Lake Forest Park council approves 24¢ levy lid lift on Nov. 4 ballot after debate and amendment capping annual CPI increases at 5%

The Lake Forest Park City Council voted to place a temporary property-tax levy lid lift on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot, authorizing an additional 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation beginning with collection in 2026 and limited so future annual increases tied to the CPI-U will not exceed 5 percent. The council approved the measure after lengthy discussion of the city’s general fund, staffing and public-safety costs; a roll-call was taken and the motion was recorded in the meeting transcript as passing.

City Administrator Hill told the council that, without voter approval, the city may raise revenues by only 1 percent annually under state law: "without a vote of approval by LFP residents, you are limited as a council to a 1% increase in your revenues," she said. Hill outlined a series of cost pressures cited by the administration — a $284,000 annual increase for 9-1-1 dispatch after the prior provider withdrew, rising jail costs, and higher insurance premiums — and said public safety accounts for about 34 percent of the city’s budget.

The measure as drafted would authorize a temporary levy lid lift of 24 cents per $1,000 and, if approved by voters, would set a new levy rate for the city beginning in 2026. During deliberations council members and staff used modeling spreadsheets to show how different levy amounts and…