At their meeting Sept. 22, the Dodge County Commissioners certified a preliminary budget of $29,350,183 for 2021.

County Administrator Jim Elmquist explained that this preliminary budget includes a total levy of $15,347,854 which represents a two percent increase over 2020.

This preliminary budget will be used to calculate the Truth in Taxation notices to be mailed in November.

If property valuations in the county go up, taxes for property owners would increase more than this. The commissioners have no control over that increase. Property values are based on real estate sales of property during the previous year.

At the final budget hearing in December, the commissioners may reduce the amount of the preliminary levy, but they may not increase it. That meeting is at 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at the board room in the Government Services building at 721 Main St. N., Mantorville. If COVID 19 precautions are still in place, members of the public may attend that public hearing virtually.

The commissioners reviewed each department’s budget requests with the department heads during the past few months.