ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Department of Revenue annually releases a list of the preliminary maximum property tax levies that have been reported by local governments and have been passed by local school referenda on November 3, 2020.

The preliminary amounts are used by counties to compute parcel-specific property tax estimates for 2021, which are mailed to property owners in November in the form of Truth-in-Taxation notices. Truth-in-Taxation notices also list Truth-in-Taxation meeting times and locations for residents. These meetings, which take place between late November and late December, are an opportunity for Minnesotans to provide input to local leaders on their levies and on how they are proposing to spend tax dollars. These meetings are required for cities with populations over 500, counties, school districts, regional library authorities, and metropolitan taxing districts.  

After input from citizens, local governments must set their final 2021 property tax levies by December 28, 2020. The final levies can be set lower, but not higher, than preliminary levies. The department will release final property tax levy information in February. 

For 2021, preliminary property taxes statewide will increase $271.4 million, a 2.5% increase. Last year, preliminary statewide property tax increases totaled $541 million, a 5.2% increase, and last year’s final levy increase was 4.5% ($474 million). 

Cities - The 2021 preliminary property tax levies for cities will total approximately $2.795 billion compared with a final levy of $2.674 billion in 2020, a 4.5% increase.

Counties - The 2021 preliminary property tax levies for counties will total approximately $3.497 billion compared with a final levy of $3.444 billion in 2020, a 1.5% increase.

Townships - The 2021 preliminary property tax levies for townships will total approximately $280 million compared with a final levy of $269 million in 2020, a 4.1% increase.

Schools - The 2021 preliminary property tax levies for schools will total approximately $3.384 billion compared with a final levy of $3.305 billion in 2020, a 2.4% increase.

Special Taxing Districts - The 2021 preliminary property tax levies for special taxing districts will total approximately $413 million compared with a final levy of $405 million in 2020, a 2.1% increase.

Truth-in-Taxation notices do not include the results of levy referenda for operations or capital projects by 42 of Minnesota’s school districts. The results of these referenda are included in the summarized data. Statewide, 21 of the 42 referenda at least partially passed.

The preliminary property tax levy information for local governments and schools is available on the Department of Revenue Property Tax Reports and Data website. 

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