Minneapolis Park Board presents 2026 budget prioritizing maintenance, stormwater and new revenue

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on Oct. 16 presented a recommended 2026 budget that emphasizes maintaining existing amenities, advancing stormwater management and generating new revenue to reduce reliance on property taxes.

Kathy Abeni, president of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, introduced the plan and said the board and staff had worked with the mayor's office and the Board of Estimate and Taxation to shape the proposal. "This is a budget to be proud of," Abeni said, noting the package supports the final year of the board’s 2023–2026 strategic directions.

The budget narrative presented by Superintendent Al Bangorra and Finance Director Julie Weissman outlined several near-term and structural priorities. The board highlighted completed and in-progress projects including the river hub at Graco Park, the Upper Harbor Park (a 20‑acre regional park), and construction on North Commons Park. "Each of these transformative projects is located in a historically underserved area," Bangorra said, and were described as funded through a combination of strategic investments and partnerships.

Weissman summarized key fiscal moves: an increase in parkway repair funding from $750,000 to more than $3,000,000 by 2026; an established stormwater utility charge that increases stormwater funding from about $824,000 to roughly $1,700,000 in 2026; and formation of an endowment with the Minneapolis Parks Foundation for historic infrastructure and natural resource management. She said the park board began the budget development from its 2026 biennial baseline, faced a projected deficit of more than $6 million at the start of the process, and balanced the recommendation using new revenue ideas, holding some vacancies, eliminating other vacant positions, and fee increases in categories such as childcare, golf and parking.

The presentation noted the tax levy was set at 6.11% on Sept. 17; because the board recommended reducing the property tax collection rate from 98.5% to 98% the effective tax increase was described as about 5.6%. Weissman said the general fund still relies on property taxes for roughly 81% of its revenue and that local government aid had not increased since 2024.

On program specifics, Weissman said the recommended budget restores cuts to ice-rink operations by replacing water-body rinks with on‑land rinks at Powderhorn and Weber parks and restores operations lost in 2025. She also said the board would hold three youth program specialist positions vacant in 2026 until property tax allocations fully reach their planned level in 2027. "Those three positions are still held in 2026, but they plan to be hired in '27 when we have the full property tax," Weissman said. Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Ringle clarified that the Uptown Mall item referenced by Council Member Chavez is part of the capital program and would be addressed during the capital budget presentation on Oct. 27.

To diversify revenue, the board proposed a sponsorship program, a mobile beer‑garden pilot modeled on similar programs in other cities, paid parking at Nieman Sports Complex, expanded event parking transfers to the general fund, expanded sand‑volleyball facilities and youth athletic development camps, and use of a contracted visitor‑data service (Placer.ai) to inform decisions. The enterprise fund was noted as self‑supporting; Weissman said enterprise revenues do not fully cover increases in enterprise expenses in 2026 and the board plans to use about $350,000 of reserves for Columbia Golf Course renovations.

On environmental stewardship, Weissman highlighted the park system's participation in XL Solar and that a recently opened river hub building was operating at net‑zero carbon. The recommended budget also includes stormwater planning into 2027–28 and proposes the park board’s first stormwater capital improvement program in coordination with city public works.

Council members pressed staff on implementation details. Council Member Chavez asked about the Uptown Mall $300,000 item; Weissman deferred to the capital budget presentation. Chavez also sought details about whether the budget reflected changes to address workplace culture after last year’s strike; Deputy Superintendent Ringle said the recommended budget “supports fully all of the negotiated and approved contracts” and described internal culture work, trainings and events such as a staff rodeo. Council Member Cashman asked whether Lake of the Isles and other rinks would operate; Weissman said ice‑rink operations are fully funded and will open as scheduled.

Weissman said detailed budget documents and line‑item changes are available online at minneapolisparks.org/budget and that the park board will hold board hearings Nov. 5 and Nov. 19, with potential committee adoption Dec. 3 and City Council action Dec. 9. "We are available for questions," Weissman concluded.

Ending: The presentation framed the 2026 recommendation as a mixture of restored operations, strategic new revenue efforts and multi‑year investments in stormwater and parkway repairs. The Park and Recreation Board and city council budget committee left several policy or implementation items—capital project specifics, visitor‑data protocols, and details on sponsorship policies—to follow‑up or to the upcoming capital budget sessions.