At its August 7 meeting, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioners voted to support a tax levy increase request to the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) of 10.07 percent to maintain current park service levels and to care for park assets. If passed, the levy increase for the MPRB will result in a 1.76 percent increase in city property taxes overall, which amounts to an approximate $33 annual increase in property taxes – less than $3 per month – for owners of a median $323,000 value home.
“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,” explained Meg Forney, MPRB President.
Currently, of every dollar Minneapolis homeowner’s pay for property taxes, 7.8 cents go to the MPRB to maintain and program 7,059 acres of land and water in top rated park system, maintain and protect the urban forest (park and boulevard trees), and supporting more than 32 million visits.
The proposed tax levy includes four distinct elements that combined provide for the 2025 maximum property tax levy request. The first is to maintain current service levels, including $3,132,000 for the provision for wage and fringe adjustments and $727,568 for other inflationary pressures that are impacting the MPRB Budget. The second element is $566,000 for system equity investments needed to provide the standard level of service for Graco Park ($557,000) opening later this year and skateparks ($9,000). The third element is $150,000 to reduce barriers to program participation by providing a city-wide need based free and reduced cost youth programming strategy. The fourth element is $196,000 to support the Board adopted Strategic Direction D – Care for Park Assets to Meet Evolving Needs and Practices. This care of park assets investment will provide professional management support as the MPRB moves to identify and implement an asset management lifecycle for all asset types within the MPRB system. The addition of two project managers and one systems analyst will allow for the maximization of existing funding for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and capital. It will also provide focused attention on the under-funded regional park system as state funding has not met statutory requirements resulting in property tax support being sought.
“We provide parks and facilities to enrich the lives of every Minneapolis resident. 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,” said Al Bangoura, Superintendent for the MPRB.
As required by State Law, the BET sets the maximum tax levy for the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Municipal Building Commission, and the Public Housing Authority on an annual basis. The BET is scheduled to set these maximum property tax levies on Sept. 18, 2024.
If approved by the BET, the Superintendent will present a balanced 2025 recommended budget based on a 10.07 percent property levy increase on Oct. 23, 2024. The Board will consider the Superintendent’s budget and adopt the 2025 tax levy and 2025 budget on Dec. 10, 2024.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independently governed park system featuring 185 park properties totaling 7,059 acres of land and water. Its Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, waterfront access, trail system, neighborhood parks, recreation centers, recreation amenities and diversified programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, visit, play and work. An estimated 32 million annual visits are made to the nationally and locally acclaimed park system.
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Established in 1883, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) oversees a renowned urban park system spanning 7,059 acres of parkland and water. Featured among its 185 park properties are 55 miles of parkways, 102 miles of Grand Rounds biking and walking paths, 22 lakes, 12 formal gardens, seven golf courses and 49 recreation centers. Altogether, MPRB properties receive more than 30 million visits annually.