Minot council adopts 2026 budget first reading, shifts some sales-tax economic funds to property-tax relief and approves multiple actions

The Minot City Council approved the 2026 budget on first reading and agreed to several related measures after an extended public hearing and multiple amendments on Monday, Sept. 15.

With the council's action, the city advanced the budget ordinance to a second reading while also directing staff to prepare changes to the city's sales-tax ordinance that will let the council annually reallocate the portion now dedicated to economic development. Under the council's Sept. 15 direction, the Minot Area Chamber/EDC's contracted funding will remain funded from the sales tax; the remainder of the economic-development allocation will be moved to the general fund this year to offset property-tax pressure. The council also voted to return $2 million to taxpayers this year based on the city auditor's finding of an over-collection in a prior year.

Why it matters: The budget vote followed a lengthy public hearing at which business leaders, educators and dozens of residents urged the council to protect economic-development spending that they say helps the local job base and workforce training. Council members said they balanced that input with concerns about rising property taxes and emergency-service needs, producing a package of changes intended to preserve key economic-development functions while freeing funds this year to reduce property-tax pressure.

What the council decided and why - Budget first reading: After public testimony from a dozen civic and business leaders and more than two hours of staff and council discussion, the council approved the 2026 budget on first reading. Finance Director Dave Lakefield told the council that, if property valuations stay the same, typical owners would see about a 2 percent decrease in tax liability because the proposed mill rate is lower even though total levy dollars are slightly higher. Lakefield said the recommended budget still needed a few targeted adjustments and that the first-reading vote lets the council continue to amend the ordinance before final adoption.

- Sales tax/economic-development allocation: The council directed staff to prepare an ordinance that adds flexibility to the 15 percent…