City government has an important job: providing the core services that keep our community safe, healthy, and running smoothly. That includes police and fire protection, safe streets, clean water and sewer systems, parks and trails, long-term planning, and responsible financial management. These services are funded by property taxes collected through the city levy and are intended to serve the entire community. A good example of this is the public safety facility we’re building now, which will house City Hall and a new Police Department—an investment focused squarely on essential city services.

It’s just as important to be clear about what the city does not do. We value the Becker Big Lake Ice Association and recognize it as a strong, mission-driven organization with a very visible and positive presence in our community. Because of that visibility, it’s understandable that some people might assume the city helps fund their facilities. It does not.

The city is not the builder or financer of Ice Association facilities. Projects like a new ice arena are private or semi-private efforts, paid for through gambling proceeds, donations, user fees, and grants—not city levy dollars.

Using levy dollars for an ice arena would mean higher taxes or taking money away from the core services everyone relies on. It could also saddle the city with long-term debt, creating a financial burden for residents for decades. That wouldn’t be responsible or sustainable.

That doesn’t mean the city can’t be supportive. We can work with organizations like the Ice Association through partnerships, collaboration, and policies that help them succeed—without putting taxpayer dollars at risk.

Good government is about staying focused and being responsible with public money. By prioritizing core services and managing levy dollars carefully, the city can continue to deliver the public safety, infrastructure, and quality-of-life services residents expect now and into the future.