Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Take our poll; then click on to our Patch stories below to see what legislators and others are saying.
Gov. Mark Dayton this week unveiled a proposed state budget and tax plan that would, among other things, lower Minnesota's sales tax from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent but broaden it to cover more items such as higher-priced clothing, car repairs and other services. In his quest to avoid a projected $1.1 billion revenue shortfall, Dayton said his plan also includes raising the income on some groups of taxpayers (such as the state's 2 percent of highest-income earners). He is proposing to reduce property taxes and cut the corporate tax rate on businesses. (To see a Patch story and UpTake video of Dayton's speech, click on this link.) Bottom line: The governor said he wants to provide property tax relief, boost funding for K-12 education, …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton, in his first appearance since having back surgery late last year, will outline his proposed budget for the next two years.
Laying out financial plans for the next two years, and with a Democratic controlled Legislature out in front of him, Gov. Mark Dayton will address both the public and public servants at the Minnesota State Capitol this morning. You can watch streaming video, live, courtesy of the UpTake right here as Dayton will lay out a series of tax hikes, line-item increases and an expected payment shift for Minnesota schools in his address. It's the first public appearance for Dayton since he had back surgery in Rochester, MN last month. Media outlets such as Minnesota Public Radio are saying the budget could have a big impact on Dayton's political future. The first-term governor has not hinted whether or not he will run again for the state's top seat…
Friday, January 4, 2013
With so many challenges on the table, Patch wants to know what issues you think are most important.
With another legislative session just around the corner, senators and representatives have no shortage of challenges ahead of them. Lawmakers plan to convene hearings on gun control in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. They’ll review a recommendation from a governor-appointed task force to increase gas taxes and tab fees in response to a projected $50 billion shortfall in transportation funding. The DFL majority and defeat of the marriage amendment in the 2012 election could even prompt the Legislature to take up the issue of gay marriage. And looming over everything is a projected $1.1 billion deficit that legislators will have to close before adjourning for the year. With so many issues on the …
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Community members devoted their fall to seeing the levy pass this past November.
As we continue recapping 2011 and the highlights St. Michael Patch shared with the community, the Invest in Excellence campaign was a focus for school district officials, teachers and parents throughout the community who joined forces to increase the per pupil levy from $500 to $695. The group, led by St. Michael parents, Chad and Aimee Libby, and a dozen or so other parents charged full speed ahead at getting the word out on the November 8 vote and used social media, like Facebook, to their advantage. The groups hard work and dedication paid off because the levy passed. With a record turnout for a single question ballot, school district-only vote, voters approved an increase in the district's so-called operations levy by $195 per pupil, …
St. Michael-Albertville School District has its financial house in order, according to a local auditing firm. But, there is more work to do, staff told the school board at its final meeting of 2011.
Schlenner Wenner and Co. associates Molly Thompson and John Archer joined last week's school board meeting to discuss what went right and what could have gone better in regards to the St. Michael-Albertville School District's financial handling in fiscal year 2011. The fiscal year ran from July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011, and Thompson referred to theirs as a “clean audit.” However, clean doesn’t mean perfect, and some suggestions for improvement were made for the district’s financial house. For instance, Thompson said the audit showed a lack of proper segregation of duties, which essentially means having multiple sets of eyes on financial goings-on to prevent improper handling or other problems. This is a common issue for school districts to …
45.224493
-93.65739
Saint Michael-Albertville School District
11343 50th St NE, Saint Michael, MN
/articles/audit-firm-praises-makes-suggestions-to-st-michael-school-district
973192
/locations/6087218
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The City of St. Michael will offer its 2012 budget to the city council and residents tonight, along with the annual Truth in Taxation hearing. Proceedings begin at 7 p.m. at St. Michael City Hall.
The City of St. Michael will vote on a 2.5 percent increase for the 2012 budget, setting the course for payments on expansive projects such as the one-way pair, the downtown redevelopment project and the new city center in the process. Proceedings will be held tonight at 7 p.m., beginning with the annual Truth in Taxation process, where residents can give their input on the city's annual budget before it is voted on by the council. A copy of the budget overview is attached to this article. The average home value in St. Michael now is about $197,000. Under the 2011 budget, that homeowner will pay $636 in taxes to the city. That's down, a few dollars, from 2010. The 2012 rate would be on that line, or a bit less for some properties. The 2 …
45.212067
-93.655559
St. Michael City Hall
11800 Town Center Driver, St. Michael, MN
/articles/st-michael-council-to-vote-on-2012-budget-tonight
973172
/locations/6004206
Friday, December 9, 2011
Declining property values mean less local tax dollars–to the tune of nearly 3 percent–will be coming into the school district's coffers, despite a newly approved operations levy last month. Still, the school approved a $39 million budget for 2011-2012.
No community members attended Monday evening’s annual truth in taxation public hearing for St. Michael-Albertville schools, but it’s not likely that many people will find reason to be upset when they see their 2012 local school property taxes. The school board passed a levy that will lower its portion of the local tax rate 3.15 percent over last year, despite the increase in the new operating levy. Local taxpayers will be paying $511,368 for the voter-approved referendum in 2012, but declining property values play a big role in negating this additional tax. Because the market value of district property declined by 4 percent from the previous year, the state will kick in more and local taxpayers will be paying $725,000 less in voter-…
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The city approved a slight increase in local spending, with the majority coming from local property taxes collected under the new state system.
The Albertville City Council approved and accepted the 2012 budget at its meeting Monday night, setting the city’s general levy about 1.5 percent higher than last year’s budget. Albertville finance director Tina Lannes outlined the particulars for the council at the Truth in Taxation Public Hearing prior to the meeting. The meeting saw no residents with comment in regards to the 2012 budget. The 2012 budget came in at just over $3 million, a 2.75 percent increase from the 2011 budget, or about $82,000. The general levy (the collection of local property tax dollars) was set at $2.31 million, up about $56,000 from 2011 tax collections. Changes made by the 2011 Minnesota Legislature were cited as the cause for an increase in property tax …
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tonight's agenda includes a public hearing and discussion of the 2012 numbers.
The Albertville City Council will discuss the 2012 budget, following its 2012 Truth in Taxation hearing, set for 6 p.m. tonight at Albertville City Hall. The Truth in Taxation hearing, which is set by state law, allows citizens to discuss the proposed levy and the impact it might have on their property. It should not be confused with the Board of Equalization hearing, which is held to discuss local property values, and is held in March. Following the "T-n-T" meeting, the council will hold its regular meeting. Approval of the 2012 budget is on tap. The city has set a budget of about $3.05 million, up about $85,000 in revenue from last year. That's an increase of 2.75 percent, if approved. The additional revenue will come into the …
45.237725
-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/city-of-albertville-to-set-2012-budget-tonight
1815373
/locations/5951902
With a levy vote bolstering the district's financial position for the next 10 years, and a brighter than expect state forecast, the St. Michael-Albertville School District will discuss its annual levy tonight.
Between the levy’s successful passage, the state’s surprise budget surplus and good news in the district’s 2011 and 2012 budgets, there is reason for the St. Michael-Albertville School District to feel optimistic about where their numbers stand. The district is putting the 2011-2012 budget pretty much in its rearview mirror as it hosts a Truth in Taxation hearing tonight on the 2012-2013 budget during its regular meeting at the district offices, set for 7 p.m. Residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on next year's levy, which has been given preliminary approval. That means the district can lower the general levy (collection of local property taxes separate from the operations levy), but not raise it. The district ended fiscal year…
45.224493
-93.65739
Saint Michael-Albertville School District
11343 50th St NE, Saint Michael, MN
/articles/st-michael-albertville-schools-focus-attention-on-2012-budget
973192
/locations/5951562
John
5:27 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The aspect I find especially difficult is figuring out how much money is simply redistributed. A hundred years ago, very little money was redistributed by the government. Pull out the money that the government gives right back to its citizens and I think the actual "spending" would remain pretty constant. more ›