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Proctor finance director outlines 2026 budget, cites 6% levy increase and $2 impact for a $250,000 home
Summary
Finance Director Leslie Brunfeld told the council the proposed 2026 property tax levy would rise 6% (down from an earlier 7% notice), with projected collections of $2.1 million and a reported $2 net decrease for a $250,000 homeowner; council scheduled a Dec. 8 work session before certifying the levy.
Leslie Brunfeld, finance director for the city of Proctor, presented the required Truth in Taxation hearing materials and said the proposed property tax levy for 2026 is a 6% increase over last year and that projected tax collections total $2.1 million. “The planned increase to the tax levy is 6% over last year,” Brunfeld told the council.
Brunfeld said that the county’s earlier notice reflected a 7% figure and that this revised proposal is 1 percentage point lower. She listed budget-line allocations: $261,000 for bonded debt service, $85,000 for the Proctor Economic Development Association, and about $1.76 million for the general fund. Brunfeld said the city’s portion represents roughly 38 cents of every property tax dollar, with St. Louis County receiving about 41 cents and Proctor Public Schools about 21 cents.
On homeowner impact, Brunfeld said, “The impact to a homeowner with a $250,000 property value is a decrease of $2 for the year.” Councilor Benson pressed for clarification about rising property values and how that affects taxes; Brunfeld explained that if assessed values rise faster than the levy, homeowners can see a net tax increase even when the levy rate holds steady.
Brunfeld reviewed department and capital spending: a sign truck purchased in 2023 cost $47,000 (split between general and sewer funds), a loader delivered in October cost $266,000, and a grader is on order for 2026 with an expected cost reported in the presentation of about $434,230. She also said total 2026 expenditures are budgeted at about $3.7 million, up from roughly $3.3 million in 2025, and that general fund reserves are projected at 47%.
Brunfeld noted a correction to the packet projections: she had omitted a Small Cities Road Improvement Grant in the earlier agenda packet but confirmed it is included in the revenue projections. She also said salary line items remain provisional pending the results of a wage study and union contract negotiations.
The council did not certify the final levy that night. Councilors approved a final budget working session for December 8 at 4 p.m. to refine the levy and budget before the statutory certification deadline of Dec. 31.
Next steps: the council will meet in the December 8 budget work session to consider final adjustments before formally certifying the levy.
