Robbinsdale Approves Preliminary Budget, Plans to Hire Extra Police Officer
The Robbinsdale City Council approved a 2020 preliminary budget Tuesday, one that adds to public safety.
The city’s net property tax levy is expected to go up 5.35 percent, or $373,824. For the average home of $212,000 in Robbinsdale, that’s a $64.60 increase in city taxes next year. Some homeowners could see more than that, others could see less depending on how much their valuations went up. The average home for 2019 tax purposes in Robbinsdale was $188,000.
The 2020 budget will allow Robbinsdale to hire an additional full-time police officer. The city is looking to have three police officers on the streets at all time.
Council members say it’s a “very reasonable budget.”
“This budget even though we’re raising it 5 percent, really is paying for our existing staff with that increase,” said Robbinsdale City Council Member Dan Rogan. “And with that additional money that we got from the state, we’re able to get a couple of other very needed positions.”
Robbinsdale received an 6.4 percent increase in local government aid from the state. Of the city’s revenue, 59 percent comes from property taxes. Public safety costs take up about half of Robbinsdale’s budget. Forty-seven percent of the budget goes to police, with 21 percent to public works.
The Robbinsdale City Council could still vote to lower the tax levy when council members approve final budgets in December. However, they cannot raise the levy higher than what they approved this week.
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