St. Louis Park sets preliminary 2026 levy, council asks staff to seek reductions before final vote

St. Louis Park — On Sept. 15 the St. Louis Park City Council adopted a preliminary 2026 property-tax levy that sets the maximum city portion of property taxes for next year and approved related HRA and Economic Development Authority (EDA) levies.

Amelia Kruger, finance director, told the council the package before them included a proposed overall levy increase of about 8.02% and specific levies for the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and the Economic Development Authority. “Does council support the HRA levy of $1,194,133 to support the affordable housing trust fund, and does council support an EDA levy of $375,000 to support ongoing spending in the development fund?” Kruger asked.

The question matters for residents because Hennepin County will use the preliminary levy to prepare mid-November property-tax estimates that households receive with a notice of the December truth-in-taxation hearing. Council members and staff repeatedly told the public that the preliminary levy is the maximum the city can certify in September; council can lower the levy before final adoption but cannot increase it after tonight.

Kruger and staff laid out the budget rationale: the general fund accounts for the largest share of property-tax levies and faces upward…