Join The Conversation About St. Cloud’s Budget At City Hall

The city of St. Cloud is giving the public the opportunity to voice their opinion on the proposed 2026 budget at a public forum Monday September 8 at 6pm at St. Cloud City Hall.  St. Cloud Mayor Jake Anderson appeared on WJON today.   He proposed the budget at the City Council Meeting on August 18.

Anderson is asking for a 4.49 percent increase in the property tax rate for 2026 to help start addressing the city's funding gaps.

There's two impacts this year on the levy, the first is this one which I would consider to be operational in terms of how we do things, and the second is the fire referendum.  So, a 4.49 percent increase in the tax rate on a $200,000 home is about $6 a month, or $72 a year.

The voter-approved fire levy is an additional $180 a year on a $200,000 home. So, combining the two increases, the property tax increase on a $200,000 home would be just over $250 a year.

Budget Process

Anderson says Monday will be the opportunity for the public to weigh in on the budget.  He says the final budget won't be presented to the City Council until late November.  Anderson says between now and then the council will need to adopt the preliminary tax levy.  He expects they'll continue to fine tune numbers in hopes of finding savings to help bring the property tax increase down.

Being Efficient

Anderson says the city is looking for ways to become more efficient in how they deliver the services they provide.  He acknowledges some people are on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet.  Anderson says this is something that is always considered when putting together the budget.  He says it is important to sustain the city's fiscal responsibilities long term.

If you'd like to listen to today's radio town hall with Jake Anderson, click below.