City to keep working on 2026 levy
City News September 23, 2025
At its Sept. 22 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council approved a preliminary tax levy of $9.8 million or 8% over 2025, but staff and city councilors will keep looking for ways to cut expenses.
The council is scheduled to adopt the final levy at its Dec. 8 meeting. The proposed levy can decrease but not increase.
The higher levy reflects higher costs for personnel, including an additional police officer; financing for cleanup and development of the Blazing Star Landing; and other factors.
The impact to individual homeowners will depend on how Freeborn County values their property for assessment purposes:
- If the valuation stays the same, then city property taxes would actually decrease. That’s because the city has seen an increase in development and property values. In other words, the tax burden is spread among a higher number and higher value of properties.
- If the valuation increases, then city taxes would also increase.
For details, watch the meeting on YouTube.
Questions or comments? Contact your City Councilor directly. Make sure you receive a response to a question or have your opinion considered with an email or phone call to your elected representative.
