The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioners voted to support a tax levy increase at its Tuesday meeting.
The MPRB said the increased levy request of 10.07% was made to the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET).
According to MPRB, the increase would be used to maintain current park service levels and care for park assets.
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“This Board of Commissioner’s priority is to take care of the park assets we have and to continue providing the park services that Minneapolis residents use and that have made us one of the top park systems in the nation,” said MPRB President Meg Forney.
If passed, the levy increase for the MPRB will result in a 1.76% increase in city property taxes overall.
According to MPRB, it would amount to an approximate $33 annual increase in property taxes for owners of a median $323,000 value home.
MPRB broke the levy down into four elements for which the levy would be used for:
- First, maintain current service levels, which includes $3,132,000 for wage and fringe adjustments and $727,568 for “inflationary pressures.”
- Second, $566,000 for system equity investments to provide the standard level of service for Graco Park ($557,000), which is planned to open later in 2024 and skateparks ($9,000).
- Third, the MPRB said $150,000 would be used to “reduce barriers” for program participation.
- Fourth, $196,000 to support the Board’s adoption of Strategic Direction D — also called Care for Park Assets to Meet Evolving Needs and Practices.
The care of park assets investment will provide professional management support to identify and implement an asset management lifecycle for all asset types within its system.
“We provide parks and facilities to enrich the lives of every Minneapolis resident,” said Al Bangoura, superintendent for the MPRB. “With more than 32 million visits to the park system each year, we need to maintain current service levels and invest in how we track, assess and care for park assets within almost 200 parks located throughout the city.”
As required by state law, the BET sets the maximum tax levy for MPRB. The BET is scheduled to set maximum property tax levies on Sept. 18, 2024.
If approved by the BET, a 2025 recommended budget based on the property levy increase will be presented on Oct. 23.
The Board will then consider the budget and adopt the 2025 tax levy and 2025 budget on Dec. 10.
