A report released by the Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer last week shows a good portion of property owners across the county will see lower tax rates in 2024.

The county saw approximately $190 million of new construction projects added to the tax rolls for taxes payable in 2024, so that added value will help keep tax rates down.

Although some jurisdictions have increased their local tax rate, overall tax rates will be lower for most properties.

Two of the 10 townships in the county will have a higher local tax rate in 2024. The rate in Becker Twp. is increasing from 15.670% to 17.653%. In Baldwin Twp., the rate is up from 12.936% to 13.874%.

The rest of the townships will have lower tax rates this year.    

Big Lake’s rate is dropping from 20.051% to 19.437%. Those numbers cover the entire township except for properties in the Elk River Fire District, which will see a slight increase from 19.914% to 20.187%.

Blue Hill Twp. goes from 12.892% to 11.890% and Clear Lake Twp. will see a small decrease from 13.523% to 13.275%.

The rates in remaining five townships are: Haven (14.549% to 13.497%); Livonia (17.344% to 17.116%); Orrock (18.442% to 17.644%); Palmer 13.240% to 12.658%)  and Santiago (14.040% to 12.460%).

Three of seven cities in the county have increased their tax rate this year.  

Becker’s rate is going from 44.926% to 45.998%.

Princeton’s rate is increasing from 54.783% to 54.933%, with the city’s rural service district (RSD)  increasing from 15.318% to 16.143%.

East St. Cloud will see an increase from 51.633% to 53.167%.

The cities with lowered rates are: Big Lake (38.545% to 36.384) and the city’s RSD properties falling from 8.870% to 6.955%; Clear Lake (53.794% to 47.534%), Elk River (39.700 to 37.817%) and Zimmerman (36.812% to 36.083%) with its RSD falling from 12.884% to 12.629%.

One reason overall tax rates are down is because the county lowered its tax rate again, this time from 38.630% to 35.597%.   

Another reason is lower school district tax rates. Six of seven school districts have lower tax rates in 2024. Only Monticello School Dist. 882 has an increase, from 12.865% to 13.525%.

Rates for the other school districts are: Foley Dist. 51 (22.255% to 19.584%), Dist. 477 Princeton (21.328% to 21.063%), Dist. 726 Becker (19.281% to 19.262%), Dist. 727 Big Lake (29.896% to 26.442%), Dist. 728 Elk River (26.605% to 23.924%) and Dist. 742 St. Cloud (22.696% to 21.296%).

Tax rates are not completely indicative of a property owner’s final tax bill. That depends on the actual individual property value. Because of an increase in valuation, a property could have higher taxes even with a lower tax rate.