeast Polk Community School District: $51,000,000 to build a new elementary school; remodel junior high; improve playgrounds at all elementary schools.
Starmont Community School District: $9,800,000 to upgrade HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems in the school.
Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District: $16,250,000 to add to high school and middle school buildings (with revenue bonds), including HVAC, playground, and parking; demolish an elementary school.
Union Community School District: $18,500,000 to improve mechanical and fire alarm systems at the elementary school; remodel portions of the high school and middle school; add to the high school; build a bus barn.
West Des Moines Community School District: $135,000,000 to build a new multipurpose student activities facility; improve playgrounds; build a mid-size auditorium; add new track and field; upgrade technology at performing arts center; build band/equipment storage at Valley Stadium.
West Marshall Community School District: $14,000,000 to add new K-5 classrooms to the elementary school (with revenue bonds); demolish existing grades 4-5 building; add connection between middle and high schools; build a career/technical classroom.
Williamsburg Community School District: $7,945,000 to expand junior/senior high school for industrial technology, agriculture, and family/consumer science programs; remodel portions of existing buildings; improve parking.