Each fall, Minnesota school districts take another step in their annual financial planning process by certifying a preliminary property tax levy.
At its September 17 meeting, the Cambridge-Isanti School Board certified the District’s preliminary property tax levy for taxes payable in 2027. The preliminary levy totals approximately $18 million, an increase of about $345,000, or 1.95%, from the previous year.
What Does This Mean for Property Owners?
Although the District’s total levy is projected to increase by 1.95%, that does not mean individual school property taxes will increase by the same amount.
Property taxes are affected by several factors, including changes in individual property values, growth in the overall district tax base and the formulas that divide school funding between state aid and local property taxes.
Based on current estimates, most property owners are expected to see a decrease in the school district portion of their property taxes.
What Is the Annual Property Tax Levy?
Minnesota public schools are funded primarily through a combination of state aid and local property taxes. School districts do not independently determine how much property tax revenue they can collect.
Funding formulas are established in state law, and the Minnesota Department of Education calculates each district’s levy authority based on factors including enrollment, property values, existing voter-approved funding and other state formulas.
The School Board then certifies a preliminary levy each fall. This annual process is not a new referendum or a request for new voter authority.
What Happens Next?
The levy approved in September is preliminary.
Property owners will receive proposed property tax notices from their county later this fall. The District will hold its annual Truth in Taxation meeting in December, and the School Board is scheduled to consider the final levy at its December 17 meeting.
Learn more: Visit the District’s Budget & Finance webpage to view the full 2026 Payable 2027 Preliminary Property Tax Levy presentation and additional information about school finance.