Council moves budget ahead
Mike Blessum
Stephan Podrygula
Mike Blessum
Stephan Podrygula
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The Minot City Council approved a preliminary city budget Monday, Aug. 3, with a hefty tax increase, but council members indicated proposals for cuts remain on the way. The council scheduled a budget work session for Thursday, Sept. 3, at 8:30 a.m.
Council member Mike Blessum noted that approving the preliminary process keeps the process moving toward the October deadline for submitting a final budget to Ward County for preparing tax statements.
"But I want the public to understand that we are in no way done with the budget process. This is a preliminary approval that's part of the procedural rules that we need to follow to get this to the county in a timely fashion," Blessum said.
"I will be bringing a package that will be about $8 million in adjustments to the budget - and that's the property tax number itself," he added. "So, we will have options in front of us before this budget process is done to not only not raise property tax, but to actually lower it if we choose. Now, do I expect that to happen? No, probably not. That's not the will of the council likely right now. But, I will have proposals that will get us there if we choose that direction."
Council member Stephan Podrygula said he also will be formulating a series of proposals to broaden the revenue base and become more efficient.
"We need to have a long, hard discussion - maybe as part of this or maybe later as a council – for where we go as a city in terms of setting priorities, particularly for the administration," he said. He also acknowledged the input the public already is providing.
"We want to digest it and process it and come up with the best consensus that we can. So, it's not done yet. It's just starting," Podrygula said.
Two public hearings have been set on the preliminary budget. The hearings will be Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 6 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m, both in Minot City Hall, council chambers.
The preliminary budget approved by the city includes spending of nearly $218 million for 2027. While up just 0.8% overall from 2026, it includes a property tax increase of 27.36%. The levy increases from about $351 per $100,000 of property value to $447.
The budget plan shows 2027 tax collections at $26.7 million, up from $20.1 million for 2026 but below the $28.5 million in 2024 by about 6%, which factors into determining the 3% levy cap. The maximum property tax under the 3% state levy cap is $29.4 million, or about $2.7 million more than proposed in the preliminary budget.
The budget proposal adds a dollar to monthly garbage collection fees for the first cart. Water and sewer rates also would see some increase for all categories of users.