The second most-asked question I get

Joe Atkins Dakota County Commissioner for District 2

Inlast month’s column

I answered the No. 1 question I hear as a Dakota County commissioner: “What does Dakota County do?” Since county government is occasionally referred to as the invisible layer of government, it surprises people to learn of Dakota County’s extensive impact on our everyday lives.

For example, Dakota County maintains 81 bridges and 440 miles of county roads, like Thompson, Delaware, Oakdale, Southview and Concord. We handle felony prosecutions for all cities and towns in the county, run the county jail, and collaborate with local cities on Dakota911, making our 9-1-1 emergency response far faster and more efficient. We pair up social workers with West St. Paul and South St. Paul police to help respond to calls involving mental health. We address more than 50,000 intake and crisis calls a year, while also creating places like Aspen House in Mendota Heights, which provide a safe place for teens in crisis. We partner with the state to protect our drinking water and prevent its exportation elsewhere. We oversee a 5,000-acre park system, including Thompson County Park in West St. Paul and our River to River Greenway connecting South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Mendota Heights, welcoming over a

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million visitors annually to our parks and trails. Even more popular are our nine county libraries, including Wentworth Library in West St. Paul, where 2 million visitors checked out 4 million materials in 2022 alone. Next year, a 10th library, currently under construction in South St. Paul, will join our Dakota County library system. All of these examples prompt the second most frequent question I hear as a Dakota County commissioner, which is, “How does all this get paid for?”

2023 County Budget

After six months of work that started in June 2022, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners adopted our 2023 county budget in December. The $438 million budget was a slight increase over 2022, prioritizing services like public safety, mental health support, transportation, and preservation/ restoration of natural areas. Since many county services are mandated by the state

Volunteer In Your Community and federal government, a portion of these services is paid for through state and federal grants. The rest of the cost for these required programs falls upon county property taxpayers. These unreimbursed expenses, together with increased cost for things like utilities and insurance, resulted in a countywide property tax levy of $147 million, an increase of 1.9% over 2022.

Countywide, the 1.9% increase in the county tax levy means the average property taxpayer is paying $22.99 more for county taxes in 2023. Because market values of homes in West St. Paul and South St. Paul increased less than elsewhere in Dakota County, the property tax impact is lower here, averaging $17.82 per year for homes in South St. Paul and a mere $1.26 per year for homes in West St. Paul. Keep in mind that cities and school districts make up the rest of each property owner’s tax bill, and some cities in Dakota County passed property tax increases of up to 12%. Voters also narrowly approved a 2-question school referendum in South St. Paul, resulting in an increase in school property taxes for 2023.

Debt-free in ‘23

In spite of inflation and unreimbursed costs in 2023, I am pleased to report that Dakota County will remain debt-free in 2023. For a sixth straight year, we are one of the only counties in the nation with zero debt. The average debt load among metro counties is over $200 million. By not having to pay interest on debt each year, Dakota County is able to hold down property taxes while still investing in services like public safety, transportation, libraries and parks. Recently compiled data from the Association of Minnesota Counties shows that Dakota County is home to the lowest county property taxes per person in

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Grace Lutheran Church • WELS

149 8th Ave. S., South St. Paul 651-451-1035

Pastor Thomas Hartwig

Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday Lenten Service 4:30 p.m.

Beginning Ash Wed., Feb. 22

Lutheran Social Service of MN is seeking volunteers age 55+ in your area to provide companionship to older adults or mentor school-age children. Volunteers commit to regular weekly hours for a tax-free stipend and mileage reimbursement. Please contact Brinn Krabbenhoft at 651.310.9455, or Brinn.Krabbenhoft@ lssmn.org for more information and to make an impact in your community.

Grace Lutheran Church • WELS

149 8th Ave. S., South St. Paul 651-451-1035

Pastor Thomas Hartwig

Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.

HOLY