St. Louis County commissioners Tuesday approved a 2017 county budget that includes an 8.5 percent levy hike.
The County Board voted 5-2 for a $126.6 million levy, the part of the county's budget that's paid for through local property taxes. That's up from $117 million in 2016, mostly due to increased social service costs.
That levy hike will push 2017 tax bills higher, although the actual impact on many property owners will be less than 8.5 percent, thanks to relatively strong new construction and increasing property value available for taxing. That extra property wealth helps spread out the pain.
The owners of a $150,000 home in Duluth will see the county's share of their taxes go up by about $45 over 2016 levels, or 5.8 percent. The owners of a $100,000 home in Hibbing will see the county's share of their taxes go up $24 in 2017 compared to this year, or 8.9 percent. Those increases account only for the county's share of property taxes, however, and not for any levy increase by cities, townships, school districts or special taxing districts or any assessment changes.
Increased spending on social services accounts for 75 percent of the overall proposed budget hike for 2017, county officials noted. There were 588 human service workers in 2012, with 640 on the payroll this year and 668 projected by next year.
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The county's overall budget will increase to $387 million in 2017 when state and federal funding is included for programs the county administers.
Commissioners Chris Dahlberg and Tom Rukavina voted against the 2017 budget. Commissioners Keith Nelson, Steve Raukar, Pete Stauber, Patrick Boyle and Frank Jewell voted in favor.
