St. Paul taxpayers packed the City Council chamber earlier this week for the city’s “Truth in Taxation” hearing, some asking for more help to address housing or climate change and many homeowners pleading for council members to rein in rising property taxes.
In interviews Tuesday, council members said they received the message. Council President Mitra Jalali and Council Member Rebecca Noecker said this year’s pleas felt different. More plaintive, perhaps?
“We are the voice of the constituents, the ward-level elected representatives,” Jalali said. “And this year feels tougher than most, because of the factor of inflation.”
Noecker, the council’s longest-tenured member, agreed: Something is different this year.
“The council is taking a stronger stance,” she said. “It’s a struggle every year ... but this might be a time when our tax base is more constrained than in the past.”
They say they are using ongoing budget negotiations to convince Mayor Melvin Carter to significantly reduce his requested levy increase. The mayor and council have said they will continue to meet right up until the council is expected to approve a 2025 budget on Dec. 11. Neither side said they expect an impasse.
On Monday, the City Council kicked off a two-hour “Truth In Taxation” hearing with a presentation by Jay Willms, the city’s chief budget officer, on Carter’s proposed $854.9 million operating budget for 2025. Of that, Carter is proposing a total tax levy of $224.9 million — a 7.9% increase over 2024.
The council wants it closer to 5%, Jalali and Noecker said.