WALKER — After much discussion, Cass County Board of Commissioners approved a preliminary 2026 tax levy increase of 11.98% above the 2025 final levy.

The preliminary increase, set at the board's Tuesday, Sept. 2, meeting, is more than the prior year’s increase of 9.98% but is less than what was recommended by the citizen budget committee.

Chief Financial Officer Becky Toso said the citizen budget committee met Aug. 15 with all commissioners present instead of just the two appointed to the committee. Departmental requests for 2026 totaled $90,367,409, which is an increase of 1.64% over the 2025 adopted budget. With departmental requests and a decrease to the County Program Aid allocation from the state, this resulted in an initial 15.73% increase over the 2025 final levy. After more discu

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