OTC levy to increase 3.72 percent

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the five-person Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 county levy and 2025 county budget. The net property tax levy for this coming year is $53.1 million, resulting in a 3.72 percent net tax levy increase compared to 2024. 

County Auditor-Treasurer Wayne Stein said the entire county budget for 2025 is $144.2 million.

“Close to 39 percent of the county budget is funded with local property tax dollars,” Stein said. “The additional needed funding comes from the state and federal governments.”

The Otter Tail County Finance, Property and License Management Team previously met to discuss and review in general terms levy and budgetary guidelines, as well as the proposed department budgets and various agency requests. Public comments were heard on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

County board members said it is a relief to see minimal impact to the average county taxpayer. That’s because the county has seen growth in the taxable base which has been a goal of the county board.

All five county commissioners, including retiring Commissioner Lee Rogness, praised county departments for adhering to reasonable restraints to work within the parameters of the county budget. 

Included in the budget for 2025 are county taxpayer funds for the following:

• health and wellness (public health, human services, veterans’ services and county extension)

• economic growth and community (highways, land and resource management, parks and trails and solid waste)

• safety and justice (emergency management, probation and law enforcement)

• internal services (administration, human resources, facilities operations, information technology and geographic information systems)