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Blaine reviews proposed 9.9% property-tax levy as residents press council for relief
Summary
At the Dec. 1 Truth in Taxation meeting, Director Zimmerman outlined a proposed 9.9% levy increase that would certify a $54.23 million levy; residents criticized parcel-level spikes and council members outlined steps to curb debt and seek new revenue streams. Final adoption is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Director Zimmerman, the city’s finance director, opened Blaine’s Truth in Taxation presentation by saying the meeting existed “as mandated by Minnesota state statute” to explain the city’s proposed property-tax levy and the budget that supports it. He presented the mechanics behind county assessments, class rates and the homestead market-value exclusion, and walked through how the city arrived at a proposed 9.9% levy increase and the draft 2026 budget.
Why it matters: the proposed levy was certified at $54,230,000; Zimmerman said the tax-rate calculation that accompanies the levy would show a tax-rate impact that varies parcel-by-parcel depending on county-assessed market value, class rates and special taxing districts. Zimmerman noted the city’s median residential…
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