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Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
The Hennepin County Board voted Tuesday to approve the county’s 2016 budget of $1.9 billion. The budget includes a property tax levy of $726.8 million, an increase of 4.48 percent over 2015. The budget reflects increasing service demands across the county.
Some elements of the 2016 budget include:
Child protection
A plan to improve the safety of children in the county includes increasing critical staff and reexamining current work practices.
Elections
The county is updating existing voting equipment in preparation for national and local elections in 2016.
Self-sufficiency and workforce initiatives
As baby boomer-age employees retire, the Career Connections program identifies, trains and hires qualified candidates for gateway county positions with opportunities for additional education and advancement. County officials are committed to sharing best practices with other employers in the region.
Workforce competitiveness
The county and AFSCME, its largest union, have agreed on a series of contracts, reflected in the budget, continues to incorporate competitive compensation and benefits. They include an enhanced tuition reimbursement program, paid parental leave, progressive health and life insurance and a new salary minimum of at least $15 per hour. The measures are part of a larger effort to maintain Hennepin County’s status as an employer of choice in the region, and to maintain a high level of customer service to taxpayers.
Property tax levy
The increase in this year’s property tax levy follows several years of nearly flat increases. With this budget, Hennepin County’s property tax levy has increased by an average of 1.67 percent per year over the past five years.
The budget demonstrates a commitment to solid fiscal priorities and responsibilities that remain evident in more than three decades of AAA bond ratings, according to Hennepin County Board Chair Jan Callison.
“As commissioners, we understand the enormous responsibility to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” Callison said. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the past several months, culminating in the adoption of a budget that shows our commitment to serving residents, improving lives and continuing to attract and retain a talented workforce.”
The budget adoption follows more than six months of budget preparation and hearings focused on the county’s continued commitment to help residents to be healthy, protected and safe, self-reliant, assured due process and mobile.
Learn more
For more information about the Hennepin County budget, visit www.hennepin.us.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
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