Orono board certifies $22.9 million levy for 2026; board says overall levy falls from prior year

Orono Public School District — The Orono Public School District Board on Dec. 8 certified a final 2025 (payable 2026) property tax levy of $22,921,281 after a statutorily required Truth in Taxation hearing, a roll-call vote that passed unanimously.

The hearing included a presentation from Nick Tainter, director of business services, who reviewed district budget mechanics and said the district’s levy decreased from the prior year in part because indoor air quality projects funded with levy proceeds were completed. "We can always levy less than what we had proposed, but no more than the amount certified in the proposed levy in September," Tainter told the board while explaining constraints in the certification process.

Tainter said the district’s revenue mix is heavily enrollment-driven: roughly 64% of district revenues come from state aids and about 30% from property taxes. He explained that levies fund multiple restricted funds — the general fund, the community service fund and debt service (including OPEB) — and described the technical requirement that debt-service levies reflect bond principal and interest obligations.

The board opened the meeting for public comment as required; no members of the public spoke. The motion to approve and certify the levy was made, seconded and approved by roll-call vote. Meeting minutes and the board’s action state the final levy amount as $22,921,281.

Next steps: the district clerk will certify the amount to the Hennepin County auditor as required by statute. The board also noted informational items including December enrollment and scheduled its next regular meeting for Jan. 12, 2026.