Waite Park Holds Truth-in-Taxation Budget Hearing

(KNSI) – Waite Park City Council will approve its final budget on December 15th, the last meeting of the year, but that is mostly a formality.

Members tacitly signed off on the financial blueprint after a presentation by city staff and truth-in-taxation public hearing on Monday night. Spending will rise by 6.75% to over $14 million. The tax levy is jumping by 7.67% to over $12.8 million.

Administrator Shaunna Johnson discusses what is driving the increase. “We’re in a very competitive market where we need to make sure that we’re nimble in that and keeping and retaining our employees…is a priority. In addition to that, it’s really just the capital equipment and capital improvement kinds of expenses…that we have.”

Johnson explains that cities are dealing with inflation pressures, too, and the challenges that come with that. Johnson explains why the extra spending translates into only a 1.25% bump in the tax rate. “It’s probably more the valuation increase with some new development…not all of the new development that we have seen is on the books at this particular point. That increase in valuation reduces the burden that we have on the tax levy.”

Johnson points out that the 1.25% tax rate increase is significantly lower than those in many other communities in the area. If an owner sees no change in their property’s valuation, it amounts to a $25 change in the tax bill for a $200,000 home.

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