(Cass Co.) The Cass County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing this morning on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 – 2027 tax levy.
Auditor Kathy Somers explained that the county has four regular levies. The General Basic levy applies to everyone in the county. The General Supplemental levy allows the county to tax for employee benefits, including FICA, IPERS, and health insurance. The Rural Basic levy is paid only by residents who live outside of city limits. Finally, the Rural Supplemental levy can only be used to fund deputies who patrol rural areas and secondary roads FICA and IPERS costs.
Regarding the Debt Service Levy, Somers said it is tied to the cost of building a communications tower as part of connecting to the statewide system.
Overall, there is a slight increase in the General Supplemental levy, while the others are decreasing. Somers said it is important to keep in mind that these figures reflect only the county’s levies; what you will actually end up paying includes all taxing entities, such as the city, county, school district, ag extension, and hospital.
The board heard from one individual during the hearing who asked the county to be cautious about raising taxes.
Following the hearing, in a separate special meeting, the Supervisors set the date and time for the public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14.
