On Tuesday, the Rice County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s preliminary tax levy for 2024 at an increase of $2.3 million, or 6.9%, over 2023.
According to a statement issued by Rice County, a significant portion of the increase can be attributed to inflation, additional staffing in Human Services, particularly to provide mandated services, and to staff and operate the new Public Safety Center once completed next year. Wages, most of which are governed by union contracts, are set to rise about 3.6%.
The spending plan will use money from reserves, including those from a settlement with opioid manufacturers and sellers, the American Rescue Plan Act, and money from the county’s .5% sales tax dedicated to highway projects. Reserves will also help pay for next year’s elections – expected to be higher due to the presidential election – and for capital expenditures.
According to the County Assessor’s Office, Rice County’s taxable market value has increased by more than $104 million in 2023, and the office is predicting the county will bring in $422,000 in new construction tax revenue next year.
The board also approved a separate Housing & Redevelopment Authority levy of $232,467, a 3.1% increase over 2023.
A Truth in Taxation public hearing in which residents can address the board about the proposed 2024 levies has been scheduled for November 30th at 6pm at the Rice County Government Services Building. The meeting will also be available via Zoom.
The preliminary levy number can be decreased between now and final approval in December but cannot be increased. The board is expected to vote on the levies and 2024 budget on Tuesday, December 12th.
District tax levy will increase slightly
On Monday night, the Northfield School Board approved the Northfield School District’s share of the overall tax levy as well, with an increase of 2.17% over 2023.
Because school districts in Minnesota receive about 70% of their budget from the state, Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillman said the things for which they are able to levy taxes is much more regulated than the ways the state regulates cities and counties. Hillmann said a 40-page document generated by the Minnesota Department of Education spells out exactly what a school district can tax its residents for, and what it cannot.
Last November, for example, the voters of Northfield approved a new and expanded Capital Improvement Levy for the district to use on building and grounds maintenance and on technology. The district also works on an Operating Levy that was passed by the voters in 2018. There is also a Bonding Levy that was passed in 2018. Additionally, there are several other levies for which the state explicitly gives school districts the ability to tax. But, as Hillmann has often pointed out, there is very little discretion a district can use when calculating the annual amount.
Over the last 5 years, the average increase to the school tax levy has been 1.55%, and Hillmann credited the small increases to the hard work done by the district, and the Finance Department, in particular, to ensure that money is not wasted, and budgets are maintained as well as possible. At 2.17%, Hillman said, the district is at the maximum the state will allow.
“Our planned increase for next year is at what they call the Max. Our levy authority can shift a little bit because it’s mostly student enrollment driven, and there are a number of other things that can drive some modest changes in that enrollment. So, the board last night approved it at the Max. I think that what that shows is that we try to be fairly even over time. We try to be planful.”
In fact, he said, because of the financial and practical planning done by the district, the tax impact of the increase to homeowners will be a slight one. So much so, according to the Superintendent, that a home that maintained a value of $300,000 from 2022 to 2023 would actually be taxed at $110 less next year than this year.
“Believe it or not, we have paid off the middle school and the Memorial Field project that voters approved about 20 years ago. So, I think this shows good financial stewardship and that we are planning when we bring things to voters to align with when some debt drops off. So, if your house stayed at exactly the same value as last year, you would actually see a decrease in your taxes next year.”
The School Board will approve the final levy at its annual Truth in Taxation meeting, scheduled for December 11th.
Cornejo Sotelo’s film brings memories of 9/11, Chilean coup together
And tomorrow night, as a part of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Northfield Public Library will host a screening and discussion of I Wonder What You Will Remember of September, a 2004 film made by local filmmaker and artist Cecilia Cornejo Sotelo.
The film combines remembrances of 9/11 with remembrances of the September 1973 Coup d’état in Chile that brought General Augusto Pinochet to power.
Cornejo, who was born in Chile, made the film as a response to what she saw as a Chilean citizen living in the United States in 2001. According to a statement issued by the library, the film is “a haunting personal” statement that uses “evocative imagery” from both 1973 and 2001. “Cornejo,” the statement reads, “weaves together her own fading childhood memories, her parents’ vivid recollections, and post-9/11 conversations with her own young daughter. The resulting montage thoughtfully explores how personal and collective histories intersect, as well as how trauma is lived, supposedly erased, and passed on from one generation to the next.”
Cornejo Sotelo, who wrote, directed and edited the film, said it was made with American audiences in mind, and it is meant more as something for the viewer to experience than as an educational documentary.
Following the screening, the audience will be invited to participate in a discussion with Cornejo Sotelo.
The screening of I Wonder What You Will Remember of September will begin at 6:30 tomorrow night in the Bunday Room at the Northfield Public Library.
For more information visit mynpl.org
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
