SCC Item 2. 2025 Preliminary Property Tax Levy Budget Review
City of Otsego│13400 90th Street NE, Otsego, MN 55330│Tel. (763) 441-4414 Fax (763) 441-9163
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Adam Flaherty, City Administrator & Finance Director
DATE: September 9, 2024
SUBJECT: Budget Meeting #5
On Monday, Council and staff will continue review the preliminary property tax levy for 2025.
Please note that the staff is seeking Council input during this budget review meeting to move the budgeting
process forward effectively and efficiently. I have developed an outline of discussion topics below.
Previous Meetings
At the budget meeting on August 7, 2024, the City Council and staff were able to complete the initial review
of the draft expenditure budgets for each department within the General fund.
At the budget meeting on August 26, 2024, the City Council and staff were able to complete the review of
the draft revenue budgets within the General fund. The draft preliminary property tax levy for taxes
payable 2025 was also reviewed.
Revenues & Expenditures
The City Council has reviewed the draft budgets for revenues and expenditures which each total
$9,943,840, an increase of 5.56% from the current year’s adopted budget. The budget totals remain
unchanged since they were reviewed with the City Council at the last budget meeting.
Property Tax Levy
The City Council has reviewed the preliminary property tax levy payable in 2025, which includes operating
revenues for the General Fund, Tax Abatement, Debt Service, and Capital Project fund levies. At the most
recent budget meeting, there was some direction to provide additional scenarios for consideration. City
staff has developed a summary that includes additional scenarios for discussion.
City staff will review this information and accept feedback on how to proceed.
Council Roundtable
This is an opportunity for the Council to express their current view on the budgets as presented thus far
and to discuss any recommended changes to the preliminary budgets and tax levies.
City of Otsego│13400 90th Street NE, Otsego, MN 55330│Tel. (763) 441-4414 Fax (763) 441-9163
Next Steps
The Council will need to adopt the preliminary property tax levy, which is the maximum amount the City
can levy for taxes payable 2025 at the September 23, 2024, meeting. It should be noted that the
preliminary property tax levy is the amount used for truth-in-taxation notices that are sent to the taxpayers
by Wright County.
The final budget and property tax levy will not be adopted by the City Council until December. Changes to
the budget can still be made between now and then but increases in expenditure become difficult because
the primary revenue source to pay for those increases is property taxes. The property tax levy can be
decreased between now and then, but the levy cannot be increased.
Materials Attached for Discussion
1) Preliminary Tax Levy Summary for Payable 2025
City of Otsego
Property Tax Levy Calculations
Payable 2025
Revised: September 6, 2024
$%$%$%$%
2023 2024 2025 Change Change 2025 Change Change 2025 Change Change 2025 Change Change Comment
General Fund Operations 5,366,000 6,336,000 7,058,000 722,000 11.40%7,028,000 692,000 10.92%7,058,000 722,000 11.40%7,058,000 722,000 11.40%Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Tax Abatements 74,668 88,224 80,212 (8,012) -9.08%80,212 (8,012) -9.08%80,212 (8,012) -9.08%80,212 (8,012) -9.08%Budget Meeting #2 (5/28/2024)
Debt Service
Series 2018A 94,416 102,144 104,308 2,164 104,308 2,164 104,308 2,164 104,308 2,164 Budget Meeting #2 (5/28/2024)
Series 2020A 450,000 197,000 186,000 (11,000) 186,000 (11,000) 186,000 (11,000) 186,000 (11,000) Budget Meeting #2 (5/28/2024)
Sub-total 544,416 299,144 290,308 (8,836) -2.95%290,308 (8,836) -2.95%290,308 (8,836) -2.95%290,308 (8,836) -2.95%
Capital Reserves
Pavement Management 1,100,000 1,000,000 900,000 (100,000) 900,000 (100,000) 900,000 (100,000) 900,000 (100,000) Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Trails Management 65,000 70,000 76,000 6,000 76,000 6,000 76,000 6,000 76,000 6,000 Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Parks Equipment 70,000 400,000 425,000 25,000 425,000 25,000 425,000 25,000 425,000 25,000 Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Capital Equipment Revolving 477,325 550,393 587,937 37,544 587,937 37,544 587,937 37,544 587,937 37,544 Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Fire Reserve 210,000 210,000 190,000 (20,000) 190,000 (20,000) 190,000 (20,000) 190,000 (20,000) Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Fire Capital Revolving - - 6,189 6,189 6,189 6,189 6,189 6,189 6,189 6,189 Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Fire Station Debt Reserve - - - - - - - - 514,799 514,799 Estimated First Debt Interest Payment
Storm Water 38,000 - - - - - - - - -
Capital Improvements 1,349,614 - - - - - - - - -
City Buildings & Property 35,000 35,000 120,000 85,000 120,000 85,000 120,000 85,000 120,000 85,000 Budget Meeting #4 (8/26/2024)
Sub-total 3,344,939 2,265,393 2,305,126 39,733 1.75%2,305,126 39,733 1.75%2,305,126 39,733 1.75%2,819,925 554,532 24.48%
Adjustment to Achieve Option (467,214) (467,214)
Grand Total 9,330,023 8,988,761 9,733,646 744,885 8.29%9,703,646 714,885 7.95%9,266,432 277,671 3.09%10,248,445 1,259,684 14.01%
Growth (%)8.68%-3.66%
Tax Capacity 32,075,441 39,516,976 39,427,828 39,427,828 39,427,828 39,427,828 Wright County Estimate (8/14/2024)
Growth (%)27.01%23.20%-0.23%-0.23%-0.23%-0.23%
Net Tax Capacity 31,550,432 38,897,895 38,714,302 38,714,302 38,714,302 38,714,302 Wright County Estimate (8/14/2024)
Growth (%)26.95%23.29%-0.47%-0.47%-0.47%-0.47%
Tax Rate 29.572 23.109 25.142 25.065 23.935 26.472
Population 21,289 22,705 23,132 23,132 23,132 23,132 Source = MN State Demographer
Tax Levy Per Capita 438 396 421 419 401 443
2023 2024 2025 2025 2025 2025
Median Valuation 345,400 402,700 386,400 386,400 386,400 386,400
Tax Capacity 3,392 4,017 3,746 3,746 3,746 3,746
City Tax 1,003 928 942 939 897 992
Change ($)53 (75) 14 11 (31) 64
Change (%)5.58%-7.48%1.51%1.19%-3.34%6.90%
Levy Description
City Taxes Only. Based on the Median Value for
each respective year. Note: The formula for tax
capacity changed for 2025 to due legislative
changes for the Homestead Market Value
Exclusion Program.
Preliminary Levy (8-26-2024)Preliminary Levy (Option B)Preliminary Levy (Option C)Preliminary Levy (Option D)
Y:\Budget\2025\Property Taxes\Tax Levy Calculations (2025) 2025 (9-9)