Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Ramsey County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
43 issues in taxes budget
Federal priorities and new-senator outreach
Federal priorities include delaying or rolling back SNAP and Medicaid changes, housing and homelessness funding, and public safety grants. Commissioner Moran pushed for broader positions like Medicaid for All; staff are preparing outreach to one or potentially two new US senators and developing earmark requests.
Capital Host program for property tax relief
Minnesota offers programs like the Homestead Credit Refund to help homeowners with property tax burden, which matters because property taxes hit lower-income households hardest relative to income.
Lake Owasso facility financial stability
The county wants state help — likely a rate increase — to keep the Lake Owasso residence facility financially stable as care and reimbursement environments change. Commissioner Jebens-Singh stressed getting ahead of it to protect a community asset.
HR 1 Medicaid and SNAP Impacts on Counties
Commissioner Jebens-Singh flagged national policy shifts — HR 1's Medicaid and SNAP changes and proposed OMB funding clawbacks — hitting counties like Minnesota's especially hard, and urged advocacy to blunt the harm locally.
2027 Capital Improvement Program Bonding
The county will ask for $6.5 million in state bonding to renovate the Aldrich Arena and Community Events Center — a busy venue for graduations, cultural events, and markets — for energy, accessibility, and revenue sustainability. County Manager Becker also pitched a new multi-year bonding strategy.
HR 1 staffing and jail overtime reduction progress
The county filled all 28 new eligibility specialists to handle new federal Medicaid redetermination rules (a $1 million annual cost heading into the 2027 budget), and hired 36 correctional officers to cut jail overtime — on track for $600,000 in savings this year and $2.6 million in 2027.
Workday ERP Implementation (Project Northstar)
The county is replacing 22-year-old HR and finance systems with Workday, live in January 2027. Employees get simpler time entry and phone-photo expense receipts; managers get real-time budget and overtime controls — something Commissioner Xiong tied to resident concerns about budget overruns.
Federal HR 1 cost shifts to counties
Changes to SNAP and Medicaid eligibility and work requirements under federal HR 1 are pushing new costs onto the county. Commissioners agreed this is a statewide problem all 87 counties are facing and pledged to push the legislature for help.
2027 Maximum Property Tax Levy
The county is deep in its 2027 supplemental budget process, with the final service team presentation and first public hearing on Thursday, and the board will set maximum property tax levies on September 22. Residents can sign up to comment and get free parking vouchers.
2027 Regional Railroad Authority tax levy
The authority certified its maximum 2027 levy of $36.2 million while keeping the levy increase at zero percent. That means the railroad authority isn't adding any new property tax burden this year.
3M campus property tax litigation
Behind closed doors, the board approved outside valuation experts and funding for the 3M property tax fight — a case that could affect county tax revenue.
Settlement of Wilson v. Ramsey County
The county settled a federal lawsuit for $150,000 plus non-monetary terms.
Rising state hospital costs charged to Ramsey County
When a county resident is ready to leave a state hospital but no community placement exists, the county pays the full hospital cost — about $2,400 a day. The county added roughly $2.5 million to its Social Services budget for AMRTC-related costs, which pressures property taxes.
County Program Aid (CPA) formula review
The CPA formula that distributes state aid to counties was written a decade ago and no longer fits Ramsey County's needs — high social services costs and a limited tax base with big tax-exempt state/federal properties. AMC is searching for a path to formula reform but hasn't found consensus among 87 counties.
Community advisory board diversity and subrogation recovery
About 36% of advisory board applicants are racially or ethnically diverse; commissioners flagged long-tenured members blocking new voices and asked for term limits discussion. A new subrogation program recovered $141,463 — an 84% rate — from responsible third parties in 2025.
Invoice payment, contracting speed, and investments
Finance pays 97-98% of invoices on time, and contract solicitations dropped from 36 weeks to 23 weeks with a goal of 18. Late payments cost the county $100,000-$300,000 a year in interest. Investment returns beat the Treasury benchmark at 4.2%.
State human services technology modernization
Counties scored a $90 million human services IT modernization bill, with $10 million earmarked for county IT systems. A new advisory council — with county representation — must approve any major changes.
HR 1 Federal Cuts Threaten County Budget
Commissioners warned that the federal HR 1 (SNAP-related) cuts could cost Ramsey County about $13.6 million a year — roughly 3.5% of the property tax levy. The board is lobbying for a two-year delay and plans to explain the impacts on property tax statements.
HR 1 implementation costs and staffing
The federal HR 1 law forces counties to do more SNAP and Medicaid eligibility work without new money. The county is hiring 17.5 staff now, but if the state's payment error rate doesn't drop, Ramsey County could owe an estimated $9.2 million by 2028.
Transit Impacts Research Program Funding
The county's $30,000 share keeps the regional transit research program running. Commissioner Xiong wants future studies to examine ten years of Green Line outcomes — home values, traffic diversion and crash data — not just transit benefits.
Contracts for election services with cities and school districts
The county runs elections for 16 cities and 4 school districts. New contracts are being finalized and will come to the board as one action before year-end, with a price increase to cover judge raises, new voting booths, and growing absentee voting costs.
Federal HR 1 implementation and county staffing
The new federal HR 1 law doubles medical assistance renewals to every six months and adds work requirements for about 7,000 SNAP recipients starting January 1. The county is asking for 17.5 new staff and says without them eligible residents could lose coverage. Expect more paperwork if you or a family member use these benefits.
Sale of 97 Moore Street property
The board met in closed session to discuss offers on county-owned property at 97 Moore Street in St. Paul and authorized staff to proceed as discussed.
Capital grant agreement with Met Council
The funding mechanism to transfer county sales tax and railroad levy dollars to the Met Council for its design scope. Comes to the board for a vote on August 18.
Cooperative project delivery agreement and governance
A second, still-in-progress agreement will spell out how the county and Met Council make joint decisions — including a project decision board of elected officials reviewing budget and scope at each design milestone, with a $150,000 threshold for items between milestones.
Behavioral health workforce shortage
Group home staff earn wages in the high teens per hour for dangerous work, and providers face rising insurance costs. Commissioners warned that without action, more providers will exit the field over the next five to ten years.
Public Health and Sheriff Fee Changes
The board approved new and changed Public Health fees for telehealth services and a vaccine, plus updated Sheriff's Office fees for security and civil process services.
R&E Budget and 2027 Tipping Fee Increase
Haulers will pay $159 per ton at the Newport facility starting in 2027, up from $142, to fund the food scrap program expansion and transfer stations. Those costs generally get passed on to residents' garbage bills.
County Manager Performance Evaluation and Salary Increase
County Manager Ling Becker got a 'distinguished' evaluation and a raise to $283,550 starting August 1. Commissioners praised her crisis leadership and service improvements, but a few noted there's always room to improve service delivery.
Federal housing bill awaiting presidential action
Chair Xiong noted a major housing bill passed by Congress is sitting on the president's desk, tied publicly to passage of the SAVE Act. It would streamline CDBG disaster recovery funding, expand HOME program use, and cap institutional investors at 350 single-family homes.
County performance measurement and public data transparency
The county reports ten performance measures to the state auditor each year for a $25,000 incentive. Commissioners flagged the county's high low birth weight rate and racial disparities in birth outcomes as troubling, and confirmed the report is posted on the county's open data portal.
2027 Commissioner Salary Ordinance
Commissioners approved their own 2027 pay raise plus an expense allowance of roughly $800 a month, over objections from two residents who cited recent cuts to libraries, detox services, and burial assistance. The ordinance was adopted as Resolution B2026-075 on a 7-0 vote after a public hearing.
City notification of county grant awards
Commissioners McGuire and Moran flagged that cities often don't know when county grants land in their communities and asked staff to notify city administrators and board members directly.
2027 Commissioner Salaries
The board adopted its own salary ordinance for 2027, setting what commissioners will be paid next year.
HRA levy balance: housing vs. business use
Commissioner McGuire pressed to ensure the HRA levy — fundamentally a housing fund — isn't tilted too heavily toward business use. Staff affirmed affordable housing remains the primary focus, with business supports adding flexibility for mixed-use projects.
North St. Paul remains outside the HRA
North St. Paul declined again to join the county HRA, so its residents and businesses can't tap the EDA's new programming. Staff will keep highlighting the benefits and can serve the city through other community development programs.
Long-term services and supports cost shift
The state may shift long-term care service costs onto counties. Counties found $122 million in savings, but the state pocketed it for the general fund instead of crediting counties. The fight continues into 2027.
Property tax refunds require application
Residents get a one-time 14.8% boost in property tax refunds — homeowners making under $143,000 qualify for a one-time $173 refund — but they have to apply. Commissioners criticized the opt-in design as inefficient and skewed against low-income and renter households.
$170,000 Litigation Settlement
The county settled a lawsuit, Tameca Williams v. Ramsey County, for $170,000. That's county money — ultimately taxpayer funds — going to resolve the claim.
2026 Legislative Session Outcomes for Counties
The legislature wrapped up with mixed news for the county: no funding for the county's top requests, but $13 million for West 7th sewer repair, $40 million for Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and $10 million for the Grand Casino Ice Arena in St. Paul. Counties also got new state money to help cover SNAP administrative costs, human services IT modernization, and family homelessness prevention.
ESRI GIS enterprise license renewal
The county extended its mapping software agreement with ESRI through 2030. The system supports assessments, sheriff's operations, fire pre-planning, and free public access to county geographic data.
Property tax abatements for Saint Paul properties
The county granted abatements of $10,000 or more on three Saint Paul parcels, including a disaster-related abatement. Abatements reduce tax revenue the county and other local governments would otherwise collect.
2026 Special Board of Appeal and Equalization
The county set up the panel that hears property valuation appeals, convening June 16, 2026. If you think your property was assessed too high, this is the body that can adjust it.