The Fort Dodge city government would spend about $95 million during 2026-2027 under a proposed budget being crafted by local leaders.

That budget includes a proposed property tax rate of $20.89 per $1,000 of taxable value.

Those figures were presented to the City Council Monday evening by City Manager David Fierke.

Fierke also presented his plan for erasing a projected $478,171 deficit in the general fund, which is the property tax supported account which pays for police and fire protection, recreation, the Fort Dodge Public Library, Fort Dodge Regional Airport, the Blanden Memorial Art Museum and many other government functions.

His plan includes $374,980 in cuts and $166,469 in revenue increases.

Still to be resolved are the final finances for the Dodger Area Rapid Transit bus service.

The $20.89 proposed property tax rate includes a 14 cent increase to support DART, but a few council members said they would like to see that whittled down before the budget is finally approved.

The budget the local leaders are working on is for the fiscal year that begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2027. But state law requires cities to have their budgets done months before the new fiscal year starts.

The proposed $95 million budget represents a decrease from the current $115 million budget.

Reallocating some salaries is key to Fierke’s plan for eliminating the general fund deficit.

Money for his salary and the salaries of Assistant City Manager Ryan Maehl, Finance Director Jeff Nemmers and City Clerk Dawn Siebken is drawn from many accounts because their work oversees or impacts multiple departments. Currently 40 percent of that salary money comes from the general fund. Fierke has proposed taking 32 percent of that money from the general fund and drawing the rest from the utility accounts such as water, sanitary sewer and sanitation.

Other elements of the proposal include:

• Controlling overtime in the police and fire departments.

• Combining two positions into one in the Development Services Department.

• Retaining a position at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course at part-time status instead of making it full-time.

• Cutting $5,000 from the budget for hiring human resources consultants.

On the revenue side, the plan revises upward estimates for interest income, property tax relief backfill money from the state, rent income at Fort Dodge Regional Airport, fines generated by the speed camera cars, and revenue from Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex.

The current city property tax rate is $20.75 per $1,000 of taxable value.

A proposed 14 cent increase to support DART resulted in the tentative new rate of $20.89.

The portion of the property tax levy that supports DART has been 33 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for many years.

Stacy Lentsch, the executive director of MIDAS Council of Governments, which operates the bus service for the city, told the council Monday that the increase would enable DART to break even in the next fiscal year.

Councilman Terry Moehnke said it would make more sense to balance the budget with those who use the transit service rather than coming to the city.

Councilman Cameron Nelson said he wants to work to reduce the property tax rate increase. He said he does not want to “set it and forget it.”