MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Columbia Heights Proposes 5.3 Percent Property-Tax Levy Increase for 2027

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN (August 27, 2026) Columbia Heights has released its proposed 2027 budget, calling for a 5.3 percent increase in the city’s gross property-tax levy compared with 2026.

The city estimates that local taxpayers would experience an average increase of approximately 4.1 percent on the municipal portion of their property-tax bills after metro-area fiscal-disparities funding is considered.

Fiscal disparities is a regional tax-base-sharing program that distributes part of the growth in commercial and industrial property-tax capacity across the metropolitan area.

The proposed levy would finance the tax-supported portion of the city budget and help Columbia Heights maintain its minimum fund-balance guideline.

City officials said the proposal follows Columbia Heights’ five-year financial plan. The budget accounts for inflation, limits service expansions to approved priorities and legal mandates, reserves state aid for capital projects and debt service, and attempts to keep property taxes stable.

The figures remain preliminary. The City Council is scheduled to adopt an initial resolution covering the proposed budget and 2027 levy September 28.

The preliminary levy adopted at that meeting will establish the maximum amount the city may collect. Council members may reduce the levy before final adoption but may not increase it beyond the September maximum.

A public hearing is scheduled for December 14. The council is expected to adopt the final budget and property-tax levy after receiving public comments.

The proposed increase applies only to the city portion of a property-tax bill. A resident’s total bill may also include separate levies imposed by Anoka County, the local school district and other taxing jurisdictions.

The effect on an individual property will depend on its assessed value, changes in that value relative to other properties and the final levies adopted by each taxing authority.

The complete proposed budget is available through the city’s online budget archive.

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