County Bonding Overview

There are two types of bonding used to fund county projects:

- General County Purpose Bonding
- Essential County Purpose Bonding

General Purposes

The following are examples of projects for which general county purpose bonds can be issued:

• Memorial building or monument
• Purchase and development of land to be managed by a county conservation board
• Building and maintenance of a bridge over state boundary line streams
• Money to help construct toll bridges to other states
• Airports
• Joint city-county owned buildings
• County health center
• County public hospital

Election Process

General county purpose bonds must be submitted to a vote by special election before the bonds may be issued. The Iowa Code sets forth specific language that must be included on the ballot:

“Shall the...