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Pine County previews $60M 2026 budget, proposes 2.6% levy increase as residents report steep valuation-driven tax hikes
Summary
County staff outlined a proposed $60 million 2026 budget and a 2.6% preliminary levy increase; officials said higher highway project spending and valuation changes — including new construction — explain much of the rise, while residents reported individual tax jumps of about 30% and asked about tax-forfeiture timelines.
Pine County officials presented a proposed $60 million budget for 2026 and a preliminary 2.6% property tax levy increase at a Truth in Taxation hearing, and answered questions from residents who reported large, valuation-driven tax increases.
Kelly, a county staff presenter, said the county’s budget process began in July with department requests and multiple review meetings; the board adopted the preliminary levy Sept. 16 and will consider the final budget and levy at a Dec. 16 meeting. Kelly noted total county expenditures are projected to rise from about $53 million in 2025 to about $60 million in 2026, driven chiefly by roughly $6.3 million in project-based highway spending tied to a five-year road plan.
The presentation described the county’s fund structure: general government, health and human services, highway, building funds, three debt funds (including a jail bond and a 2017 capital improvement program…
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