County Debt

Debt can crowd out other priorities from the budget. A temporary increase for a good reason is understandable, but constant, high levels of debt put the taxpayer on the hook for more interest payments in the future. County supervisors should pay off debt in a timely manner without taking on additional burdens.

The map below shows each county's population, a three-year history of debt per capita, and state ranking (1 to 99; lowest is best): 

 

For more details about each county's debt, the Iowa State Treasurer website has the total amount of debt, purpose, and maturity date. Select your county in the upper left corner of the website, click GO, and lick on your county's name for more details. 

Below is an example for Mitchell County:

 

Don't like what you see? Start a conversation with your supervisors at itrlocal.org.