Close the loop on local government budgets, tax levies

Jim Pumarlo

Dec 1, 2025

Your homework: Don’t write in a vacuum. Many government actions have a cumulative impact, especially budget decisions. Seize the opportunity to write a final story.
Pumarlo

Local governments are putting the finishing touches on 2026 operations as this year nears a close. Budgets and tax levies have been presented to citizens, debated and adopted.

Most newsrooms have been there at each step reporting on individual budgets of city, school, county and other bodies with taxing authority. Pause for a moment. Is your work done? Have you given readers a complete picture?

Your homework: Don’t write in a vacuum. Many government actions have a cumulative impact, especially budget decisions. Seize the opportunity to write a final story.

A report by Minnesota Public Radio offers a great example of offering greater insight into statistics. The story details the tax sting being felt by residents in Albert Lea, a city along the Iowa border. The headline: “In this Minnesota city, proposed property tax bumps pile up as residents push back”

The report highlights: “The city of Albert Lea, Freeborn County and the Albert Lea School District have all proposed to raise their tax levies for 2026 — by 8% for the city, 15% for the county and 6.7% for the school district. Even local officials who help set the levies know that there could be a compounding effect.”

The story underscores that local leaders in other places have proposed some of the steepest single-year levy increases in recent times.

The timing is perfect to put a wrap on local government budgets. Newsrooms should also brainstorm opportunities for timely and meaningful coverage of government spending throughout the year.

FOR EXAMPLE

  • Dissect the puzzle. It’s misleading and incomplete to simply treat budgets as a single dollar figure assessed against — funded by — taxpayers. Be aware of the pieces. For example, examine differences among the general fund, enterprise funds and capital funds. Budgets also include projects funded by grants. All these expenses can show up on the bottom line, but it’s important to distinguish whether they are ongoing or one-time expenses, along with accompanying funding sources.
  • How does local city, school district or county spending rank with counterparts across the state? It’s most instructive to focus on expenditures per capita versus tax levy per capita to reflect the many sources of funds. For example, a government unit in a similar-sized community might have a relatively low tax levy because it receives a significantly larger amount of state aid.
  • Budgets for government, similar to a family or business, are living documents and a best guess at a given time. They are moving targets. Recognize that preliminary budgets include anticipated costs for unresolved health care or labor contracts. Provide an update throughout the year.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your goal is to ensure a thoughtful and educated discussion. There is a good chance that elected officials themselves don’t have a full grasp of all the numbers. Furthermore, if you don’t understand the statistics, resulting stories will be confusing to readers.

The strongest coverage is two-pronged: solid advances to lay the groundwork for an informed discussion and follow-up reports that provide meaningful interpretation of actions. Your readers stand to be the ultimate beneficiary.

 

Jim Pumarlo is former editor of the Red Wing (Minnesota) Republican Eagle. He writes, speaks and provides training on community newsroom success strategies. He is author of “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage,” “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in Small-Town Newspapers.” He can be reached at www.pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and questions at jim@pumarlo.com.