Understanding Property Taxes / How Taxes are Used and the General Fund
City property taxes are the main source of revenue for most cities; for St. Anthony Village, 65% of operating revenues come from property taxes. The property tax statement that is sent from the county that you live in will also include other taxing jurisdictions such as the county itself, the school district that serves your area, and the watershed district in which the property is located. The City portion of St. Anthony’s property tax is shared between the General Fund Budget, Road Levy Taxes, Tax Abatement, and Capital Improvements.
Explanation of Categories:
Road Levy (26%) pays debt related to street improvement projects and to accumulate funds to finance smaller future projects without using debt.
Tax Abatement (2%) of the levy finances debt related to parks, sidewalks, and intersection improvements.
Capital Improvement (6%) supports buildings, parks, vehicle and equipment purchases.
The General Fund (66% of total levy) funds the main operations of city services. This portion of the levy is distributed as demonstrated in this pie chart.
Property taxes are based on home valuation. The median valued home for Hennepin County homes in St. Anthony for 2023 was $411,250. For a property at this value, the St. Anthony portion of the tax bill was $2,560.18* distributed as shown here:
- Tax Abatement Bond Levy, $49 (2%)
- Capital Improvements Levy, $159 (6%)
- Road Levy, $660 (26%)
- General Fund, $1,693 (66%)
*Example based on median-valued home of $411K in Hennepin County with $2,560 tax bill.
General Fund Distribution:
Police: 43%*
Fire: 19%
Public Works: 11%
Administration: 9%
Other: 8%**
Finance: 5%
Parks: 5%
* Net effect with contract services city revenue
**Other Category includes city facilities maintenance, inspections, cable access, and various miscellaneous costs.
A detailed budget document and steps in the budget process are posted on the City website (LINK). Questions related to the City portion of the property tax bill can be directed to Finance Director Deborah Maloney, or call 612-782-3316. VISIT OUR WEBPAGE: LINK
2024 Strategic Planning and Goal Setting
City Council held their annual Goal Setting again this year in late January. The City has held these strategic planning sessions for decades, and they have become central in identifying priorities and focusing efforts across the city. This exercise includes the City Council, of course, but also includes City Commission representatives, city staff, consultant staff, and guests from outside organizations. This collaboration is invaluable in selecting priorities and fostering a culture of trust up and down the organization.
UPDATED CORE VALUES:
Trust | Service | Inclusion
This year’s session concluded with reworking the City’s Core Values that the Council and staff strive to embody in service to the St. Anthony Village community. These values are the basis for how decisions are made, how services are delivered, and also ensures the City as a whole conducts itself in an accountable, transparent, respectful, and responsive manner. The new Pyramid reflects the City’s priorities and Action Steps for 2024. LINK TO PYRAMID
City Planning: The Land Use Process
(contributed by Steve Grittman, St. Anthony City Planner)
St. Anthony Village, like most communities, maintains a set of land use regulations. These regulations are codified in the City Code as the Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 152) and the Subdivision Ordinance (Sec. 153). The codes set standards for the types of land uses – identified by zoning district – as well as dimensional or “performance” standards. Standards can be general across different districts, or may be specific to uses within a zoning district.
As is true for virtually any general standard, certain conditions can be present which justify departure from those standards. When the departure is for a type of land use, the departures are made through a zoning category called Conditional Use Permits. When the departure is proposed from a dimensional standard, the process is a Variance.
PUBLIC PROCESS FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS & VARIANCES UNIQUE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Conditional Use Permits and Variances each have their own code-defined rules that inform how the City’s Planning Commission and Council evaluate requests. Decisions are required to meet a legal standard known as rational basis and cannot be arbitrary or untethered from the City’s overall goals. When a project is proposed to vary from the baseline requirements, there is a common public process that provides local community members and neighbors the opportunity to comment on the proposal. This process is an aspect of land use management that is unique in local government.
CITIES CAN ONLY DO WHAT STATE PERMITS
For the vast majority of those functions, the City must do so in open meetings. Land use decisions take this one step further – public hearings are published, and property owners in the immediate vicinity of a project location are provided mailed notice of the proposal.
WHY DO WE HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS?
Public hearings are intended to inject local knowledge of factual conditions that may impact a proposed project’s design, intensity, or many other aspects. City officials use that local knowledge in crafting a decision that does the best job of meeting the City’s land use policies.
MAINTAINING OUR UNIQUE VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT
Minnesota’s land use regulations help ensure a variety of urban and suburban landscapes, variable and distinctive to each community. Public participation and local decision-making are key to maintaining that variety, and an instrumental part of St. Anthony’s unique village environment.
BE INVOLVED & STAY INFORMED
Maintaining our uniqueness requires Villagers’ involvement! Stay apprised of our land use policies and decision-making.
Just Deeds Project in St. Anthony Village
St. Anthony Participating in Just Deeds Project
During the formation of the Twin Cities, discriminatory covenants were used to keep those who were not white from owning or occupying land in certain neighborhoods. The result is a century of segregated communities and disparities in wealth, health and well-being. The Just Deeds program allows property owners to discharge racially restrictive covenants to create change and promote racial equity here in Minnesota.
ST. ANTHONY HOME OWNERS & BUYERS: Determine whether your title includes a covenant, how to discharge it, and next steps for change.
VISIT: savmn.com/544/Just-Deeds-Project
Local Government Engaging with Community; Chamber of Commerce and City Council
The Chamber of Commerce hosted Saint Anthony Village Mayor Webster and the City Council in a Meet the Council event January 23. The event provided background on current development activity in the city, the City Council’s strategic plan for the future, and a time for business and local government officials to exchange ideas following a formal presentation.
St. Anthony Village Wine and Spirits; Sales, Expenses and Profits
Contributing to the community since 1948
Each year, the City Manager and department heads present their Annual Reports at a City Council meeting. The Liquor Operations report highlights notable trends, sales and profits. The final audit for 2023 has not been completed at the time of this publication’s release; but early indicators show that our liquor store’s sales in 2023 were $7,065,950 and profits were $381,780.
SALES UP SLIGHTLY, EXPENSES UP SIGNIFICANTLY
2023 sales increased slightly while expenses increased significantly. Inflationary cost increases of non-inventory items such as utilities, repairs and maintenance, etc. impacted our profits. Wages and benefits also increased as we work to attract and retain employees. Total operating costs increased $103,800.
MAXIMIZING PROFITS
Our staff works hard to maximize profits within the current retail environment. As a team, we are committed to attracting customers by providing a unique retail environment based on excellent customer service, a robust product selection, and competitive pricing, while providing safe, bright, clean stores that drive long-term customer loyalty!
ENRICHING OUR COMMUNITY
We look forward to serving our customers and St. Anthony Village, where 100% of our profit enriches the community! Please contact me if we can assist you with anything that would provide a better shopping experience for you and your fellow residents. Feel free to email me, Mike Larson. or call me at 612-782-3455. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you!
LOCATIONS:
Marketplace, 2700 Highway 88 / 612-782-3451
Silver Lake Village, 2602 39th Avenue NE / 612-782-3452
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