Public Meeting on St. Louis County 2023 Budget

The St. Louis County Board is holding two public meetings to receive comments on its proposed operating budget and tax levy for 2023. The first meeting is Nov. 21 in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Virginia, lower level conference room. The second is Nov. 28 at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth. Both meetings will be open for the public to attend in person. The Nov. 28 meeting will also include a live stream option for people to watch and provide comment. A link to join the online will be posted at stlouiscountymn.gov.

Both meetings will include a presentation about the budget and levy, and an opportunity for citizens to address the board with questions or comments.

Staff from the Assessor’s Department and Auditor’s Office will be available at both meetings to meet one-on-one with anyone who has questions or concerns specific to their proposed property tax statement. People are reminded they can contact the Assessor’s Department at any time with questions about their property’s classification and valuation by calling 800-450-9777 or emailing assrdept @ stlouiscountymn.gov. Questions about property tax statements can be directed to the Auditor’s Office by calling 218-726-2383 ext. 2; or emailing propertytax @ stlouiscountymn.gov.

The 2023 budget will total approximately $450 million. This would include $163.4 million collected through the levy, an amount preliminarily approved by the county board in September. The 2023 levy amount would be a 4.39 percent increase compared to this year’s levy, however significant growth in the county’s net tax capacity will offset that growth in varying amounts for property owners depending on their property’s classification, overall value, and if or how much their property’s value increased. It’s estimated the owner of a home valued at $250,000 would pay approximately $185 dollars less in 2023 on the county portion of their property taxes compared to this year if the value of their home remained the same.

Citizens unable to participate in either of the public meetings are also welcome to provide input at any county board meeting, or by contacting commissioners directly. Contact information can be found at stlouiscountymn.gov/countyboard. The board is scheduled to vote on the final levy and budget at its Dec. 13 meeting.

For more information about the public meetings on the 2023 budget or any other county board matter, call 218-726-2450 or visit stlouiscountymn.gov. Historical budget information can also be reviewed online at stlouiscountymn.gov/budgetexplorer.