Washington
Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties all seek property tax levy hikes
Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties all are seeking property tax levy increases this year, as they deal with higher costs in areas such as construction, labor and healthcare as well as the end of federal pandemic money.
Homeowners and other property owners in the east metro have seen the proposed hikes on their property tax statements. There is a distinction between the levies imposed by counties and those from their city, county, school district and other special taxing jurisdictions. Up to a dozen different taxing authorities — including mosquito control districts — contribute to the total payment due at the bottom of a tax statement.
“They’re looking at a tax statement that comes from us, but it includes the city, the school district,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega, who said he, too, has shouldered years of sizable property tax increases.
Ortega noted home prices have soared in recent years in higher-end neighborhoods like St. Paul’s Highland Park, while many long-undervalued properties in poorer neighborhoods are effectively playing catch-up as their estimated market values spike. Values also have shifted, leveled off or dropped for commercial office buildings, apartment buildings, industrial properties and small businesses in St. Paul while rising for St. Paul homeowners.
“I’ve been paying 15% increases on both mine and my mother’s properties for the last five years,” Ortega said. “You take a place like the East Side that has such low values, but their taxes jump higher because of the increase in assessed value. They’ve been undervalued for so long.”
Beyond growing home values, Ramsey and several other counties experienced deep cuts to state County Program Aid over time, and between 2006 and 2018 in particular.
Increased costs
Construction costs that soared during the pandemic as prices rose for materials and equipment have yet to abate, and a labor shortage continues. Meanwhile, counties are facing rising costs for everyday labor and healthcare. In surveys conducted by the Association of Minnesota Counties, one county reported its health insurance costs ballooning by almost 18% next year.
“That’s a 6.8% tax levy increase alone,” said Matt Hilgart, the government relations manager for the association.
For most counties, “the amount of their budget that is financed with property taxes has grown,” Hilgart said. “There isn’t one single reason why. While some state local government aid has grown very recently after decades of lack of funding or incremental increases, general expenditure spending has also grown.”
Counties “carry out the majority of core social services delivery for most of Minnesota, and I think it’s fair to say some of those mandates have grown over time,” Hilgart said. “Counties across the state, and including Ramsey County, are having to hire more social workers, case managers, and more child protection workers to fulfill both new mandates and increased community needs. These costs show up as wage increases, but in reality, it’s driven by the state mandate to provide certain services.”
Here’s a round-up of proposed property tax levy increases in Washington, Dakota and Ramsey counties as well as how their budgets have grown in the past 10 years.
Ramsey County
In St. Paul, a median-value single-family home had an estimated market value of $267,400 for taxes payable this year. That value will go up 3% to $275,300 for taxes payable in 2025. That owner would see overall property taxes — city, county, school district, Met Council and more — go up $337, an 8.8% increase.
Nearly 46% of the county’s proposed 2025 budget is funded by property tax, an increase of less than 1%, or $17.6 million, compared to the current fiscal year. The rest comes from intergovernmental revenues, charges for services and other sources.
The proposed county budget for 2025 is $848.6 million.
Ramsey County’s public truth-in-taxation hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, 270 N. Kent St. in St. Paul. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and interpreters will be available. County commissioners plan to approve the 2025 supplemental budget and property tax levy at their Dec. 17 board meeting.
The Ramsey County Board set next year’s maximum tax levy increase at 4.75% in September, though it could be altered up to the final vote.
Ramsey County budget
• 2015: $622.8 million.
• 2016: $645 million.
• 2017: $660.8 million.
• 2018: $714 million.
• 2019: $738 million.
• 2020: $741.7 million.
• 2021: $763.1 million.
• 2022: $774 million.
• 2023: $785.7 million.
• 2024: $808.5 million.
• 2025: $848.6 million (proposed).
Washington County
Washington County’s 2025 budget is $361.6 million, or $9.65 million less than in 2024. The proposed tax levy increase is 5.9%.
Of the total county budget, property taxes cover $140.48 million, or 38.8%.
There was a decrease in Washington County in the estimated median-value single-family home’s market value from $422,400 in 2024 to $411,400 in 2025. The median increase from 2024 to 2025 for the county portion of taxes is approximately $24, or 2.6%.
The county’s truth-in-taxation hearing was Nov. 26. The county board will vote on the final tax levy and budget at the Dec. 17 board meeting at the Washington County Government Center in Stillwater.
Washington County budget
• 2015: $228.7 million.
• 2016: $219.2 million.
• 2017: $211.2 million.
• 2018: $224.3 million.
• 2019: $288.1 million.
• 2020: $282.2 million.
• 2021: $288.5 million.
• 2022: $316 million.
• 2023: $378.9 million.
• 2024: $371.3 million.
• 2025: $361.6 million (proposed).
Dakota County
The recommended 2025 maximum levy of $167.7 million for Dakota County represents a 9.9% increase from the amount levied in 2024, according to officials with Dakota County Finance.
A median-value single-family home in Dakota County carried an estimated market value of $372,000 in 2025 and 2024. Per the proposed levy, the owner would see their taxes go up 5.87%, or $39.62, to total $714.35 next year as compared to $675 in 2024.
“In 2024, the county maintained the lowest levy per capita in the state of Minnesota and the lowest property tax rate among the seven metropolitan counties,” reads the staff report in county budget documents.
Nearly 30% of the county’s 2024 budget was funded by property tax, which according to the county, “is the largest and most stable source of funding.” The proposed budget for 2025 is $532.9 million, with an operating budget of $377.5 million.
The county’s truth-in-taxation hearing was Tuesday night. The county board is expected to vote Dec. 17 on the final budget and levy.
Dakota County budget
• 2015: $245 million.
• 2016: $269 million.
• 2017: $246 million.
• 2018: $249 million.
• 2019: $262 million.
• 2020: $278 million.
• 2021: $294 million.
• 2022: $290 million.
• 2023: $306 million.
• 2024: $336 million.
• 2025 $377.5 million (proposed).
On a perfect day in Seattle for football, Washington took the field inside Husky Stadium for its first scrimmage of spring practice, and ahead of his third season at the helm, Jedd Fisch seemed pleased with the results.
“Guys played and competed their ass off,” he said after the Huskies ran 120 plays. “That’s the type of day we want to have…We have a lot to work on, but we’re excited that today gave us this opportunity.”
The 120 plays had a little bit of everything, but the biggest thing the Huskies showed during the day was that, despite the inexperience that Fisch’s coaching staff is looking to lean on at several positions, there’s plenty of talent littering the roster. The best example of that is sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr., who had his best practice in a Husky uniform after Fisch announced on Saturday that senior CJ Christian is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
“Paul’s done a great job of competing and being physical and playing fast, and you could see over these three years, he’s really grown into understanding now the system, and what’s asked of him as a safety,” Fisch said. “I think there’s a lot of in him that he wants to be like (safeties coach Taylor) Mays. He sees himself as a tall, linear, big hitter. So when you have your coach that is known for that type of play, I think Paul has done a great job.”
Mencke was all over the field. Not only did he lay some big hits, just like his safeties coach did during his time at USC, but the former four-star recruit also tallied a pair of pass breakups, an interception in a 7-on-7 period, and multiple strong tackles to hold ball carriers to limited yards.
While the defense did a good job getting pressure throughout the day and making the quarterbacks hold the ball with different looks on the back end, with safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Donovan Robinson, and edge rusher Logan George all among the players credited for a sack, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got an opportunity to show off how he’s improved ahead of his junior year.
Early on, he showed off his well-known speed and athleticism, making the correct decision on a read option, pulling the ball and scampering for a 25-yard gain before displaying his touch. Throughout the day, his favorite target was junior receiver Rashid Williams, whom he found on several layered throws of 15-plus yards in the various scrimmage periods of practice.
On a day when every able-bodied member of the team was able to get several reps of live action, here are some of the other noteworthy plays from the day.
Spring practice notebook
- Freshman cornerback Jeron Jones was unable to participate in the scrimmage and was spotted working off to the side with the rest of the players rehabbing their injuries.
- The running backs delivered a pair of big blows on the day. First, cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was on the receiving end of a big hit from redshirt freshman Quaid Carr before the former three-star recruit ripped off a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play. Later on, every player on offense had a lot of fun cheering on freshman Ansu Sanoe after he leveled Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, letting the sophomore linebacker hear all about it when the play was whistled dead.
- Sophomore wide receiver Justice Williams put together a strong day with several contested catches, showing off his strong hands and 6-foot-4 frame, including a 25-yard catch and run off a drag route from backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
- Of all the tackles for a loss the Huskies were able to rack up throughout the day, two stood out. First, junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis burst through the middle of the line to wrap up freshman running back Brian Bonner. Later on, freshman outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean wasn’t even touched as he shot through a gap in the offensive line to track down a play from behind, letting the entire offensive sideline know about the play on his way back to his own bench.
- The Huskies experimented with several defensive line combinations on Saturday, and for the first time this spring, it felt like freshman Derek Colman-Brusa took the majority of his reps alongside someone other than Davis, who he said has taken on an older brother role to help mentor the top-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class.
“Elinneus is a phenomenal guy. Great work ethic. He’s kind of taken on that older brother mentor for me. He’s been a great help just to learn plays and learn the scheme. Can’t say enough good things about the guy.”
- Ball State transfer Darin Conley took a handful of reps with the first team, while rotating with Colman-Brusa, who got a lot of work in alongside Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.
Twenty Sioux Falls School District art teachers have their own original pieces on display at the Washington Pavilion’s University Gallery now through May 31.
The “Teachers as Artists” exhibit showcases their work not just as educators, but as artists inside and outside of the classroom, and highlights how art education builds critical thinking, creative problem-solving and self-expression skills.
Edison Middle School art teacher Meagan Turbak-Fogarty said she dreamt of such a showcase since her first year teaching.
She and Kathy Dang, an art teacher at Marcella LeBeau Elementary School who also serves on the city’s Visual Arts Committee, partnered with the city and Washington Pavilion to bring the showcase to life.
Turbak-Fogarty has taught at Edison for five years and said her passion for art is “instantly felt” on her classroom walls, but that students have asked where they could see her art in the classroom, or what kind of art she creates in her own time.
“I always felt the feeling that I stand in front of all these kids every single day and preach about how much I love art, and how art has changed my life,” Turbak-Fogarty said. “That got me thinking, ‘I want to show them.’”
Some of her works on display at the Pavilion include art she created in her first year teaching, including a large Cheetos bag she created as an example for her eighth grade classroom when they were working on a large chip bag project. Turbak-Fogarty said she loves painting, working with acrylics and unconventional materials.
“I wanted to show my students that art can be anything,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be hanging up in a museum to be considered art.”
Continuing to do her own art while teaching the subject helps keep her inspired, Turbak-Fogarty explained, adding that it helps her push her own creativity when it comes to projects she works on with students.
Samantha Levisay, an art teacher at John Harris Elementary School, showed three pieces in the show — “Moments in Time,” “Midnight Butterfly Garden” and “Whimsy” — with the same mixed media, watercolor and printmaking skills that she teaches in different units at every elementary grade.
Levisay educates her students that “art is everywhere.” She said her favorite memories as an art teacher are “moments when I show students a lesson, and they take it even further.”
“Kids are so creative; I marvel at them all the time,” she said. “They inspire me every day with their endless creativity and imagination.”
Roosevelt High School art teacher Ruth Hillman showed two pieces in the show: “The Potato on the Wall,” a mixed media work, and a collection of her handmade clay charms in a shadow box.
She also wore some of her art — miniature potato earrings made of clay.
Hillman is in her third year at RHS. When she’s not teaching art, she’s also making art, and sells her charms at shows like the Art Collective.
Washington High School art teacher Mollie Potter displayed a three-part painting series at the show that she said were inspired by her English language learner students’ stories, and how teachers help students “take flight,” as represented by balloons, parachutes and kites in her work.
Porter said she is often inspired by her students’ art in the classroom; for example, one former student was obsessed with swans, and Porter said she later created a painting inspired by one of the student’s stories about swans.
At an April 17 reception, Mayor Paul TenHaken emphasized the arts as an “important economic driver in the community,” and said the show honored educators “who are artists in and of themselves,” but who might not have had a chance to display their art outside the classroom before.
“This is a way for us to honor them and show their incredible work,” TenHaken said.
Full Episode:
Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 4/17/26
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