Mpls officials craft plan to dial back property tax increase

The outcry from Minneapolis taxpayers over a proposed property tax hike has led to an attempt by city officials to dial back the increase.

Last month, dozens of taxpayers packed a public hearing at city hall to voice their discontent, and sometimes outrage, over next year's proposed property tax hike. Council members say they heard residents loud and clear, and began to work on a plan to reduce the amount of the increase.

The council crafted a proposal to cut a little more than $6 million of spending through a combination of short-term and long-term reductions. The plan includes a two-year salary freeze for city employees, a delay in spending for capital improvements at Target Center and a cut in the levy for public housing.

Council member Betsy Hodges, who helped craft the proposal, said the plan is a response to taxpayer complaints.

"We heard what people said," Hodges said. "We heard that people preferred cuts in services to an increase in property taxes and we're doing our best to lower the proposed levy."

Members of the council's budget committee will vote on the proposal Tuesday. The full City Council votes on the amended budget next week.