On Monday night, the Northfield School Board set the Northfield School District’s preliminary tax levy for 2023 at 5.63%. 
Minnesota has strict regulations on school finance and determines the maximum amount a district can levy from its taxpayers. Superintendent of Public Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann asked the School Board to set the preliminary levy at the maximum amount this year, as is the habit of most governing bodies in a taxing district. The board agreed and voted to do so.
At $21 million the certified tax levy will be $1 million more than in 2022. The operating levy, which was passed in 2018, is indexed for inflation, and as inflation has hovered around 8.5% this year, the operating levy will increase as well, by about $600,000.
After going through the numbers, and talking about the increases, Hillmann pointed out the levy itself is not the same as the tax impact people will feel next year. The district tax base has increased this year by about 15%, based on increasing home values and new development within the district. The increased base means, then, that the levy is spread over a larger number of taxpayers.
“Theoretically,” he said, “everybody takes a little bit of the share.”
With an increased tax base, if property values were to remain consistent with last year, the owner of a $350,000 home would see the district portion of their taxes decline by $164. Hillmann conceded that property values have increased, but maintained that with the increased tax base, at 5.63%, the tax impact will be smaller than it would have been in other years.
As this is the preliminary levy, 5.63% is the most the levy can increase, but there is a possibility that increase could be less than that. Hillmann was not optimistic that would be the case this year, but he did say in strange economic times such as these, anything is possible.
“I don’t anticipate a change between now and December, but we also know that things are interesting right now in a lot of places. So, what history would tell us is that our final levy will be very similar to what the preliminary levy that they adopted on Monday.”
The school board is expected to approve the budget and the final levy in December.
Northfield Shares grant applications due Monday
This weekend will be the last call for applications to receive a 2023 grant through Northfield Shares, as the deadline to apply is Monday.
Northfield Shares is a local foundation that looks to support local programs and non-profit organizations by encouraging philanthropy, volunteering, and promoting collaborative leadership.
Grants bestowed through Northfield Shares will be evaluated based on need in the community, feasibility, and the ability of the organization to achieve the project’s goal. Organizations are evaluated on the assistance they offer to sustain a “thriving, equitable community for all residents,” and their ability to create the broadest possible range of help. Ie Carroll, the Northfield Shares Executive Director said, the foundation tends to favor projects and organizations that involve volunteers, as well as collaborative projects from multiple organizations.
Grant applicants should have a goal in mind to maintain and enhance the overall well-being of the Northfield community. They should also have the ability to manage the funds granted and deliver on the proposal.
The foundation maintains various dedicated funds for specific purposes. One fund aids aid Northfield youth and young adults, another is dedicated to helping with the beautification of the city, and another more recently established fund is dedicated to environmental causes. Carroll said, depending on the goal of a project, some grants may come from those dedicated funds.
Once an application is received, it will be reviewed by the Grants Committee which will then make its recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval. Grant recipients will be announced in November. The funds will be distributed at the Northfield Shares Annual Meeting in December.
For more information visit northfieldshares.org
Tavares photo exhibit opens Friday at the Northfield Public Library
And continuing the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage month, which runs until October 15th, the Northfield Public Library is hosting an exhibit of new photography by Xavier Tavera, an assistant professor of Art and Art History at Carleton College, beginning Friday and running through the 15th.
According to a statement issued by the city, Tavera’s exhibit is designed to highlight the diversity of Northfield’s Latinx community in formal, large-scale portraits.
Indeed, Angelica Linder, the Library Outreach Coordinator, pointed out recently the local Latinx community is made up from a wide range of culture and heritage.
“In Northfield,” she said, “there are large groups of people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua and Columbia.”
The public is invited to attend an opening night reception Friday from 5-7pm in the library atrium. Tavera will provide an introduction to the exhibit and answer questions, and Northfield Director of Library Services Natalie Draper said many of the subjects Tavera has photographed will be on hand as well. Guests will be able to view the exhibit and enjoy entertainment and refreshments. Andreé Payares, a Colombian soloist, will play live music, and caterer Los Rodriguez will provide refreshments.
Draper said the portraits Tavera has created due to both their size and the subjects are striking.
“They’re gorgeous. And so, they we will have those on display throughout the month. They’ll be there starting on the 30th through the 15th, so come in and come to the reception on the 30th and then check out the exhibit any time after that.”
The statement issued by the city said this program is part of a series of programs celebrating art and culture throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
For more information on the Xavier Tavera Photography exhibit, visit mynpl.org.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Director of Library Services Natalie Draper can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
