MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City this week approved the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget that begins on July 1st.
Mayor Bill Schickel says the final budget reduces the city’s tax rate slightly while maintaining all fund balances within the city’s adopted financial policies. “The budget’s about a $100 million budget, and it’s just going to pay for a lot of the ordinary things you see, but police, fire protection, a good percentage of it. We’ve got major upgrades on the Fire Department and Police Department. Better equipment for the police officers, a better work area, along with some newer technology. This is really important. Those are the kind of things your money goes into, your property tax money, your local option sales tax money.”
Schickel says there’s many other improvements that will be done in the next fiscal year. “You know the water plant, wastewater treatment plant, substantial upgrades there. Some underground utility work. Not to mention our recreation, our trails, our parks, and expansion there that is really giving us a reputation as the outdoor recreation capitol of the Midwest.”
The city’s tax rate for Fiscal Year 2026 will be just under $13.98 per $1000 taxable valuation.
