By Kurt Menk
Editor
The Green Isle City Council, during a regular meeting on Tuesday night, Sept. 12, unanimously adopted a resolution to approve the preliminary 2023 tax levy for collection in 2024.
The 2023 preliminary tax levy for collection in 2024 will increase from $591,006 to $$671,437. This reflects a 13.6 percent increase over  the final tax levy from last year..
Mayor Shane Sheets and City Council members Diane Brown, Shawn Lindquist and Mark Wentzlaff and Edward Zimmerman all voted in support of the resolution.
Prior to the move, the City Council reviewed the proposed 2024 budget. The preliminary tax levy was sitting at a 16.3 percent at that time. The City Council cut $15,000 from professional services to bring the preliminary levy down to a 13.6 increase.
The hike in the preliminary tax levy is primarily due to an increase in the cost of living, inflationary supplies costs, an increase in the cost from Abdo Financial Solutions and a move for People Service to provide public works services.
Sheets was disappointed that the increase in cost from Abdo Financial Solutions could not be staggered over the next few years.
Sheets, in his opinion, said the City Council has been responsible in holding the line on spending, but “costs for services have skyrocketed.”
There was a brief discussion about looking at a possible move to reduce patrol coverage from the Sibley County Sheriff’s Department.  The City Council has budgeted $55,000 for patrol coverage in 2024.
The City Council will hold its Truth In Taxation public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12.
The City Council can only decrease the tax levy before final approval in December.

Find the full story in the Sept. 14, 2023 addition of the Arlington Enterprise