City of Winthrop sets preliminary levy

by Michael Mattison
The City of Winthrop passed its preliminary tax levy on Monday evening. The levy was set at $944,530, an increase of 11.09 percent from last year.
After the preliminary levy has been set, the amount cannot be raised but it can be decreased.
Councilwoman Julie Trebelhorn commented that this was a starting point. The City Council has already held two budget meetings and will continue to meet on the subject before certification is required.
“All of the departments were really pro-active and looked at expenses that might have been in the budget for years and years and they said ‘do we need that?’ We removed a lot of things that we didn’t need in the budget and found some things that really should be in the budget to more accurately reflect where our city dollars are going,” she said
City Administrator Michael Looft said theoperating budget is down 6 percent from last year’s due to cuts. Revenues were down signficantly because of cuts to small cities assistance but he said that with last month’s decision to invest in the 4M (Minnesota Municipal Money Market) Fund there should see a 4 percent increase in revenue next year.
“When we go back next month and the month after when we set the actual levy, I think we will be able to cut so we are sitting pretty good,” Looft said.
The Truth In Taxation meeting is set for the Council’s regular meeting on November 27. People are encouraged to come to that meeting. That will be the final hearing and a resolution will be made to approve the final levy unless the Council finds it necessary to have an additional meeting which would be held on December 18.
Several citizens showed up at the meeting and voiced their concerns at the open forum about the city’s proposed levy and numerous projects that the city is looking at. Those projects include Second Street, the police garage and a combined fire/ambulance building.