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<br />. .......... .......................
<br />
<br />Evenr'as values rise, many. 'J~~9f~~~;a~~~~~~it~is~e
<br />
<br />ChanhC)ssen had the highest taxes on a
<br />
<br />see property taxes drop :;c~~~~t~o:~i~~~n~ear.
<br />
<br />I ..' , I alf League analysis out
<br />1- omeowners ill lc identical value. today. That 6st-
<br />While the overall news WqS top I g ta bill
<br />of,metro-area cities good for homeowners in South St; is ':;~e'y x .
<br />Pai. d less tllls 'y' ear Paul, where property taxes on..a . beoause at
<br />;' ...., $130,000 home fell 17 percent Chaska
<br />but Chanhasseil isn't from a year ago, it was not so good schooL,
<br />for those in Chanhassen: The dlstrl t
<br />cheering it~TaJ.lking. $2,332 tax bill on a $130,000 home t~xe~~'
<br />, . ,. ,., there was the highest among tlw
<br />By Mike Kaszuba' 109 metro cities surveyed. i
<br />Star Tribullt;! SfaffWrit~r Among 33 cities surveyed in
<br />I outs tate Minnesota, Bemidji had'
<br />Properly (aJ(:ei; " for average the highest taxes on an $85,000
<br />homeowners werit doWn this year . home.
<br />in slightly more thall' half of the.,
<br />cities in the: metroi area even,. SURVEY continues on 87: .
<br />though home values'" across the' - A look at the rankillgs in the
<br />region cOl}tinued' tadse, a Citi- sellen-county metro area.
<br />zens League s4rvey reports.
<br />The citizengrollp's:34th anmh ALSO INSIDE:
<br />al sUrvey, released today, none-
<br />theless showed that a variety of
<br />factors can cause two homeown-
<br />ers in adjoining comIllunities to'
<br />have dramatically different tax,
<br />bills even if their hoines are of'
<br />
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />: II
<br />:/
<br />I
<br />i,
<br />
<br />
<br />Highest
<br />property tall
<br />. Chanhassen j
<br />Victoria.
<br />New Prague,
<br />'lauderdale ;
<br />Brpoklyn Center
<br />
<br />'f
<br />
<br />, .,
<br />Lowest property tax
<br />Credit River Twp.
<br />Afton
<br />Burns Twp.
<br />West Lakeland Twp.
<br />May Twp.
<br />
<br />2000
<br />
<br />Tax
<br />$2,332
<br />$2,272
<br />$2,215
<br />$2.174
<br />$2,171
<br />
<br />. $1,388
<br />$1,386
<br />$1,366
<br />$1,229
<br />$1,194
<br />
<br />Source: MiMeSota Department of Revenue;
<br />calculations by the Citizens league.
<br />
<br />Rank
<br />1
<br />2
<br />3
<br />4
<br />5
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 2000
<br />
<br />Elk River
<br />2000 taxes of $1728 on a
<br />$130,000 valued home.
<br />This is about the same as
<br />#70, St. Paul Park.
<br />
<br />Last year, taxes on a
<br />$125,000 home was $1788 and
<br />our ranking was about #69
<br />out of 107.
<br />
<br />105
<br />106
<br />107 '.
<br />108
<br />109
<br />
<br />
<br />i,
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />)0. Minneapolis mayor proposes
<br />raising properly taxes. ~7
<br />, ,
<br />)10- Tmth-iTl- Taxation statements
<br />are in tile mail, B7..
<br />
<br />SURVEY from B1
<br />Scllool-borld issue helped fLlel
<br />Clralllhassen's No.1 ranking
<br />
<br />In the metro area, where rank-
<br />ings were based on a $130,000
<br />home, Minneapolis was sixth, up
<br />from lith last year, and St. Paul
<br />was 16th, down from nth.
<br />Chanhassen's distinction was
<br />due largely to the Chaska School
<br />District; which encompasses
<br />much of the city. The district won
<br />voter approval of a $42.5 miliion
<br />bond issue last November and
<br />ranked highest among 64 metro
<br />school districts for property taxes.
<br />Additionally, Chanhassen is in
<br />Carver County, which ranked
<br />third-highest among 20 counties.
<br />A homeowner's properly-tax bill is
<br />the combination of taxes levied by
<br />the ciry, county, school district
<br />and other, smaller taxing entities.
<br />"We have to take care of at least
<br />300 new students per year," said
<br />David Peterson, the Chaska dis-
<br />trict's finance director. The dis-
<br />trict's bond issue, approved by 68
<br />percent of voters, raised money to
<br />build an elementary school and a
<br />middle school and set aside
<br />money to buy land for future
<br />school sites.
<br />Making matters more compli-
<br />cated for taxpayers, the school dis-
<br />triers high taxes affected cities within
<br />the same school district differently.
<br />Olanhassen obtained its top rank-
<br />ing in part because it has less com-
<br />mercial and industrial property that
<br />can absorb the tax inlpact and lessen
<br />the hurden on homes, Chaska, which
<br />is in the same school district but has
<br />more commercial and industrial
<br />property, ranked 13th in the stuvey.
<br />
<br />Same value, different tax
<br />
<br />The survey also highlighted the
<br />differences that owners of simi-
<br />larly valued homes can face.
<br />In Minnetonka, the owner of a
<br />$130,000 home paid $1,839 in
<br />properly taxes this year. But in
<br />Eden Prairie, which adjoins Min-
<br />netonka, the owner of the same-
<br />priced home paid $2,111 in taxes.
<br />While the two homeowners paid
<br />the same amount of county taxes-
<br />Minnetonka and Eden Prairie are in
<br />Hennepin COWlty - the difference in
<br />their overall tax bills reflect tile impact
<br />of living in a suburb that is largely
<br />developed versus one thar is in the
<br />middle of a building boom. Eden
<br />Prairie, which has been one of the
<br />metro area's fastest-growing suburbs,
<br />features a school district that ranked
<br />fifth tllis year among the 64 metro dis-
<br />tricts in property taxes, while
<br />Minnetonka's distric.t ranked 25th.
<br />"We're probably adding some
<br />
<br />2000 property-tax rankings
<br />
<br />Here's a look at how property taxes vary by community in the Twin Cities area,
<br />Communities are ranked No.1 to No, 109 based on thi: tax on a hypothetical
<br />homesteaded house with an assessor's market value of $130,000. A home.
<br />owner's taxes are a combination of city, county, school and special districtta~es. '
<br />
<br />things tha.t Minnetonka doesn't
<br />have to do," said Don Uram, Eden
<br />Prairie's finance director. "There's
<br />a difference in the school budget,
<br />primarily, because we're still
<br />adding kids."
<br />Citizens League officials said
<br />those are the kinds of differences
<br />that the survey is meant to high-
<br />light, and the kind over which tax-
<br />payers should question local offi-
<br />cials.
<br />"Why are taxes on a $130,000
<br />home in Eden Prairie $270 more
<br />than taxes on a $130,000 home in
<br />Minnetonka? What added value
<br />are residents of Eden Prairie re-
<br />ceiving for their money?" said Lyle
<br />Wray, the Citizens League's execu-
<br />tive director, in a commentary that
<br />accompanied the survey.
<br />On a broader level. Wray said,
<br />two key legislative changes helped
<br />to lower property-tax increases in
<br />many communities despite
<br />increases in home values across
<br />the metro area. Increased values
<br />typically lead to higher taxes.
<br />One legislative change, which
<br />Wray said had a "shallow, broad
<br />impact," involved a slight adjust-
<br />ment in the formula for calculat-
<br />ing a home's taxable value.
<br />The other, he said, was an in-
<br />crease in the education homestead
<br />credit. On a $130,000 home in the
<br />metro area, according to the Citizens
<br />League, the average credit was raised
<br />fhlln $320 last year to $390 tllis year.
<br />Said Wray: "It's a big impact."
<br />
<br />Impact on image
<br />
<br />Imagewise, being ranked first
<br />in the survey can have negative
<br />results. City officials in Lauder-
<br />dale, a small Ramsey County city
<br />that was ranked first last year, said
<br />they spent much of their time
<br />explaining the intricacies of the
<br />properly-tax system to confused,
<br />and sometimes angry, taxpayers.
<br />Cityof1'icials largely blamed the
<br />Roseville School District, which
<br />covers Lauderdale, for the ranking
<br />because the district itself was first
<br />amongall metro school districts in
<br />property taxes.
<br />This year, Lauderdale fell to
<br />fOUrlh in the survey.
<br />"Was there a fallout in the city?
<br />Yeah," said Rick Getschow, Laud-
<br />erdale's city administrator, speak-
<br />ing of last year's ranking. "J think
<br />it's a negative publicity thing .. .
<br />There's not a lot of positive."
<br />Mike Kaszuba call be cOlltrlcted at
<br />mkaszuba@stflrtribulle.com.
<br />f'
<br />
<br />Community (school
<br />district In parentheses)
<br />
<br />ANOKACOUNrY
<br />
<br />Andover (11)
<br />Anoka (11)
<br />Blaine (11)
<br />Burns Twp, (11)
<br />Centerville (12)
<br />Circle Pines (12)
<br />Columbia Heights (13)
<br />Columbus Twp, (831)
<br />~oonRapids (11)
<br />East Bethel (15)
<br />Fridley (14)
<br />Ham Lake (11)
<br />Lino Lakes (12)
<br />Linwood Twp. (831)
<br />Oak Grove (15)
<br />Ramsey (11)
<br />St Francis (15)
<br />Spring Lake Park (16)
<br />
<br />CARVER COUNTY
<br />Chanhassen (112)
<br />Chaska (112)
<br />Norwood
<br />Young America (108)
<br />Victoria (112)
<br />Wacqnla (110)
<br />Watertown (111)
<br />
<br />DAKOTA COUNTY
<br />
<br />~Ie Valley J!~6)
<br />Burnsville (191)
<br />Eagan (196)
<br />Farmington (192)
<br />Hastings (200)
<br />'Inver Grove Heights (199)
<br />. Lakeville(194)
<br />Mendota Heights (197)
<br />Rosernount (196)
<br />South St Paul (6)
<br />West St Paul (197)
<br />
<br />HENNEPIN COUNTY
<br />Bloomington (271)
<br />Brooklyn Center (279)
<br />BroOklyn Park (279)
<br />Champlin (11)
<br />Corcoran (877)
<br />Crystal (281)
<br />Dayton (11)
<br />!?eeph,aven (276)
<br />Eden Prairie (272)
<br />Edina (273)
<br />Excelsior (276)
<br />Golden Valley (281)
<br />Hassan Twp, (728)
<br />Hopkins (270)
<br />Independence (879)
<br />Maple Grove (279)
<br />Medina (278)
<br />!vIinneapolis (1)
<br />Minnetonka (270)
<br />Minnetrista (277)
<br />
<br />2000 Community (school'
<br />tax Rank dlstrlct In parentheses)
<br />
<br />$1,542
<br />$1,683
<br />$1,616
<br />$1,366
<br />$2,096
<br />$1.790
<br />$1.885
<br />$1.751
<br />$1,579
<br />$1,645
<br />$1,589
<br />$1,461
<br />$1,862
<br />$1.687
<br />$1,724
<br />$1,579
<br />$1,691
<br />$1,915
<br />
<br />$2,332
<br />$2,085
<br />
<br />$1,890
<br />$2,272
<br />$2,122
<br />$2.031
<br />
<br />$1,648 81
<br />$1,692 74
<br />$1,548 94
<br />$1,73169
<br />$1,734 68
<br />$1,569~
<br />$1,498 99
<br />$1,472 100
<br />$1,878 39
<br />$1,530 98
<br />$1,54993
<br />
<br />$1,787 53
<br />$2,171 5
<br />$2.D72 14
<br />$1.835 49
<br />$1.7 4 7 '64
<br />$1,877 40
<br />$1,835 48
<br />$1,913 33
<br />$2,111 11
<br />$1,942 27
<br />$2,069 15
<br />$1,935 29
<br />$1,697 73
<br />$2.050 17
<br />$2.128 8
<br />$1.946 26
<br />$1,647 82
<br />$2.169 6
<br />$1,839 45
<br />$1,770-58
<br />
<br />95
<br />78
<br />85
<br />107
<br />12
<br />52
<br />36
<br />63
<br />89
<br />83
<br />87
<br />102
<br />42
<br />76
<br />71.
<br />88
<br />75
<br />32
<br />
<br />Mound (277)
<br />~ew Hope (281)
<br />Orono (278)
<br />Osseo (279)
<br />f'ltmoutn (284)
<br />~lchfi~ld (2fjO)
<br />Robbinsdale (281)
<br />Rogers (728)
<br />St Anthony (282)
<br />St Louis Park (283)
<br />Shore wood (276)
<br />Wayzata (284)
<br />
<br />2000
<br />tax R aril;.
<br />
<br />$1,778 51
<br />$1,8~..12
<br />$1,?17 . j?-
<br />$2,157 . ,7
<br />$1,752 '.6~
<br />$1,8QO 5;L
<br />$1.882 3~
<br />$1.929 CiO
<br />$2,0361B
<br />$1,992 211
<br />$2.011 ~i
<br />$1,84~~
<br />
<br />$1,755 6ll
<br />$1,981 ?~
<br />$2,174 4
<br />$2,025 "'20
<br />. $1.922 3'1
<br />$1.872 41
<br />$1,778 , 5Q:
<br />$1,569 . '9.~
<br />$1,842. 4A
<br />$1,99623
<br />$2.059:' 1'13
<br />'$1,762 5fl
<br />$1)79: 55
<br />$1.78~4
<br />$1}6~6
<br />
<br />$1.939 28
<br />. $1,388 IQ:5
<br />$1,73Y-67
<br />$l,5~9Z
<br />$2,215 "3
<br />$1,997 22
<br />$1,838 .'. 4'6
<br />$1,68~~
<br />$1.4~6 . 1(ji
<br />
<br />$1,386 . 106
<br />$1,835 '.. '00
<br />-~
<br />$1,878 ..' ~
<br />$1,687 '- ''/1]
<br />$1,432 ').03
<br />$1,398 . lq,1
<br />$1.593 86
<br />$i~'96
<br />-....,-
<br />$1,673 '. 80
<br />$1,194 100
<br />$1,634 .$A
<br />$2.113 ~
<br />$1,576 90
<br />$1,74~5.
<br />$1.7~ltf2
<br />$1.740 ',66
<br />$1.229 :1.03-
<br />!1.837 M
<br />
<br />. ",
<br />Usted are all metro-area communities with Jioriu.
<br />lations of 2.500 0( more, plus ExcelsioLlf aCi\y'
<br />is in more Ulan one school disuicl.llle disulCl.:
<br />with the most homesteads in Ule city is used
<br />
<br />1
<br />13
<br />
<br />RAMSEY COUNfY
<br />Arden Hills (621)
<br />Falcon Heights (623)
<br />Lauderdale (623) .
<br />Little Canada (623)
<br />Maplewood (622)
<br />Mounds View (621)
<br />New Br.i!\.'~ton(621)
<br />North Oaks (621)
<br />Nof!h St Paul (622)
<br />~oseville (623)
<br />~LPalJ!(625)
<br />Shoreview (621)
<br />Vadnais Heights (624)
<br />White Bear Lake (624)
<br />White Bear Twp, (624)
<br />
<br />Source: Minpesota Department of Revenue; calculations by Ule:Fitizens League.
<br />
<br />34
<br />2
<br />9
<br />19
<br />
<br />SCOYf COUNTY
<br />Belle Plaine (716)
<br />Credit River Twp. (719)
<br />Jordan (717)
<br />New'Market Twp, (194)
<br />1'I~1'I.!'r<lBlJe (721)
<br />Prior Lake (719)
<br />Savage (191)
<br />Shakopee (720)
<br />Spring Lake Twp, (719)
<br />
<br />WASHINGTON COUNfY
<br />
<br />, Afton (834)
<br />Bayport (834)
<br />Cottage Gro",e (833)
<br />Forest Lake (831)
<br />Forest Lake Twp, (831)
<br />Grant (832)
<br />Hugo (624)
<br />Lake Elmo (834)
<br />Mahtomedi (832)
<br />May Twp(834)
<br />New Scandia Twp. (831)
<br />Newport (833)
<br />Oak Park Heights (834)
<br />Oakdale (622)
<br />St Paul Park (833)
<br />. Stillwater (834)
<br />West Lakeland Twp. (834)
<br />Woodbury (833)
<br />
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