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Koochiching County keeps 2018 split of Great Northern Transmission Line tax revenue for small cities
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Summary
The board voted to continue the 25% small‑city allocation of Great Northern Transmission Line tax revenue, with 23% apportioned among four small cities and 8% to the City of Mispah, and to review the appropriation annually. Commissioners noted amounts vary with state assessments.
Koochiching County commissioners on July 8 voted to continue the 2018 formula that allocates 25% of property tax revenue generated by the Great Northern Transmission Line (GNTL) to small cities along the line and retain 75% for the county.
Under the motion approved by the board, 23% of the GNTL small‑city share will be apportioned among Big Falls, Little Port, North Home and Rainier and 8% will go to the City of Mispah; the board directed that the appropriation be reviewed annually as part of the budget process. A county staff presenter told commissioners that amounts can fluctuate year to year because the state’s assessment of utility property determines the tax revenue collected.
County staff provided example amounts for the current cycle: Mispah (listed in the agenda packet) was $28,716 and Rainier $82,558; the other small cities were described as representing significant sums for those municipalities’ small budgets. Commissioners discussed that the allocation could be changed in future budgets, but that shifting more of the GNTL revenue to county coffers would reduce the small cities’ locally available funds.
The motion to continue the 2018 allocation passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: the GNTL payments are a material revenue source for several small Koochiching municipalities; retaining the 2018 split preserves those transfers this budget cycle and leaves the door open for future change through the annual budget process.
