Bemidji Council Reviews 2026 Priorities, Considers Cutting 6% Preliminary Levy

Bemidji City Council members met in a mid-February work session on Feb. 16 to review municipal priorities for 2026 and to weigh options for lowering the preliminary 6% property tax levy the council set in September. The discussion focused on whether the city should reduce that preliminary levy and how any reduction would align with the budget needs tied to the newly reviewed priorities.

The council framed the levy debate alongside a line-by-line look at 2026 priorities for city operations and capital needs. Councilors examined the preliminary 6% levy in the context of funding planned initiatives in Bemidji for the year ahead, noting that the levy figure originates from the council’s September certification and remains subject to adjustment before final action.

A lower levy would directly reduce the projected tax increase for Bemidji homeowners that the 6% figure signals. At the same time, council members identified the tradeoffs inherent in lowering the preliminary levy: less levy revenue would require scaling back or reprioritizing elements of the municipal priorities the council reviewed on Feb. 16. The work session highlighted the connection between the levy percentage set in September and the funding available for the city’s 2026 agenda.

Institutionally, the session on Feb. 16 underscored the City Council’s role in pacing budget decisions for Bemidji. By revisiting a preliminary levy set months earlier, council members exercised an operating check on prior revenue assumptions and tested whether the September certification still matched the fiscal realities and policy goals for 2026. The discussion left open whether the council will adopt a lower levy figure before final certification.

As of Feb. 19, 2026, the council had completed the work session review of municipal priorities and had considered options to lower the preliminary 6% levy but had not announced a final levy change. The Feb. 16 meeting tied the tangible arithmetic of the 6% levy to the municipal priorities that will guide spending decisions in Bemidji during 2026, placing the choice directly in the hands of council members going forward.