The Bismarck City Commission unanimously approved a balanced 2025 preliminary budget during Tuesday’s regular commission meeting. This is the third consecutive year the City of Bismarck’s property tax rates have not increased.
Approving the preliminary budget sets a hard cap that the City Commission can not exceed, though it is still possible to reduce the budget. The approved preliminary 2025 budget stands at just over $404 million. The city’s 2025 general fund budget revenues are expected to be just under $70 million, while General Fund Expenditures are projected to be just over $65 million. Property tax collections are estimated to be just under $36 million in 2025. Property taxes are traditionally dedicated to the mission of public safety, but this cost normally exceeds the property tax assessment.
“The budget committee is pleased to announce this year’s balanced budget. Through diligent, hard work and prioritization, we have identified areas of need that will be addressed through existing City resources,” said Bismarck Finance Director Dmitriy Chernyak. “This year’s budget allows us to keep up with the increasing needs of our community, providing essential services and maintaining the quality of life that sets Bismarck apart. When it comes to the City of Bismarck’s share of property taxes, we have not burdened our citizens with an increased ask since 2022.”
This year’s preliminary budget recommendations include:
- Police drone program to assist with specific emergency response situations
- Runway rehabilitation projects at the airport
- Additional software for police body camera integration
- Planning for the South Bismarck flood protection project
- Continued Water Treatment Plant expansion
- Haycreek lift station and interceptor projects
- Purchase of a landfill compactor
- A 5.6% staff salary increase to remain compliant with compensation plan
- East Century Avenue reconstruction project funded by half-cent sales tax
- Conclusion of a multi-year relamping program to replace High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights with LED counterparts
In addition to these projects, the budget committee proposed supporting 13 of the 24 staff requests made. Of those 13 new proposed staff, two additional heavy equipment operators are recommended to be hired. This, coupled with the two heavy equipment operators hired by way of the 2024 budget, creates an additional equipment team, helping ensure more flexibility during winter storm response. Additionally, a new Roads and Streets Supervisor position was recommended to oversee this new crew, and two additional firefighter positions have been recommended to be hired as the City continues to build its roster in anticipation of Fire Station #6 being built at some future point in northeast Bismarck.
“The goal for the budget committee was to maintain and improve safety and infrastructure in the city,” said City Commissioner Anne Cleary, who holds the budget portfolio. “We made decisions with ongoing costs to try to address what is best for the city today, but to also make sure we are aware of what can be coming five and ten years down the road.”
Some fees collected by the City are expected to increase. Utility bills are expected to reflect an increase of 2.25% for sewer usage. Meanwhile, the associated fee for street lights is recommended to increase from $10.82 to $11.36 monthly and residential waste collection fees on a 96-gallon can will increase from $16.66 to $17.58 per month.
“I am glad we are able to continue to maintain a balanced budget without increasing our property tax rate said Bismarck Mayor Mike Schmitz. “Further, if Burleigh County continues to fund Public Health at the amount in their preliminary budget, the City will be able to lower the property tax rate sufficiently enough to return money to the property owners in the City of Bismarck.”
The next step in the budget cycle for the City Commission is approving a final budget in September. A public hearing for the budget ordinance and other discussions will be held in September 2024 during a regular City Commission meeting.
Additional information about previous budgets is available on the Financial Reports page of our website.