City budget
Bloomington's 2026 budget and our path forward
Prioritizing what matters most
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.
2026 Budget Process Milestones
August 18, 2025: Study session to discuss the 2026 tax levy and budget
September 8, 2025: City Council to set preliminary 2026 tax levy
November 24, 2025: Special meeting to discuss 2026 property tax levy and general fund budget
December 8, 2025: Truth-in-taxation public hearing
December 15, 2025: Study session to discuss the final 2026 property tax levy and budget
December 22, 2025: City Council to approve Final 2026 tax levy and budget
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2025 Budget discussions at 2024 City Council meetings
Presentations and discussions on the 2025 budget process begin in April 2024.
April 29, 2024: Budget Update and Discussion
- Video of presentation to the City Council
- Presentation slides: Budget update and discussion
August 19, 2024: Special meeting to discuss preliminary 2025 tax levy and general fund budget
- Video of presentation and discussion with the City Council
- Presentation slides: Special meeting
September 9, 2024: Request to approve preliminary 2025 tax levy
- Video of presentation and discussion with the City Council
- Presentation slides: Preliminary 2025 tax levy and general fund budget
Sept.-Nov. 2024: Department budget discussions
- September 30, 2024
- Fire Department and Strategic Priorities Fund presentation
- October 14, 2024
- Budget and Rate Discussion: Utility Funds presentation
- Community Development Department presentation
- October 21, 2024 Special City Council Meeting
- Public Health presentation
- Finance presentation
- Internal Services Team presentation
- City Manager and City Council
- Human Resources (HR)
- Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (OREIB)
- City Clerk (Elections, Business Licensing, and Cemetery)
- Community Outreach and Engagement Division (COED)
- Employee Benefits Fund presentation
- Information Technology Fund presentation
- Communications Fund presentation
- October 28, 2024
- Parks and Recreation Department presentation
- Police Department presentation
- Legal Department presentation
- November 18, 2024
- Public Works General Fund, Fleet, Facilities presentation
- September 30, 2024
November 18, 2024: 2025 Utility rates public hearings
- Video of presentation to the City Council (Items 4.8-4.11)
- Ordinance to Increase Water and Wastewater Rates
- Ordinance to Increase Solid Waste and Refuse Collection Fees
- Resolution to Change Storm Water Charges
- Resolution Approving 2025 Utility Fund Budgets
- Video of presentation to the City Council (Items 4.8-4.11)
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
- 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.
November 25, 2024: Special meeting to discuss 2025 property tax levy and general fund budget
- 2025 Tax Levy and Budget Discussion video and presentation slides
December 2, 2024: Internal Service Funds budgets
- 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.
December 9, 2024: Continued discussion of 2025 property tax levy and general fund budget
- 2025 Tax Levy and Budget Discussion Continued video and presentation slides
December 16, 2024: Recreation Facility Enterprise Funds and Special Revenue Funds budgets
- Budgets for the remaining Recreation Facility Enterprise Funds and Special Revenue Funds were approved on the consent agenda.
December 16, 2024: Truth-in-taxation public hearing and set Final 2025 tax levy
2026 Budget information and outreach event calendar
Throughout summer and fall 2025, staff will be hosting information tables to share about the 2026 budget process.
- Saturday, May 17, 2025, Public Works Open House
- Saturday, May 17, 2025, Police Department Open House
- Saturday, June 21, 2025, Juneteenth Celebration
- Valley View Middle School, 12:00-5:30pm
- Sunday, June 22, 2025, Bloomington Pride Festival
- Civic Plaza, 1:00-6:00pm
- Saturday, August 2, 2025, Farmer's Market
- Civic Plaza, 8:00am-1:00pm
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.
- Annual Budget Book - Fiscal Year 2025
- Annual Budget Book - Fiscal Year 2024
- Annual Budget Book - Fiscal Year 2023
- Annual Budget Book - Fiscal Year 2022
- Annual Budget Book - Fiscal Year 2021
The 2025 Budget in Brief is a 30 page summary of the Annual Budget Book.

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