Pine Island council adopts 2025 budget, certifies 5.57% levy increase at final 2024 meeting

At its final meeting of 2024 the Pine Island City Council voted to adopt the city's 2025 budget and to certify a 5.57% increase in the property tax levy.

City staff opened the Truth in Taxation public hearing and reviewed how levies, budgets and property valuations interact. "The levy is the amount of taxes that the city is collecting," the presenter said while outlining the city's fund structure and revenue sources. Staff told council last year's levy was $3,833,519 and that the proposed levy for 2025 represents a 5.57% increase over that figure.

The presentation laid out the factors driving the change: implementation of a wage study that moves staff up a step plus a 3% cost-of-living adjustment, an $882,000 increase in the county sheriff's contract, and a $2.50 per-capita increase in ambulance/EMS charges. Staff illustrated impact on households, saying a home valued at $100,000 paid about $576 in city taxes last year and would see that figure rise to about $585 under the adopted levy, an increase of roughly $9 per $100,000 of valuation.

A Pine Island resident who spoke during public comment said she was "blown away" by the increase on a modest home and asked staff to review her tax statement one-on-one; staff offered follow-up appointments to walk through valuation and levy differences.

After closing the public hearing, council moved and seconded Resolution 2460 to adopt the final 2025 budget and Resolution 2461 to certify the 2025 levy numbers. The motions passed by recorded assent from the council members present (Vernon, Brandy, Mike and David).