Stearns County Truth in Taxation Hearing Set for December 3rd

(KNSI) — The Stearns County Board of Commissioners adopted the preliminary budget and levy for 2025 and is expected to approve it at its upcoming December 17th meeting. However, before that can happen, the public is invited to a Truth in Taxation Public Hearing.

The budget and levy will be discussed and explained at the hearing, set for 6:00 p.m. on December 3rd. Taxpayers will have an opportunity to give testimony before the panel adopts the final numbers.

The budget is currently set at $210.7 million, with $97 million proposed to be funded through the property tax levy. That is an increase of $3.9 million or 4.1% over this last year. Operating expenses will also see an $8.2 million bump, a 5.1% increase. There is also a projected revenue increase of $3 million or 4.3%.

The proposed budget includes using existing fund balances to pay for some one-time purchases, keeping the property tax levy to a minor increase. Details can be found here.

The county has also put together a booklet summarizing the budget, including initiatives, the process, a recap and comparison between this past year and the next, tax rates, expenses, revenues and levies and trends. See that here.

For those who can’t make it to the hearing but would like to offer input, they can do so by contacting their county administrator, emailing the county administrator’s office at budget@stearnscountymn.gov, calling 320-656-3601, or mailing a letter to:

Stearns County Administration
705 Courthouse Square #121
St. Cloud, MN 56303

The meeting will be held at the administration center.

Residents can also speak during the public access forum before the Board of Commissioners meetings start.

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