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Metropolitan Council adopts 2026 unified budget, approves housing and transit contracts
Summary
The Metropolitan Council on Dec. 3 approved its 2026 unified budget and property tax levies, awarded $3 million in Livable Communities homeownership grants, and authorized multiple transit contracts and amendments, including a subordinate funding agreement with MnDOT and a construction-management amendment for the Green Line Extension.
The Metropolitan Council adopted resolutions approving its 2026 unified budget and the 2025-payable-2026 property tax levies after a roll-call vote during its Dec. 3 meeting in St. Paul.
Ned Smith, the council's chief financial officer, told members the final budget contains no changes from the public-comment draft approved in October and that the council is keeping its property-levy increase limit at 2%. "The short answer is there have been no changes," Smith said during a brief presentation before the vote. He said updated motor-vehicle sales and regional transportation sales tax forecasts issued in November will be incorporated via a budget amendment in early 2026.
The vote followed a public comment period during which two small business owners raised concerns about property-tax increases and the cost of planned transit projects, including the Bronze Line. Council staff invited those speakers to provide contact information so staff could follow up with more detailed answers.
Votes at a glance
- Business item 2025-279 — Adoption of the Metropolitan Council's 2026 unified budget and the 2025-payable-2026 property tax levies: motion moved by Council Member Johnson and adopted by roll call (chair announced the motion carries).
- Business item 2025-297 — Livable Communities Demonstration Account affordable homeownership grants: motion to award $3,000,000 to six projects (expected to create 55 homeownership opportunities for households at or below 80% AMI) was moved by Council Member Lou McGrin and carried by voice vote.
- Transportation business item (subordinate funding agreement with Minnesota Department of Transportation): authorized to negotiate and execute an SFA not to exceed $2,574,957.32 to reimburse MnDOT for professional service costs for Blue Line Extension staffing in 2026; motion carried by voice vote.
- Business item 2025-301 — Contract amendment with Kimley Horn and Associates Inc. for Metro Green Line Extension construction-management support: amendment adds $2,694,772.57 for a total contract not to exceed $26,229,825.55; motion carried by voice vote.
Other governance actions approved by voice vote included updates to the audit committee charter and audit policy RF-5-1 and an amendment to council committee assignments effective Dec. 4, 2025.
What happens next
Smith said the council will issue a budget amendment in January to incorporate the new November revenue forecasts and will publish updated forecasts again in early March. Council members asked that detailed forecasts and the invest numbers be shared with the full council once available.
Provenance: Topic coverage begins with council business item presentations on housing and transportation (SEG 446) and continues through the budget presentation, motion, roll-call, and announcement of the vote (SEG 2707).
