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Ramsey County Manager Julie Kleinschmidt today proposed to the Ramsey County
Board of Commissioners a biennial budget of $704 million for 2018 and $723
million for 2019. This represents a 1.9 percent increase of $12.8 million in
2018 and a 2.8 percent increase of $19.5 million in 2019.
“This
proposed budget moves Ramsey County forward by targeting investments that will modernize
how we do business and improve our service delivery,” said Kleinschmidt. “That
starts with continuing our development and retention of a skilled, adaptive and
resilient workforce to meet the changing needs of our communities.”
Revenues
About
$287 million (42 percent) of the county’s budget is funded through property
taxes. The 2018 - 2019 budget proposal calls for an increase in Ramsey County’s
property tax levy of 4.3 percent in each year, totaling $12.7 million in 2018
and $13.3 million in 2019.
Property
taxes are calculated and levied based on properties’ market values. In the
proposed 2018 budget, the owner of a median-valued single family home in Saint
Paul ($161,400) would pay an additional $42 per year in county taxes on a
projected property value increase of $12,500. In Ramsey County’s suburbs, the
owner of a median-valued single family home ($221,900) would pay an additional
$33 per year on an estimated property value increase of $13,000.
Currently,
nearly $194 million (28 percent) of Ramsey County’s total revenues come from
federal and state grants and transfers. These revenues are forecast to increase
to $195 million in 2018 and to $199 million in 2019.
About
$153 million (22 percent) of total revenues are from charges for services. This
amount is projected to increase by $5.3 million in the 2018-2019 biennium.
The
remaining $57 million (8 percent) of revenues are from other sources (Use of
Money, Property and Sales; Other Revenue and Taxes; and Fund Balance). This total
amount is projected to decrease $3.9 million in the biennium.
Expenditures
Funding
for a number of new and expanded initiatives are proposed in 2018 and 2019:
Community Services
- Redirect
individuals with mental health conditions from the criminal justice system with
aligned services that improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs.
- Reduce homelessness through funding
for a cross-sector effort to transition long-term shelter users to permanent
housing.
- Meet demand for increasing foster
care placement costs.
Public Safety
- Increase security for inmates,
personnel and visitors at Adult Detention Center (jail) through staffing and
upgrading the security access system.
- Expand funding for sexual assault
prevention.
- Replace radio system in Sheriff’s
department.
County Workforce and Business Modernization
- Expand
community engagement and racial equity through staff support and training
resources.
- Update
critical county technology systems for property valuation,
records and financial management as well as related staff support.
- Expand early and absentee voting
sites and technology.
Capital
Improvements and Economic Development
- Advance transit corridor planning
(Gold Line, Rush Line, Riverview).
- Expand county road and bridge construction
and maintenance projects.
- Undertake repairs and improvements
at Aldrich, Shoreview and White Bear Lake ice arenas.
Detailed budget documents are available at ramseycounty.us/budget.
Next Steps
The
Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will adopt a maximum tax levy on September
26 and is scheduled to vote on a final budget December 12, 2017.
Residents
are encouraged to provide feedback at two public hearings:
Contact: John Siqveland, Public Communications Director, 651-746-9250.
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