Each year the City Council approves a budget to fund City services such as Public Safety, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation. Similar to other organizations, the City of Bloomington is facing budget challenges. Pressures on the budget include expiring funding sources, rising costs of goods and services, and aging infrastructure and facilities.
Shifting to Priority-Based Budgeting
To navigate these pressures, Bloomington is implementing Priority-Based Budgeting—a government finance best practice to help us:
Evaluate all City programs based on community needs and the value they provide.
Align resources with the Bloomington. Tomorrow. Together. strategic plan priorities.
Increase transparency and accountability.
Make data-driven strategic decisions.
What you need to know
We’re committed to understanding the impacts on the community of these budget decisions.
We’ll use resident feedback, data and new tools to make strategic, sustainable decisions.
Final decisions rest with the City Council, with guidance from City staff and the new budgeting model.
Ordinance to Increase Solid Waste and Refuse Collection Fees
Resolution to Change Storm Water Charges
Resolution Approving 2025 Utility Fund Budgets
November 18, 2024: Non-property tax budget requests
Non-property tax budget requests for the following 10 funds on the consent agenda at the November 18, 2024 City Council Meeting for the Council’s approval. These funds do not receive property tax support.
Special Revenue Funds: Fund 2250 - Opioid Settlement; Fund 2300 - South Loop Revolving Dev.; Fund 2350 - Creative Placemaking; Fund 2600 – Cemetery; Fund 2700 – DWI Forfeiture; Fund 2710 – Enhanced 911; Fund 2720 – State Drug Forfeiture; Fund 2725 – Federal DOJ Drug Forfeiture; Fund 2726 – Fed. Treasury Drug Forfeiture;
Enterprise Fund: Fund 6700 – Police Contractual Overtime November 25, 2024: Special meeting to discuss 2025 general fund budget
November 25, 2024: Special meeting to discuss 2025 property tax levy and general fund budget
Internal Service Fund budgets requests for the following eight funds will be included on the consent agenda at the December 2, 2024 City Council Meeting for the Council’s approval.
Internal Service Funds:Fund 7100 - Fleet; Fund 7200 – Public Safety Technology & Equipment; Fund 7300 – Insurance; Fund 7400 – Employee Benefits; Fund 7450 – Accrued Benefits; Fund 7500 – Communications Support Services; Fund 7600 – Information Technology; Fund 7700 – Facilities
December 9, 2024: Continued discussion of 2025 property tax levy and general fund budget
In the December 18, 2024 Council Minute, Mayor Busse returns with an update on the City’s 2025 budget process, including the Truth in Taxation public hearing from December 16, and a farewell to City Manager Jamie Verbrugge.
In the December 11, 2024 Council Minute, Councilmember Dwayne Lowman provides an update on the City’s 2025 levy and budget discussions ahead of the Truth-in-Taxation public hearing on December 16, and recaps the latest on the Bloomington Forward projects.
In the November 20, 2024 Council Minute, Councilmember Dwayne Lowman discusses the solid waste contract renewal that begins in 2026, and provides an update on the City’s budget discussions.
In the October 30, 2024 Council Minute, Councilmember Dwayne Lowman fills in for Mayor Busse to give an update on the Council’s budget discussions, and to thank everyone who came out for a recent buckthorn bust and Parks and Recreation’s fourth annual Trick or Treat Trail.
In the October 2, 2024 Council Minute, Mayor Tim Busse discusses the airport parking moratorium that the City Council enacted on Monday night, an update on the partial redevelopment of the Southtown shopping center site, and the first in-depth council discussion regarding the proposed 2025 budget.
In the September 11, 2024 Council Minute, Mayor Tim Busse discusses the 2025 preliminary tax levy and budget presented to City Council on Monday, gives an update on the City’s Opportunity Housing Ordinance, and congratulates the Hatch Bloomington pitch competition winner Scramblin’ Egg.
Understanding your property taxes and home valuations
Bloomington’s deputy finance officer and city assessor help you understand two important documents that arrive in mailboxes in March: your property tax statement and home valuation notice.
Annual budget books and budget in brief
The Annual Budget Books for the past five years are linked below. More financial reports are available at blm.mn/financialreports.
