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Richfield board certifies $34.63 million levy after Truth-in-Taxation hearing
Summary
After a mandated Truth-in-Taxation presentation, the Richfield School Board voted to certify a $34,629,964.55 levy for taxes payable in 2026; officials said average home school taxes are projected to be essentially flat and described several levy drivers including prior-year adjustments and debt-service abatement.
The Richfield School Board certified a final levy of $34,629,964.55 for taxes payable in 2026 following a mandatory Truth-in-Taxation public hearing on Dec. 1.
Craig Holzke, presenting the district's Truth-in-Taxation materials, described Minnesota's funding framework and said the district's general-education formula allowance for 2025'26 is $7,481 per pupil, a 2.75% increase from the prior year. Holzke told the board that while some state funding has improved recently, special education remains underfunded statewide and that funding has not kept pace with inflation over the past two decades.
Holzke outlined the levy's components and drivers: a modest 1.2% increase in local revenue overall, a $242,488 decrease in voter-approved referendum receipts tied to enrollment changes, a $302,541 increase from prior-year adjustments reflecting enrollment shifts, and a $458,564 increase driven by debt-service abatement adjustments. He also showed modeled examples of how taxes would change on typical residential and commercial properties under different valuation scenarios and noted several taxpayer relief programs, including the homestead-credit refund and senior-property-tax deferral.
Board members asked clarifying questions about previous tax-notice timing; Holzke explained that earlier notices had omitted referendum increases because the board had not yet had authority at mailing time, and that current county mailings reflect the board's authorized levy. After discussion, Director Banks Caputo moved to certify the final levy; Director Kirk Spencer seconded the motion and the board voted in favor.
The board recorded the vote as an affirmative voice vote and the chair cast an aye. The certified levy will be transmitted to the Hennepin County auditor for final tax statements to property owners.
