I observed the “Truth in Taxation” meeting of November 27 via streaming media. Sitting in front of my computer, I could feel the tension that was present in the room. While the comments from the public were passionate, I was most struck by the introductory statements from the county administrator regarding the need for the increase in the levy.
What I heard was “soft-peddling” the increase in terms of a one-time adjustment, such as a special assessment, with a return to normalcy (i.e. approximately 4 percent annual increase) the following year. My understanding is that this will be an upward adjustment that will simply set a new baseline from which to make future increases — the roughly 20 percent increase will continue on into the future.
I can only conclude that the proposed budget exceeds a reasonable expectation of the ability of the residents to provide the necessary funds through property taxation. Perhaps there are some elements within the proposed budget that might be funded through other means such as user fees, grants, or private funding. Or they could be simply eliminated, recognizing that we can’t afford them — a decision made virtually daily in every household.
Gregg Strathy
Edina and Lutsen
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