Mpls. Mayor Rybak Proposes 1.7% Property Tax Increase

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is proposing a 1.7 percent property tax increase as part of his budget talks on Wednesday.

Rybak says about 70 percent of all homeowners in the city will not see an increase. In fact, Rybak says homeowners will possibly get a decrease.

He credits the Vikings stadium legislation, which gave the city a break from payments for Target Center.

"For most of the last decade, we wondered whether there would be any way we'd ever be able to take care of that," he said. "But now, because of the stadium legislation that this council passed, we'll now be able to pass on $5 million in property tax relief that otherwise would have gone to Target Center."

The mayor also takes credit for a new ice cream at Sebastian Joe's. He says because the city is making road repairs on Nicollet Avenue, the shop has changed the name of a favorite scoop to "the flavor formerly known as Nicollet pothole."

Those in attendence got a taste.