By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
Contributions to the Story by Maya Betti, Executive Editor of the St. Olaf Messenger
The Northfield City Council approved the preliminary tax increase and budget for the upcoming year on Tuesday. The preliminary tax levy sets the maximum possible tax increase, and the final approval, in December, can be lower than the 10.2% plan approved by the City Council. To a home valued at $350,000, the increase in taxes would be approximately $13 a month.
Going into the meeting, two plans were set to be presented to the Council: a 9.9% tax levy increase and a 10.2% levy increase. The difference between the two proposals was whether the library would be open on Sundays. The cost difference was approximately 60 cents a month for the average home. Mayor Erica Zweifel had advocated for the 10.2%. Here she is on KYMN, after the meeting:
Listen to the News:
“You know, as the facilitator, I’m always listening to the other counselors and to the community and trying to find a consensus, a path that will move us all forward. And I heard everyone, every counselor, say that they valued the library. The community values the library. It’s the heart and soul of our community.” – Erica Zweifel, Northfield Mayor on KYMN In The Morning
Zweifel indicated that she preferred the 9.9% levy option, but setting the maximum slightly higher allowed for flexibility and more information about Sunday Library hour costs to be brought forward.
The 10.2% proposal would still include $1.395 million in budget cuts, due to the costs outpacing the tax increase. Among the budget cuts are reductions in road and sidewalk repairs, decreased funding for Parks, Economic Development, and Housing and Redevelopment, the cancellation of the 4th of July Fireworks, and the termination of funding for Age Friendly, among other cuts.
Learn more about the Budget & Tax Levy in Northfield:
Article: Northfield City Council Meets Tonight To Continue Discussion About Budget and Taxes; Preliminary Levy To Be Set On Sept. 23rd (September 19th)
Article: 2026 Budget Proposals Presented to Northfield City Council; Budget Cuts Range Between $578,000 and $2.6 million (August 15th)
Article: Northfield City Council Hears Initial Budget Proposals; Tax Levy Increase for 2026 Ranges Between 9.9% and 17.4% (July 18th)
Article: City Council Receives Audit Report; Northfield’s Finances Stay Strong Heading into 2025 (June 16th)
Podcast: Part 1- Your Property Taxes Explained – 10 Minutes or Less
Podcast: Part II: Your Property Taxes Explained – 10 Minutes or Less
Podcast: Northfield City Council Budget & Tax Update – 10 Minutes or Less 9/17/2025
At the meeting, Councilor Chad Beumer advocated for the 9.9% increase, saying it was already higher than he would have liked, but a fair compromise for the budget cuts:
“But I sat down and started realizing what that all entailed and realized that it just wasn’t that realistic. And I settled on the 9/9 to kind of compromise in between where I would have liked to have been and where, you know, getting an awful lot of emails also stating that we should be looking at the 3%.” – Chad Beumer, Northfield City Council, at the 9/23/2025 City Council Meeting
Councilor Jessica Peterson-White advocated for the 10.2% increase, critiquing the lower proposal
“It’s obviously necessary because we have to keep the levy at 9.9%. It’s actually only necessary if you have an artificial commitment to a single-digit number instead of a number that is very slightly above that in order to ensure that we can pay for the Sunday library hours, which we have heard loud and clear from our constituents they want.” – Jessica Peterson-White, Northfield City Council, at the 9/23/2025 City Council Meeting
Initially, the vote was tied, with Mayor Erica Zweifel and Councilors Jessica Peterson-White and Kathleen Holmes voting in favor of the 10.2% plan, while Councilors Brad Ness, Chad Beumer, and Peter Dahlen all voted in favor of the 9.9%. Councilor Davin Sokup was absent from the meeting.
For part of the meeting, the council was split evenly between the two plans, and at times, there was a tense debate. Ness ultimately reconsidered and broke the tie, voting in favor of the 10.2%. Ness did not comment at the meeting why he reconsidered.
Going forward, this is just the preliminary levy; the final tax increase will be voted on in December. The Council will continue to discuss the budget and future planning for 2027 in October, as well as hosting public forums and interest events during the fall.
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