By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The Northfield City Council on Tuesday night voted to approve a 9.9% Tax Levy Increase in a unanimous vote.
Tuesday’s approval caps off a nearly 6-month-long process of writing, debating, and amending the budget. At times, the City Council was deeply split over the issue, with disagreements during the summer over the size of the tax increase and the resulting budget cuts. Throughout the fall, a consensus began to form, with Councilors Brad Ness, Peter Dahlen, and Chad Beumer, as well as Mayor Erica Zweifel, supporting the 9.9% proposal. Councilors Kathleen Holmes and Jessica Peterson-White expressed concerns with the proposal, stating that the cuts would be too deep.
However, at Tuesday’s meeting, the council was largely in agreement, and another common theme emerged: optimism about the future. Here’s Beumer:
“We started somewhere around 17%, had an option out there for 3%, which I think we all agree was probably a little bit too aggressive, and landed kind of somewhere in between And I think with the ice arena and everything in there, this year, I think next year, our discussions look a lot different than what they do this year.” – Chad Beumer, Northfield City Council member at the 12/2/2025 City Council Meeting
Ness agreed, also noting the impact of the Ice Arena on this year’s taxes, but also the benefit that he thought it would have on the community:
“And again, I think it’s a good compromise. Would we want less? If we could, absolutely. But we decided to, you know, build an Ice Arena. That’s a big part of this year’s debt. So we need to pay for it, and it will be a big improvement to this city to have that.” – Brad Ness, Northfield City Council member at the 12/2/2025 City Council Meeting.
Listen to the News:
Learn More:
- Part 1 – Revenue Sources of the City
- Part 2 – 9.8% Average Yearly Increase in Northfield Taxes since 2016
- Part 3 – Ice Arena & Staff Wages: The Major Driver of This Year’s Tax Increase
- Part 4 – Northfield Cuts $1.4 million from Budget This Year
- Part 5 – Utility Rates Approved to Increase by $5 for the Average Customer
Picture by Logan Wells/KYMN News
Picture credit: Logan Wells/KYMN News
Picture By Logan Wells/KYMN News
Picture by Logan Wells/KYMN News
Peterson-White reiterated her concerns about the budget cuts, but also optimism for the future:
“There are definitely some cuts in this budget that I am not happy about, that I think may be challenging for the community, but I think that they’re all reasonable things to try. And I’m also hopeful that we are continuing to make the right investments in economic development in balancing out our housing market.” – Jessica Peterson-White, Northfield City Council member at the 12/2/2025 City Council Meeting
And also expressing optimism for the future was Mayor Zweifel:
“It’s clear from the comments, the dedication of staff, and the policy considerations of the council. So I want to, in addition to thanking staff, I want to offer my thanks and gratitude to the council. I appreciate what you all bring to the table. And I am also looking forward to continuing this discussion, not taking a break, but stepping right into the new year with the budget discussions, with the strategic plan portions that reflect the budget and relate to increased revenue, all the things mentioned here tonight.” – Erica Zweifel, Northfield Mayor at the 12/2/2025 City Council Meeting
If you’re looking to learn more, head to our website to see all of our past coverage on the budget.
The City Council has adjourned for the rest of December and will meet again on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026. Will bring you the remaining stories from City Hall for the year next week.
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