MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight will hold a public hearing on the proposed property tax levy for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget which begins on July 1st.
Notices were sent out to property owners recently about the hearing. Mayor Bill Schickel says those notices are deceiving because of the way the state makes cities and counties use a generic form which can make it look like there’s a double-digit increase in your property taxes when there is not. “We were required by the legislature by state law to send out a statement, and it indicates that there’s been a 10% increase in your property taxes, which is false, that is not correct. The average increase in Mason City is 0.8%. I just want you to rest assured that the city is being very fiscally responsible that way. In fact, the average increase in our budget has been less than 2% for the last ten years. So property taxes in Mason City have been stable.”
Schickel says the city sent out another mailing to try to clear up the facts and understands that people are concerned about property taxes. “Because let’s face it, property taxes are one of the largest bills that some homeowners face, and keeping property taxes low is a priority in Mason City. We are a top ten comparable sized city, we’re the lowest, and we plan to continue to be so.”
Tonight’s hearing takes place in the Mason City Room of the Public Library starting at 7 o’clock. After the hearing, the council will set the date for the public hearing for next month on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
