Last Saturday, March 23^rd, the Mayor and Council met for its annual, all-day budget worksession. Click here to view the worksession, and click here to view the Proposed FY2025 Budget presented to the body for consideration by the City Manager. 

Throughout the course of the day, Mayor Kabir and councilmembers heard from department directors and had the ability to ask questions about their proposed budgets.

At the close of those discussions, the Mayor and Council began to deliberate on councilmember priorities, the proposed FY2025 tax rates and what programs to cut, add or enhance.

Via a series of informal straw polls, the body put forward the following changes:

• $200,000 for the proposed rent subsidy program removed
• $33,000 to fund a College Park Parade in 2025 removed
• $50,000 for Shot Spotter technology removed
• $50,000 for ITOC tax credit removed
• $10,000 reduction in spending for Summer Camp Scholarship since $10,000 additional City revenue via a MNCPPC grant was not reflected in the proposed budget (Same proposed amount available for FY25 scholarships)
• $7,000 reduction in Mayor & Council training and travel budget 
• $100,000 added to Economic Development’s Business Retention funding
• $15,000 fund created for civic associations to fund language translation
• $85,000, inclusive of benefits, for new AARP Age-Friendly Action Plan Lead to be added to Youth, Family & Senior Services staff
• $156,000 added by reducing the proposed 35.18 cent tax rate to 34.18 cents per $100 assessed value.

$6,000 in additional reduced spending will be necessary to put forth a balanced budget, but City Manager Kenny Young said they could bring back an updated balanced budget for residents and the Mayor & Council to consider. 

The changes we have shared are by no means final. Council will hear from residents at the hybrid Budget Listening Session this Saturday, March 30^th at 11 am in Council Chambers at City Hall, and will meet for a second Budget Worksession on Tuesday, April 2^nd at 7:30 pm.