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The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve a 2.4% increase in the county’s tax levy for 2021.

Second District Commissioner Dan Belshan was the sole no vote.

Freeborn County Administrator Tom Jensen said the levy increase was down from the 3% preliminary levy increase passed in September. The reduction of 0.6% in the levy equates to about $140,000.

Jensen said the increase in the levy primarily was because of cost of living adjustments for employees, along with increases in fuel and energy costs and increases in employee health insurance costs. He said half of the $160,000 increase in health insurance costs was passed onto the employees as an increase in premiums, and half was taken on by the county.

The total tax levy approved was about $25.29 million. The board approved the 2021 budget of about $58,440,000 in expenditures.

Look to the Tribune online Wednesday for more from the county board meeting.