Atlantic, IA —The Cass County Health System Board of Trustees voted on February 17, 2021, to set a tax rate of $2.25 per $1,000 of taxable property valuation for the fiscal year 2022 county budget. The current rate is $2.30, and the previous year was $2.50. CCHS Chief Financial Officer Abbey Stangl says “Year after year, our board continues to decrease our tax rate as part of our commitment to the residents of Cass County. They are attentive to being good stewards of taxpayer funds. Seeing the health and future projections of our organization, they did what’s right for us and our community by lowering the rate. It’s always a balance, and we appreciate their thoughtfulness and research into this matter every year.”

The board of trustees considers a number of metrics when setting the tax rate including the continued downward trend in healthcare reimbursement, dedication to managing operating expenses, offering competitive costs, and employee engagement and retention.

CCHS CEO Brett Altman praised the board for their decision saying, “Our goal is to provide a superior experience to our patients, families, and communities, and our vision is to become the best rural hospital in America. Part of that process and growth is being supportive of our community because we wouldn’t be here without the loyalty of our patients. This relationship is very reciprocal – the more our community chooses to keep their healthcare local, the more we can invest in the future of healthcare in Cass County, and the more we can lower our tax asking each year.”