Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Proposes No Tax Increase

The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) is proposing to hold the line on taxes in 2012. At its workshop on Thursday, Aug. 11, the MCWD Board of Managers approved a preliminary 2012 budget that calls for a zero percent increase in its total levy. 

“The district has worked hard to be prudent with the public’s money as it works to protect the watershed’s lakes, streams and surrounding natural areas,” said MCWD Board President James Calkins. “We take pride in being fiscally responsible and transparent in our work, which includes a wide variety of community partnerships and programs, including water quality research, projects that clean up our water and restoration of our wetlands and streams.”

The MCWD’s Board of Managers is proposing to set the 2012 levy at $7,742,005—the same as 2011. It’s the third year in a row the district has maintained a relatively flat levy. The MCWD’s portion of property taxes on a median value home in Hennepin County ($248,600) is approximately $3 per month.

Among the initiatives in the budget are a continued focus on preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, including zebra mussels, restoring Minnehaha Creek, protecting Lake Minnetonka and other water bodies in the District, flood control, and cost share programs that enable residents to install their own projects to help clean up the water across the entire region.

A public hearing on the District’s preliminary 2012 budget and tax levy is planned at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in the lower level board room of the MCWD offices at 18202 Minnetonka Boulevard in Deephaven. 

The MCWD Board of Managers will vote on the 2012 budget and set the levy at its meeting on Sept. 8.  

The 2012 budget summary can be viewed in full at www.minnehahacreek.org