Osseo Area Schools — Transcript
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Proposed Property Tax Abatement for School District Capital Projects
Public Concerns on Capital Spending Priorities and Financial Transparency
Votes (2)
Public Hearing to Consider Property Tax Abatement
Dissent: Colette Guyant Hempel and Kevin Gaffney voiced strong opposition and concerns during public comment, particularly regarding capital spending priorities and financial transparency.
The district's financial advisor outlined the legal basis and mechanics for a $15 million property tax abatement for parking lot projects, to be financed over 10 levies. Board members inquired about the impact on regular taxpayers. Public comments revealed concerns about capital spending priorities, specifically the lack of new gyms in major projects, and the perceived lack of financial transparency and voter involvement regarding the abatement mechanism.
Adjournment of Special Meeting
Moved by Director Foster [0:14:40] · Seconded by Director Tate [0:15:00]
The board moved to officially close the special meeting following the public hearing.
Notable Quotes (6)
For school districts, the interpretation by MDE is that school districts can only issue those bonds and for the purposes of parking lots and any ancillary projects that make the parking lot safety or safer like attached park sidewalks or lighting things like that.
So you're adding that back and your entire entirety of your district and not specific to those parcels. So like I said, no impact to those parcels specifically.
And so really what we're doing is issuing the final portion of the school building bond portion and that's staying level with the the prior um, the prior year and ultimately goes back to what that was authorized for under the school building bond portion.
My concern is that you're putting 41 million into the um, Park Center and yet I'm I apologize. Um, and yet there isn't a single additional gym.
This method is not even voted on. And I know we hire consultants to say, 'How can we, you know, position, you know, the need for more money so that people will pass it.'
Is Is my taxes going up or not? I don't know. It's It was moved around, I understand that piece of it.
Ordinances & Resolutions (3)
Legal framework granting municipalities, including school districts, authority to issue abatement bonds for specific public purposes.
Interpretation by the Minnesota Department of Education limiting school districts' use of abatement bonds primarily to parking lots and ancillary safety projects.
Part of the district's overall capital plan; the abatement bonds will be issued in conjunction with its final portion.