City Budget Passes: No Tax Hike

In a long-anticipated move that will come as a relief to many Southwest homeowners, the Minneapolis City Council passed a budget Wednesday night that did not include any increase in property tax rates.

The move came despite cuts to the city's share of state aid that pushed Mayor RT Rybak to recommend the elimination of 104 city jobs, including the six firefighters as the City Council tried to deal with the impact of the shutdown-ending state budget deal. 

Crucially, Southwest's two Crime Prevention Specialists were not counted among those 104. As Patch reported last week, Ward 13 City Councilmember Betsy Hodges  redirecting unused contingency dollars in the police department's budget to preserve their jobs, along with three other Specialists originally slated to be let go.

The Star-Tribune reports that at least one resident came forward at the budget hearing to thank the mayor and council for their budget.

"It's a pleasure to come here and not be concerned about what's going to happen in 2012 with your property taxes," said David Sadler, a Lake Harriet area resident who frequently has called for property-tax reform. "Thanks, and you did a good job."

Sewer rates, though, will be going up by $0.32 in 2012, to $3.37 per 100 cubic feet of waste and continuing to rise to $3.79 through 2016. Water rates, too, will be going up—by $0.16 per 100 cubic feet in 2012 to $3.36 and rising to $3.82 by 2016.