Sartell Looking at Tax Rate Decrease in 2020 Budget

SARTELL -- Sartell officials are starting to plan ahead for next years budget.

During Monday's meeting the city council will look to approve their preliminary budget and levy for 2020.

Next years proposed budget is over $7.2-million, which is an increase of 2.52 percent from last year. The total preliminary levy comes in at just over $7-million.

City Administrator Mary Degiovanni says despite the increase in spending, their figures show a decrease for the tax payers.

For preliminary proposes we are holding a line on the budget increase to 2.5% and we think that will lead to a reduction in tax rate. Before we adopt a final in December we will have clarity on our tax base growth, but the council is really committed to holding down the budget increase and trying to deliver a tax rate reduction to the tax payers.

Degiovanni says even though the Public Safety Facility is a part of next years budget, the fact they've been planning for 10 years has helped them reduce tax rate impacts with it.

Once the preliminary budget is approved it can only decrease before the final budget is approved in December.