Sponsor: Finance
Title
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Approval of the 2026-2027 Operating Budget
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Recommendation
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Approve the 2026-2027 Ramsey County Operating Budget:
1. Approve the 2026 budget of $924,063,479 and the 2027 budget of $962,473,868 with all the changes noted in the attached budget addenda.
2. Approve the 2026-2027 Fee Schedule, as amended.
3. Authorize the County Manager to continue to fund the Internal Service Fund for Employee Health and Dental Insurance to account for health and dental premiums.
4. Authorize the County Manager to move, transfer, or reallocate existing Full Time Equivalents and budget resources within and between the service teams and departments to support the service teams in their ability to achieve and implement the Ramsey County Board' s vision, mission, goals and strategic plan.
5. Authorize the County Manager to make all necessary budget adjustments, including transfers and increasing estimated revenues and expenditures to implement the Ramsey County Board's vision, mission, goals and strategic plan along with Requests 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 2026-2027 proposed biennial budget to the Ramsey County Board on September 2, 2025.
The Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole met with county service teams to discuss their proposed budgets:
• September 15, 2025: Strategic Team
• September 16, 2025: Information and Public Records Service Team
• September 18, 2025: Economic Growth and Community Investment Service Team
• September 19, 2025: Health and Wellness Service Team
• September 22, 2025: Safety & Justice Service Team
The Ramsey County Committee of the Whole held a public hearing on September 22, 2025, to receive public input on the 2026-2027 proposed budget. The Ramsey County Board also held a public meeting on December 11, 2025, to hear additional comments on the 2026-2027 proposed 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 23, 2025, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners certified a proposed maximum tax levy of $434,565,563 to finance the 2026 budget, which was a 9.75% increase over the 2025 Tax Levy of 395,960,717.
On November 4, 2025, the Ramsey County Board held two workshops to discuss addenda changes to the 2026-2027 Proposed Budget. This in conjunction with other board actions taken between September and December 2025 resulted in a 1.5% levy reduction in 2026 from the maximum levy passed by the Ramsey County Board. The addenda changes result in a decrease to maximum 2026 tax levy of $5,836,229. The final 2026 tax levy to approve is $428,627,201.
Staff are now requesting approval of the 2026-2027 Biennial Budget and the 2026 Tax Levy based on the County Manager’s 2026-2027 proposed biennial budget as amended by addenda presented to the Budget Committee of the Whole, and with additional changes approved by the Ramsey County Board during county board meetings and workshops in 2025. These actions are detailed in the 2026-2027 Addenda.
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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 2026-2027 biennial budget document: <https://assets.ramseycountymn.gov/files/2025-09/Ramsey%20County%20Biennial%20Budget%20Book%20-%202026-2027%20Proposed%20-%20Final%20Sept%202025.pdf>. They are also included in performance measures information available from the county’s open data portal: <https://opendata.ramseycountymn.gov/>. These impacts were discussed during the 2026-2027 biennial budget hearings held by the Ramsey County Board in September of 2025.
Community Participation Level and Impact
There were two public hearings incorporated in the budget process that included opportunities for public comment:
• Tuesday, September 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. - Ramsey County Courthouse, Council Chambers - 15 West Kellogg Blvd., Saint Paul, MN 55102.
• Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. - Ramsey County Courthouse, Council Chambers - 15 West Kellogg Blvd., Saint Paul, MN 55102.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
A property tax levy of 428,627,201, results in an 8.25% levy increase. The tax levy represents 46% of the total proposed 2026 County budget.
Last Previous Action
On November 4, 2025, the Ramsey County Board held two workshops to discuss 2026-2027 budget addenda.
On September 23, 2025, the Ramsey County Board approved setting the proposed maximum levy of $434,565,563 (Resolution B2025-181).
From September 15-22, 2025, the Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole reviewed all service team proposed budgets.
On September 15, 2025, the Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee accepted the overall maximum property tax levy for the jurisdictions of the City of Saint Paul, Independent School District 625 (Saint Paul Public Schools), and Ramsey County (within Saint Paul only), for taxes payable in 2026.
On September 2, 2025, the County Manager presented the proposed 2026-2027 biennial budget to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
Attachments
1. 2026-2027 Addenda
2. 2026-2027 Fee Schedule