Truth in Taxation

Under the Truth in Taxation process, the City holds a public hearing prior to adopting its annual tax levy and General Fund budget. 

Timeline for the 2022 Budget

  • September
    • City staff presented several options for the City Council to consider in setting the preliminary tax levy
    • City Council established the preliminary tax levy for taxes payable 2022 at the September 20 meeting
  • October thru November
    • City Council will review the five-year enterprise fund budgets
    • City Council will review the general and enterprise fund annual budgets
  • December
    • City Council will hold a public hearing in December 2021
    • City Council will consider adopting the 2022 budget and establish a final tax levy in December 2021

2022 Preliminary Tax Levy

The City Council set the maximum tax levy at $12,186,866 at the September 20th meeting. 

The tax impact on the median-value home would be:

  • 2022 Median Value Home: $298,500
  • 2022 Median Value Home city taxes: $957
  • $84 annual increase from 2021 ($7 per month)

Chaska will remain very competitive as it relates to our City taxes compared to the other municipalities in the Twin Cities. If we assume that each of the other cities see no increase in taxes, we would be in the 12 lowest tax levies per capita in the Twin Cities, a ranking we have had for several years.

The added priorities that would be funded by the proposed 2022 tax levy if approved in December:

  1. Continue to fund the Capital Asset Maintenance Program (CAMP) 
    • This program maintains existing assets like streets, playgrounds, trails to keep them in great condition into the future
  2. Continue with Staffing Study implementation
    • Study completed by Baker Tilly identified that the City needs to add 16 employees to continue to provide high quality city services
    • Also a gap in funding maintenance of city buildings
    • During 2020 budget cycle, the City Council decided to fund the staffing needs over four years
  3. Police Department Staffing Needs
    • Plan to add one officer each of the next three years (three officers total)
    • Additional officers would: 
      • Increase officer safety by increasing the minimum number of officers on a shift. Current staffing model has shift minimums set at two officers for certain times of the day
      • Provide more opportunities for officers to build relationships with more community members
      • Help officers proactively identify potential issues before they become problems
  4. Fire Department Staffing Needs
    • Plan to make the Chief #2 position a full-time position. It is currently a paid-on-call position.
    • A full-time Chief #2 position would:
      • Ensure continuity in department leadership
      • Help maintain our paid-on-call model into the future

Watch City Administrator Matt Podhradsky presentation on the 2021 preliminary tax levy.

Five-Year Forecasts