January/February 2019
Page 7
OpenBlaine
Transparent | Community | Data Powered by
OpenGov Coming to Blaine In the first part of 2019, the City of Blaine will launch a new government transparency portal called OpenBlaine. Blaine is joining more than 2,000 other governmental entities around the country in using the OpenGov platform. OpenBlaine will allow the general public to easily dig in to city budget data as well as other non-financial data points collected by the city. You will be able to see the different revenue streams that fund city operations or the cost of capital improvements in the current year or even the amount of social media followers the city gained in the last year. City staff have been using the OpenGov platform internally to build the 2019 budget and have found the platform to be a great tool to clearly identify budget priorities and historical trends. Watch social media and the city website for more details about launch date for OpenBlaine.
City Council Adopts 2019 General Fund Budget and Tax Levy At their December 20 meeting, the Blaine City Council approved the city’s 2019 tax levy and general fund budget. The levy consists of: • • • •
$23,869,100 for general operations; $500,000 for the city’s pavement management program (PMP) $3,925,000 for debt service $300,000 for the parks and trails revitalization program
Additionally, the Council acting as the Economic Development Authority (EDA), adopted an EDA levy of $680,000 for a total citywide levy of $29,274,100. Blaine continues to be one of the lowest taxing full service cities in the Twin Cities metro area. At that same meeting, the Council also approved the 2019 general fund budget with revenues totaling $32,379,400 and expenditures totaling $32,298,475, providing a safe margin of $80,925. Highlights of the budget include: • • •
Enhanced median landscaping Addition of a Public Service Worker(Public Works) Continued modernization of Police Department technology and training The total citywide levy will drop the city’s tax rate to 36.700%. For a home valued at $200,000 in both 2018 and 2019, property taxes would decrease $2.66 in 2019.
2019 looks to be another good development year for Blaine as the City should continue to add property value through the construction of new homes and robust business development.
Sewer Backup? Contact Public Works Residents experiecing a sewer backup should immediately contact the City of Blaine Public Works Department. Public Works will check the sewer main for blockages, as tree roots in the line can cause backups for neighbors as well. Call 763-785-6165, during normal business hours from 7AM to 3PM, otherwise call 763-427-1212.
