Hennepin County Lays Foundation for 2013 Budget

Information provided by Hennepin County

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has approved a maximum property tax levy for 2013 of $675.1 million—1-percent higher than the 2012 levy—and a proposed 2013 budget of $1.75 billion.

The board is required by state law to adopt a maximum levy in September. They  may approve a levy that is lower than the approved maximum, but they cannot set it higher than the maximum adopted this week.

County Administrator Richard Johnson will present the proposed 2013 Hennepin County budget to the board on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m. The board will then launch a series of budget hearings beginning in October to discuss the budget and gather public input. The meetings can be viewed live on Metro Cable Network/Channel 6 or online.

In November, property owners will receive a notice that shows the impact of the county maximum levy on their property, as well as the impact of taxes proposed by other local units of government, such as cities and school districts.

The board will conduct an official public meeting to gather public comment about the proposed budget and levies on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m.

The board, acting as the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA), also set a maximum HCHRA property-tax levy of $6.4 million—a 14.6-percent increase over 2012.

The board, acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), also set the maximum property-tax levy for the HCRRA at $21 million—a 16.7-percent increase over 2012.

Combining the proposed maximum levies—county, HCHRA and HCRRA—the total proposed maximum property-tax levy would be 1.5 percent over 2012.

The proposed HCHRA levy and budget will be discussed Tuesday, Nov. 6; the HCRRA levy and budget will be discussed Tuesday, Nov. 13. Both immediately following the board meeting (which starts at 1:30 p.m.) and also at the budget meeting Nov. 27.

The board also set public hearings on Monday, Oct. 22, for the county’s 2013-2017 capital improvements budget (at 9 a.m.), and proposed changes to fees for county services (at 9:30 a.m.).

The final county, HCHRA and HCRRA budgets and tax levies will be adopted at the board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

All budget meetings are held in the Board Room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 S. Sixth St. in downtown Minneapolis.