Northfield School District Sets Preliminary Tax Levy

By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net

Like other local governments, the Northfield Public Schools is in the middle of their budgeting process. However, the process looks different from how city and county government’s budget process works. The Northfield Public Schools receive funds mainly from two sources. The primary source is the State of Minnesota, which provides funding for school districts based on the number of students in the district. The other source is the local property tax levy, which makes up 27% of the district’s revenue. Unlike City and County governments, school districts can not as freely adjust their property tax levy. Instead, tax increases must be either approved by the State Government or, more often, approved by voters in a referendum. 

On Monday night, the School Board heard a presentation from the school’s Director of Finance, Val Mertesdorf. Like other local governments, the Northfield Public Schools has to set its preliminary tax levy by the end of September. Traditionally, the district has always set the levy at the maximum of the voter-approved amount, and Mertesdor said it is because it offers them the most flexibility.

“If we certify a specific dollar amount, we are locked into that number and should they find that there was some kind of issue doing it to the Max allows for all of that cleanup to happen kind of behind the scenes and that is what we’ve how we’ve certified it every year that I’ve been here in my tenure.” – Director of Finance Val Mertesdorf at the 9/23/2024 School Board Meeting

Based on changes in the tax base in the school district, the average $350,000 home would pay $1,818 in their school district portion of property taxes down from $1,916, assuming no market value changes. 

Revenue from the tax levy goes to three different funds; the largest amount goes to the school’s general fund, with about 14.7% going to debt payments and 2% to community education. The amount going to debt payments is expected to decrease by 3.5% this next year as the district is paying off several bonds. The 5-year average for the district has been a 1.8% increase in tax funds each year. 

Addressing the school board Monday night, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann asked residents to look at the district’s results: 

“So I invite the community to take a look at our results. Our results, I will say are exceptional. We do what we say we’re going to do. We deliver we under promise and we overperform, and so I know there’s a lot of opinions in all communities across the state, in the country about other governmental agencies, fiscal priorities. I simply ask people to take a look at the results.” – Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann at the 9/23/2024 School Board Meeting

Next week we will take a look at some of the academic results of the Northfield Public Schools with a story about Greenvale Park and Bridgewater Elementary Schools and their success from the past school and their focus area for this year. The Northfield Public Schools will host their Truth in Taxation meeting on December 9th where they will talk about the budget and tax levy in full detail and approve the final tax levy. The board voted unanimously to approve the preliminary levy, Monday evening.