Sponsor: Finance
Title
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Approval of the 2025 Ramsey County Operating Budget
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Recommendation
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Approve the 2025 Ramsey County Operating Budget and the 2025 Tax Levy:
1. Approve the 2025 budget of $871,664,841 with all the changes noted in the attached budget addenda - the 2025 budget is an increase of $63,166,042 or 7.8% over the 2024 approved budget.
2. Approve a continuation of a vacancy factor reduction in department budgets for 2025.
3. Authorize the County Manager to monitor the savings that accrue due to the vacancy factor and to transfer vacancy factor savings if needed from departments that have excess savings to departments that need additional funds and to increase estimated revenues if needed to finance salary related costs due to the vacancy factor.
4. Authorize the County Manager to continue to fund Internal Services Fund for Employee Health and Dental Insurance to account for health and dental premiums.
5. Authorize the County Manager to move, transfer, or reallocate existing Full Time Equivalents and budget resources within and between the service teams to support the service teams in their ability to achieve and implement the County Board’s vision, mission, goals, and strategic plan.
6. Authorize the County Manager to make all necessary budget adjustments, including transfers and increasing estimated revenues and expenditures to implement Request for Board Actions that have been approved by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
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Background and Rationale
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The Home Rule Charter for Ramsey County, Chapter 3, Section 3.02 F states that the County Manager shall prepare and submit the annual budget proposal to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. Along with the Home Rule Charter, the Minnesota Statues, Sections 134.07 and 134.34 authorizes the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners to levy a tax to establish and maintain a public library, which levy is to be made upon taxable property in Ramsey County, outside of any city or village where in a free public library is located, or which is not already taxed for the support of any free library.
The County Manager presented the 2025 Supplemental Budget and Performance Measures to the Ramsey County Board on August 27, 2024.
The Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole met with county service teams to discuss their proposed budgets:
1. September 16, 2024: Strategic, Information & Public Records and Economic Growth & Community Investment Service Teams
2. September 17, 2024: Health & Wellness and Safety & Justice Service Teams
The County Manager and Chief Financial Officer presented the 2025 Supplemental Budget to the Ramsey County Charter Commission at Maplewood Library on October 21st, 2024.
The Ramsey County Committee of the Whole held a public hearing on September 17, 2024, to receive public input on the 2025 budget. The Ramsey County Board also held a public meeting on December 11, 2024, to hear additional comments on the 2025 budget.
The Truth in Taxation Law requires the county to certify a proposed levy each year to the County Auditor on or before September 30. On September 24, 2024, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners certified a proposed maximum tax levy of $395,960,717 to finance the 2025 budget.
Staff are now requesting the approval and adoption of the 2025 Supplemental Budget based on the County Manager’s 2025 budget proposal as amended by addenda presented to the board and with additional changes approved by the Ramsey County Board during board meetings in 2024.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
The racial equity impact of departments, programs, and services is included in the 2024-2025 biennial budget documents <https://www.ramseycounty.us/sites/default/files/Budget%20and%20Finance/Ramsey%20County%20Biennial%20Budget%20Book%20-%202024-2025%20Approved%20-%20Final.pdf>.They are also included in performance measures information available from the county’s open data portal <https://opendata.ramseycounty.us/>. These impacts were discussed during the 2024-25 biennial budget hearings held by the Ramsey County Board in August and September of 2023, and during the 2025 Supplemental budget and performance measures hearings in September of 2024.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Two public hearings were incorporated in the budget process and included opportunities for public comment. Public testimony was accepted at both public hearings.
• September 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. - Ramsey County Courthouse
• December 11, 2024, 6:00 p.m. - Hallie Q Brown Community Center
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
A property tax levy of $395,960,717 results in a 4.75% levy increase and represents 46.6% of the total proposed 2025 county budget.
Last Previous Action
On September 24, the Ramsey County Board approved setting the proposed maximum levy of $395,960,717 (Resolution B2024-187).
On September 16 and 17, 2024, the Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole reviewed all service team proposed budgets.
On August 27, 2024, the County Manager presented the 2025 proposed supplemental budget and performance measures to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
Attachments
1. 2024 Budget Addenda - December