Dawson County Hospital District (DCHD) board members voted 3-2 Tuesday to increase the preliminary tax rate for the 2021-2022 fiscal year by eight cents amid concerns of a COVID-19 surge and in preparation for an unknown future. Board member Mike Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote after siding with board president Joe Cope and Lonny Ferguson to boost the property tax rate to 48.3629 cents per $100 valuation. Johnson had been absent last week when the other four board members deadlocked with a pair of 2-2 votes on whether to increase the tax rate or keep it the same as last year. “We’ve got ...