Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Levy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Thief River Falls council to reduce proposed 21.82% levy increase
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the Thief River Falls City Council to revisit a proposed preliminary levy increase of 21.82% for 2026, saying the city’s portion (line 7 on the tax statement) is too high and urging officials to find cuts rather than raise property taxes. The mayor explained levy mechanics and outlined drivers of the increase.
Dozens of residents urged the Thief River Falls City Council on Tuesday to rescind or shrink a preliminary 21.82% levy increase proposed for 2026, arguing the city’s portion of local property taxes is too large and will impose hardship on homeowners and businesses.
"That amount, folks, is just too high," said Jim Daig, who identified himself during public comment and asked the council to "sharpen your pencils" and ask department heads to find cuts. Daig and several other speakers emphasized they were addressing the city portion of the tax statement (line 7) rather than county or school levies.
Two other speakers, including a business owner who said he had seen a 30% tax jump last year, described rising insurance and other costs and warned that continued increases could drive people and businesses away.
Mayor (speaker 1) responded in the meeting’s mayoral update and during Q&A, saying a levy percentage increase does not translate directly into a uniform percentage increase in a homeowner’s tax bill. The mayor said the council would explain where increases are coming from later in the meeting and offered open office hours for residents to review the budget.
On specifics, the mayor said roughly $39,000 represents 1% of the city’s levy and referenced roughly $700 million in market value for the city; the mayor and staff also cited several drivers of the proposed increase, including newly approved debt (the ice‑plant and street improvements), salary step increases and COLA plus benefits, and a substantial health‑insurance increase.
Several speakers said they had compiled data from county tax statements and asked the council to compare local levies with nearby towns; the mayor said an upcoming truth‑in‑taxation report would show that Thief River Falls sits on the lower end of local tax rates compared with immediate neighbors.
Why it matters: Council members noted the council has limited options for some mandated expenses and that some cost increases—especially health insurance and debt service—are affecting many municipalities. The mayor said the council has reduced the initial proposed budget amount substantially and will continue to review possible savings before the December final levy action.
What’s next: The council will continue budget deliberations and hold public meetings; the mayor said residents may meet with staff in mid‑November for detail and that the council’s final levy decision is expected in December.
Quotes in context: "We were also here two weeks ago…this is a concern that's bothering us all," Daig said, underlining multiple residents’ intent to keep attending meetings until changes are made. The mayor urged residents to use posted office hours and the city's community voice app to review details.
