There are many things I support in this budget, but there are many more that I don’t.”

Commissioner Workman

For more details on Dakota County’s maximum proposed property tax levy and 2025 legislative priorities, visit the Dakota County website at https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Government/Board/Pages/default.aspx

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners unveiled and adopted the 2025 maximum proposed property tax levy on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The levy totals $167,648,832, a 9.92% increase from 2024. Based on the median residential home value in Dakota County of $372,500, the levy represents an annual increase of $38.49 per household, or $3.20 per month. With the adoption of this preliminary tax levy, the Truth in Taxation meeting will take place Dec. 3, 2024.
The preliminary 2025 budget showcases the county bringing on staff as well as continuing with other large-scale projects like the integrated health care unit at the Dakota County Jail. In addition to the new positions at the county including the creation of seven financial assistant specialist positions, two residential appraisers, and several human resources positions on the county’s back end, benefits and salaries of county employees have been raised to “keep up with inflation and stay competitive with peer counties,” according to the Sept. 10 presentation on the maximum proposed tax levy.
The board voted 5-2 in favor of the budget, with Commissioners Workman and Holberg voting against the preliminary levy.
“There are many things I support in this budget, but there are many more that I don’t,” said Workman before casting her vote.
Other Commissioners praised the levy for its services and transparency.
“I’m not hearing from constituents that we have too many services,” said Commissioner Halverson, in reference to the increase.
“This is probably the most transparent budget process we’ve had in a generation,” said Commissioner Slavik.
The 2025 budget process has been expedited this year, with departments presenting about 2025 budgets throughout August in order to provide a preliminary budget a month before the county would regularly have one in November. “Instead of doing it all in one week in November we actually had it done over a matter of three weeks in August,” said Slavik, continuing, “The reality is that by September, we have a budget that if nothing else, it could be the budget for next year.”
This accelerated process, while new to Dakota County, has been adopted across the state with counties like Washington and Olmstead moving up their budget process in order to provide more time for review.
At the Sept. 10 meeting, County Manager Heidi Welsch attended her first board meeting as County Manager of Dakota County and thanked both the interim county manager Thomas Novak as well as the staff for their work to move forward the budgeting process into August.
“It got pretty intense in the last few months,” said Commissioner Joe Atkins in reference to the expedited budget schedule.
Also discussed at the General Government and Policy Committee of the Whole were Dakota County’s recommended legislative priorities. For capital improvements, the county seeks funds for several projects carried over from 2024 legislative priorities including $25 million for the Interstate 35 bridge, $8 million for County Road 50, $8 million for Recycling Zone Plus, and $15 million for Thompson County Park improvements.
Policy priorities include Cannabis and THC impact mitigation, elder waiver renewal flexibility and MnCHOICES reassessment process improvement, among many others. MnCHOICES in particular, the app for assessment and support planning for Minnesotans in need of long-term services and support is a key issue for the county in the coming year. The onerous requirements of assessments, often taking 7-8 hours, as well as the need for annual reassessments in order to continue service has created a vast backlog for the county which can take applicants months to get through.
According to a draft of the staff recommended 2025 State Legislature Priorities at the meeting, “Developing a shorter, less time-intensive process to review and determine if things are stable and unchanged would allow for a focus on a support plan and reauthorization of services for the next plan year.”
For more details on Dakota County’s maximum proposed property tax levy and 2025 legislative priorities, visit the Dakota County website at https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Government/Board/Pages/default.aspx