Minnesota counties point to unfunded federal and state mandates for property tax increases

Summary by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Ryan Pattee, KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) · July 24, 2026 · 3 min read

Minnesota counties say state and federally required programs without full funding are driving up local property taxes. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has been tracking tax increases in Minnesota for months and spoke with county leaders who said unfunded mandates are a major reason taxes are rising. Anoka Coun...

Why this matters in The Minneapolis

The issue of unfunded mandates driving up local property taxes is particularly pressing in the Twin Cities area, where counties like Anoka and Sherburne are grappling with significant tax levy increases. As county leaders like Scott Schulte and Andrew Hulse point out, the scale of these mandates has changed dramatically since the 2023 session, with costs adding up to millions of dollars. In Anoka County, the $8 million price tag for unfunded mandates equals 4.02% of the levy, contributing to a statewide-high 28% tax levy increase over the last two years. This trend is likely to be felt by homeowners and businesses across the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, who will be shouldering the burden of these increased taxes. As the state and counties work to implement these mandated programs, it will be crucial to monitor how they balance the need to fund essential services with the pressure to keep property taxes in check.

About this story

Original reporting by KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC). The Minneapolis surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC). Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 24, 2026 · Source: KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) · Reading time: 3 min

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Summary created by	The Minneapolis Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Ryan Pattee, KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC)
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 24, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 25, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Minnesota counties point to unfunded federal and state mandates for property tax increases

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