Maple Grove City Council Adopts 2012 Budget, Tax Levy

At the last meeting of 2011, the City Council voted to adopt the 2012 general fund budget and set a tax levy for 2012.

The 2012 general fund budget for the city increased 2.01 percent over the 2011 budget – a total of $34,063,800. Property taxes are anticipated to decrease by .04 percent over the 2011 levy.

Population growth was cited in a memo to the City Council as a reason for additional city expenditures in the form of “additional staffing, supplies/maintenance materials or third party agreements to provide municipal services.”

City cost saving strategies that impacted the 2011 and 2012 budgets, according to the memo, includes:

• The elimination of three positions.
• Delayed rehiring upon retirements and resignations
• Participating in group purchasing programs.
• Refinancing debt to take advantage of lower interest rates.

The 2012 budget decreased funding in areas professional services, communication, and insurance.

Increases for additional supply costs are included on the budget due to the 2012 election, maintenance areas, and an increased amount for road materials used in summer street maintenance and winter snow plowing.

At the Dec. 19 meeting, the City Council also adopted the 2012 road construction budget and general obligation capital improvement plan budget. 

More information on the 2012 budget, including information on the elimination of the Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC) in 2011 by the state legislature, can be found here.