Mpls. Proposes Cuts To Stop Property Taxes From Rising

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and two city council members are proposing deeper budget cuts to keep people's taxes from climbing even higher.

The proposal is to cut another $6.1 million of the proposed 2011 budget.

The three main areas targeted:

- $2 million to the Park and Recreation Board

- $1.4 million to the Public Housing Authority

- $1.1 million for Target Center capital projects

The mayor said this will mean a property tax increase of 4.7 percent instead of the 6.5 to 7.5 that's been floated out there.

Rybak says the cuts will only be supported if the council agrees to two other proposals.

One is to freeze city employees' wages for two years, and the other is to end the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, with that money going back into the tax rolls.