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Media contact: Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Board voted to approve the county’s 2018 budget of $2.4 billion, $285.7 million more than the 2017 adjusted budget. The budget includes a net property tax levy of $788.6 million, an increase of $29.2 million over the 2017 final net property tax levy. The final property tax levy increase of 3.84 percent is less than the preliminary property tax levy increase of 4.95 percent.
This budget supports some of the county’s most vulnerable residents and remains grounded in the county’s mission to enhance the health, safety and quality of life of residents.
Budget priorities
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Adult detention initiative: providing alternatives to jail for low-risk offenders who do not need to be detained, but who may benefit from behavioral health services, or who could be supervised using a variety of detention and processing strategies.
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Child well-being: working to identify at-risk families earlier and providing practical supports to address the root causes of abuse and neglect.
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Competitive workforce: developing career paths for people who face barriers to employment and providing county employees living wages and competitive benefits to compete with other sectors for talent.
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Hennepin Health: leveraging health and human services to identify and address social determinants of health across our community and improve health and wellness outcomes for county residents.
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Regional medical examiner facility: supporting construction of a larger, improved medical examiner facility to equip staff to handle growing case volumes and help train, recruit and retain the most qualified forensic science professionals.
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Transit and transportation: investing in a sustainable transportation system that ensures residents have access to transit choices while traveling to the places they live, work, learn and more.
“These budget priorities focus on prevention and supporting residents to become self-sufficient. This approach will reduce reliance on county services and help our community sustain long-term success,” County Board Chair Jan Callison said.
The budget adoption follows more than six months of budget preparation and hearings. It demonstrates a commitment to solid fiscal priorities and responsibilities reflected by more than three decades of AAA bond ratings.
“Each year, the board seriously considers and listens to feedback from staff and community members on the implications of the budget," Callison said. "We prioritize carefully to balance the needs of residents and clients with fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. This year, the board took a hard look at our budget and reduced the property tax levy by over a percentage point."
Learn more
Commissioners amended the budget during the December 6 budget hearing and December 12 board meeting.
Find out more at hennepin.us/budgets.
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