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Stearns County commissioners press for levy limits, county representation on regional airport authority
Summary
Stearns County commissioners discussed governance and taxing authority for a regional airport authority, urging limits on property tax levies and exploring county representation (voting or liaison) on the authority’s board; staff recommended gathering consensus before pursuing changes that would require amending the authority’s enabling resolution.
Stearns County commissioners spent a lengthy portion of their Dec. 2 meeting discussing governance and taxing authority for a regional airport authority shared by multiple jurisdictions.
County staff presented a memo summarizing intergovernmental talks and options for changes to the authority’s structure. Administrators said amending the airport authority’s enabling resolution to add elected county commissioners as voting members would require the airport authority board’s recommendation, at least two public hearings and unanimous approval by all four member entities. Staff noted less intrusive options exist, including appointing nonvoting liaisons or using a memorandum of understanding to impose a property tax levy limit.
The discussion centered on two concerns: transparency around any future authority property tax levy and how counties might obtain a more formal role in authority oversight. Several commissioners said a levy cap was their top priority because, without it, the authority could impose significant property taxes on county residents; others said having an elected official directly on the authority — even as a nonvoting liaison at first — would improve reporting and operational input. Staff said some member jurisdictions had expressed opposition to elected officials serving on the authority, while others were indifferent or supportive.
County staff recommended the board consider a prioritized list of preferences to take back to the joint bodies so the parties can negotiate next steps. The board did not take formal action on the airport authority at the Dec. 2 meeting.
Why it matters: The board’s choices will affect how much direct oversight county elected officials have over an entity that can levy property taxes affecting Stearns County taxpayers and neighboring counties. Changes to governance would require coordination and agreement among all participating jurisdictions before they could take effect.
