Posted: 12/18/02

Citizens League ranks FL 100 for tax cost

When it comes to total taxes paid on a home valued at $160,000, they donít get much lower than the taxes in Forest Lake.

In fact, only eight communities from a field of 108 rated by the Citizens League of Minnesota pay lower property taxes on a home with hypothetical value of $160,000.

According to the rating for taxes paid in 2002, Forest Lake was ranked 100th with a total tax bill of $1361.97. The figure includes all taxing agencies: city, county, school district and special taxing districts.

ISD 831 accounts for $365.87 of the total tax bill, according to the Citizens League rating.

Centerville, a neighbor to the south, carries the dubious honor of holding down the top spot. A Centerville resident living in the hypothetical $160,000 home would pay a total property tax of $2525.14 with a school (Centennial School District) tax of $605.25, according to the rating.

For the first time in 2002, the Citizens League study combined the taxes and property values of what was Forest Lake Township and the old city of Forest Lake reflecting the merger of the two communities.

Scott McMahon, program associate for the Citizens League, said in Forest Lakeís case, based largely on the stateís absorption of the former tax bill for schools, residents saw taxes drop by 40.9 percent on the $160,000 home.

The rating looked at non-agriculture homestead property for comparison purposes. Commercial property was not a factor, McMahon said.

McMahon said the average assessed valuation in the city for 2002 was $124,000 with the average value in the township at $164,000. The combined new average value home, he said, was $162,737 for non-ag homestead property.

When the study looked at average value home in Forest Lake in 2002, the change in assessed average market value over 2001 was 31 percent while the change in property taxes for the same period was a reduction of 11.9 percent, McMahon said.

Area communities

Hereís how several other communities within the Forest Lake area fared in terms of property taxes in the Citizens League rating for the hypothetical home with value of $160,000 and the new average assessed market value.

ïNew Scandia Township: 47th with a 2002 tax of $1841, down 14.3 percent; $196,593, up 10.2 percent, taxes down 7 percent.

ïMay Township: 86th with a 2002 tax of $1542, down 2.1 percent; $258,666, up 10.4 percent, taxes down 0.6 percent.

ïHugo: 58th with a 2002 tax bill of $1730, down 13.7 percent; $169,117, up 6.3 percent, taxes down 8.8 percent.

ïColumbus Township: 66th with a 2002 tax bill of $1639, down 27.6 percent; $165,289, up 10.7 percent, taxes down 17.3 percent.

ïLinwood Township: 88th with a 2002 tax bill of $1495, down 28.3 percent; $141,136, up 7.7 percent, taxes down 17.7 percent.

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